BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 161 
No. 15.— The Hybridization of Lilies. By FRanots 
PARKMAN, late Professor of Horticulture at the Bussey 
Institution. 
TEN or twelve years ago, I began a series of experiments in hybri- 
dizing lilies, and have continued them at intervals to the present time, 
with results some of which are worth recording. 
My first attempt was to combine the two superb Japanese lilies, L. 
speciosum (lancifolium) and L. auratum. The former was used as the 
female parent. Four or five varieties of it, varying from pure white to 
deep red, were brought forward in pots under glass. ‘This was neces- 
sary, because L. speciosum does not ripen its seed in the open air, in 
the climate of New England. When the flowers were on the point of 
opening, the anthers were carefully removed from the expanding buds 
by means of forceps. As the pollen was entirely unripe, and as pains 
were taken to leave not a single anther in any of the flowers, self- 
impregnation was impossible. The pollen of L. auratum was then ap- 
plied to the pistils, as soon as they were in condition to receive it. 
Impregnation took place in most cases. The seed-pods swelled, and 
promised an ample crop of seed; but the experiment was spoiled by 
the bad management of the man in charge of the greenhouse, in conse- 
quence of which the pods were attacked by mildew. 
In the next year, I repeated the attempt, with the same precautions. 
This time the seed was successfully ripened. Being sown immediately, 
a portion of it germinated in the following spring, and the rest, a year 
’ later. In regard to this seed, two points were noticeable; first, it was 
scanty, the pods, though looking well, being in great part filled with 
abortive seed, or mere chaff; and, next, such good seed as there was 
differed in appearance from the seed of the same lily fertilized by the 
pollen of its own species. The latter is smooth, whereas the hybrid 
seed was rough and wrinkled. About fifty young seedlings resulted from 
it, and their appearance was very encouraging, because the stems of 
nearly all were mottled in a manner characteristic of L. auratum, but 
not of L. speciosum. Here, then, was a plain indication of the influ- 
ence of the male parent. The infant bulbs were pricked out into a 
eold frame and left there three or four years, when, having reached the 
VOL. II. 11 
