The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-11-08
: FLORA FREAK.


lem ior florieulturists-
@The LATEST floral freak Of Dame
Nature. said a veteran florist, ac-
corning to tie Boston Globe, is a
double Gala lily.
4There is one" he continued,
pointing toward an unusually large
aud remarkably handsome Gala,
"that is as much Of a euriosityin the
flower line as a two-headed slbinO
girl in the show business, OF any OF
the human freaks thatare exhibited
for coin in circus or dime museum.
"HThat lily was brought to me as a
novelty by one OF my oldest Gus
toners, who has a private %conserya-
tory at home. 1t is the first double
Gala l have ever seen in my expert
ence Of nearly a full half century In
the propagation and sale Of plants
and flowers.
"1You see that while it has only one
spadix it has two distinct and per-
| fectly formed spathes, or what are
more commonly knowna as calyxes, one
: growing inside the cup, or bell, otthe
other. The outer flower is so large
that its size is abnormal, while the
t inner one is of about the usual dimen-
sions, and can be seen only by the
observer looking from above down
ward into the exterior flower.
"a noteworthy fact regarding the
~ particular plant from which this GU
Il rious double flower was plucked is
10 the supposed great age Of the parent
er bulb from which it was propagated.
a A Gala bulb, presumably and prob.
& ably this Identical one, was purchased
r. from my predecessor about 70 year
ngc, b The father Of the present pos
SCISSOR Of the plant. It has been, or i
believed to have been, ever since IL
p the family consels atUty, v mere ii ma
frr rr- Tr..ds Of its respective own
r.. ers, by purchase and inheritance
ara he s%cmiratior Of all who hay
ds- seen it, because Of its wonderfu
thriftiness and feeundity. Its car
and treatment have been of the ehal
acter 4sualy bestowed upon plan
IS. OF the same genus, and yetit has bee
on. marvelously productive and we
'blr preserved.
on Hundreds Of its dubious offshoo
lce have been gratuitously distribute
wa. u, t''s 81 90 3istan. places.
fact, it is safe to say that the offspril
W of this prolific plant gladden. many
wa. household and have graced many
eastern festival in several states
the union, its bulbs having been n
cred only locally bestowed, but borne
The many of their recipients to homes
ber midcontinent.
,aoy 'SThe Gala is botanically known
a perennial p~lant-one whose life
j tends through two or more years, /
few, if any, Of its cultivators he
~ suspected it of being also a centu
80 or centennial plant.
"Ths owner of this plant is col
dent that the present bulb is :
only true and original Jacobs &
that merely its oifshoots have b.
disseminated for propagation e.
where, and yet its identity may
like that Of a boys first jackkn
. which, though it has new blades, !
liz springs and a new handle, was
/ no the same old iackknife.'
! of . 1T would be interesting to be
!, isfactorily assured by eminent
oar.d tanic scientists that a common c
.a,,.n, bulb can and does exist for the
loted three score years and ten
90, h mankind, or, by reason OF streh
for four score, or even for a n
p., ~protracted period, For the ordil
!, i, florist the problem is knotty on
Horticulture has made such
a. and rapid strides in recent years
strange floral hybrids can be pr
gated with seemingly magic
sion and certainty. Almost an.
sired color, solid or y~ariegated.
ar Sc be produced at viii. The aocis
r. h. not yet appeared, however, whc
called cause a Gala lily, or any SIM
/, made formed flower, to produce twin
Elder separate and distinct calyx, OF
som within a blossom"
A Singular Competition.
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