278 THE FLORIST. 



CULTIVATION OF THE AMARYLLIS. 

 This has seldom received the attention it deserves. We find a few of 

 them here and there, but they are " wide and far between." 



If you inquire how this class of plant should be managed, this is 

 generally the instruction given : " The plant must be potted in a small 

 pot in spring, in sandy soil. When it has bloomed then it requires no 

 further care or attention until next potting-time." But when a bulb 

 goes to rest in its natural state, after the production of leaves and flowers, 

 the decay is gradual. All the sap in the flower stem and leaves which 

 has not been actually assimilated returns to supply the bulb with some 

 of the original nourishment, and to replace and restore some of those 

 elements requisite for the future plumpness and continuous well being 

 of the plant. It will at once be seen that when a bulb is forced into 

 growth, and as soon as the flowers are over, the leaves pulled off and 

 thrown away, and then the plant placed on some dry shelf for months, 

 where the soil frequently becomes perfectly dry, this sort of rest, as it 

 is called, is very different from the natural rest of Nature. 



Supposing that the general method of cultivation was not in strict 

 accordance with the theory of horticulture, some six years ago I deter- 

 mined on trying a method founded on a more rational view of nature, 

 and the result has been of the most satisfactory character. I used 

 large pots and light rich soil. I destroyed no leaf or flower stem until 

 it was thoroughly decayed, and when the bulbs would go to rest, I kept 

 them moderately warm and moist. I never force these plants to rest, 

 but try to keep them growing. When they show a disposition to rest, 

 then I remove them to a cooler and dryer house, where they gradually 

 become dormant. But some of the Amaryllis tribe will keep con- 

 stantly growing in size and substance, until they become immensely 

 large and are then capable of producing blooms of an extra size. I feel 

 satisfied that if gardeners in general were aware of the real worth of 

 these plants, they would become universal and indispensable. 



When any of my bulbs have had rest, and show signs of growth, I 

 remove all the old soil and roots completely away from them. I then 

 give them a good large pot, drained thoroughly, generally by turning a 

 small thumb-pot upside down to cover the hole, and then quite cover 

 that over with broken pots, or charcoal lumps, or rough sods. I use 

 for compost rough sods of fibry loam, about the size of a hen's egg, 

 with about half the quantity of half-decayed leaves, also in a rough 

 state, with a little sand. I top-dress, for the sake of a neat finish, with 

 the fine soil shaken from the other mixture. When this is done, I 

 remove the plants to a Stove where the temperature ranges from 60° to 

 70° Fahrenheit. I give plenty of water daily when the plants are 

 growing freely, with an occasional syringing, to freshen and keep them 

 clean, for the thrips is liable to attack them if the atmosphere becomes 

 too dry. These keep constantly growing on, if possible. The Hippe- 

 astrum aulicum seems, in particular, a continuous grower on this 

 system. I put a bulb of this variety of about 8 inches circumference in 

 a 10-inch pot. In the course of a year this bulb will require a still 

 larger shift, and will have made several fine bulbs, which, if permitted 



