May 15, 1009 



HORTICULTURi: 



693 



Amaryllis Johnsoni 



Chondroryncha fimbriata 



The illustration herewith shows a well grown Amaryl- 

 lis Johnsoni in a 6-inch pot which was recently shown 

 before the Newport Horticultural Society by Colin Eob- 

 ertson, gardener for Mrs. Eobert Goelet, and awarded a 

 first-class certiticate for cultural merit, it having two 

 flower spikes over two feet long with fine unusually 

 large flowers on each, and all in good condition. This 

 variety is said to have been raised by a .watchmaker in 

 England over 100 years ago, but although old it is still 

 one of the best of its color which is a rich dark red with 

 stripes through each segment. - 



Amaryllises, like many other old-fashioned plants, 

 have had periodical spells of popularity and justly de- 

 serve a more prominent place in our plant collections 

 than they have at present. They are suitable for many 

 different uses and adaptable to various forms of treat- 

 ment which makes them valuable for both professionals 

 and amateurs and as flowering pot plants they fulfill 

 more requirements than many of the popular kinds of 

 the present. They can be retarded or forced into flower 

 at almost any season of the year, have few insect ene- 

 mies, require little room space on-account of their sparse 

 foliage and have a range of superb colors suitable for 

 almost any taste. 



The accompanying picture shows one of the . most 

 curious flowers in the wonderful family Orchideae. The 

 plants are of easy culture and very floriferous yet 

 strangely enough are seldom seen in American collections. 

 The habit of the plant somewhat resembles that of an 

 odontoglossum with long narrow leaves, but without 

 pseudo-bulbs. The roots are very fleshy and require 

 plenty of water at all times. We have had splendid re- 

 sults with this species, by giving it the same treatment 

 as we give odontoglossums, having had as many as a 

 dozen flowers open at one time on a small plant in a 

 five-inch pot and afterwards on the same plant a con- 

 tinuous succession of solitary flowers for several months. 

 The flowers seem abnormally large in comparison to the 

 size of the plant. The color of sepals and petals is 

 creamy white; the lip is also cream color with purple 

 spots and blotches under the column and the margins 

 are wonderfully crisp and timbriated. The scape bears 

 only one flower. A moist, qool, treatment in summer is 

 essential. In winter, full sunshine may be given, pro- 

 viding the atmosphere is not too dry. Thrips are very 

 partial to the foliage of this genus, and if allowed to 

 infest the plants for even a short time will do irrepara- 



ble damage. 



