THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



487 



WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF AMARYLLIS. 



What has been declared to be the most wonderful and 

 largest collection of amaryllis in the world was on view 

 in the hothouses of the United States Department of Ag- 

 riculture recently. On entering the house one was struck 

 with the great wealth of blooms — magnificent scarlets, 

 flaming crimsons, deep maroons, dainty pinks and daz- 

 zling white flowers tinged with pink and red stripes — a 

 sight said to be beyond anything ever seen in the floral 

 world in an exhibition of amaryllis. 



There were 580 plants all in flower, some bearing 6, 

 8 and even 10 flowers — a conservative estimate placing 

 the total number of blooms ranging from 3,000 to 4,000. 

 Every one of these plants was grown from a seedling, 

 and even though there were nearly 600 plants, no two of 

 them were alike. 



The amaryllis known to most people and even to the 

 florist is that which bears 3, 4 or 5 flowers, small in size 

 and almost uniform in color. But these seedlings that the 

 Department of Agriculture has been growing for years 

 were not only variegated in color, but the blooms were 

 gigantic. It is said that the usual amaryllis is big if it 

 measures eight inches, while the average blossom is five 

 inches, yet the greater number of those shown at the 

 department were ten and eleven inches, and some even a 

 foot broad. This abnormal size in the blooms follows 

 the usual course of plant breeding, for it has become 

 generallv recognized that in the crossing of two species 

 the good qualities of each parent are magnified and pre- 

 dominate in the offspring. One of the plants has thrown 

 out a blossom that proudly holds its head erect like an in- 

 verted umbrella, strangely dift'erent from all the rest of 

 the flowers, which bend over on their stalks and hang 

 their heads modestly. 



The hybridizing of the flowers was accomplished with 

 thirteen crossings of parent i)lants. The results have 



given a wealth of varieties and unexpected results even 

 under the same conditions of hybridizing. The plants 

 obtained from any certain crossing of parent stock are 

 classified under numbers indicating the parentage. No 

 attempt at definite classification will be made until the 

 persistence of the acquired traits is demonstrated. 



While the department has been successful heretofore 

 in obtaining blooming seedlings of the amaryllis, at no 

 time have so many plants come into bloom at the same 

 time as this year. In order to appreciate the labor and 

 patience that must be exercised in breeding the amaryllis, 

 it must be understood that a seedling will not bloom until 

 three years have elapsed from the time of planting of the 

 seed — during which time the small growing bulb must be 

 carefully nurtured. 



Growing Grass 

 Anywhere 



To acquire success in any one art or profession re- 

 quires specialization. 



Grass Growing anj^where under all conditions is an 

 art and we are specialists in that art. For we have 

 back of us the accumulated knowledge of over a cen- 

 tury's study and practical experience. 



Can we be of any help to YOU? 



Drop us a postal for quotation on 

 large quantities of Grass Seed. 



k3, M. Tnorburin Sc Go. 



"The most reliable seeds" 



33F Barclav St. New York 



AMARVI.l.IS I 



r < DEP.\RTMEXT OF AGRICULTURE, W.NSHINGTOX, O. C 



