726 Journal of Agriculture. [9 Dec, 1907 



Hippeastrums are magnificent plants for the borders, requiring a 

 sunny position and well-drained soil of rather light texture. Unless the soil 

 is very poor no manure is needed, and even in poor sandy soils an admixture 

 of clay or strong loam is preferable. If manure is added to the soil it 

 should be thoroughly decayed cow manure, and should not come into 

 contact with the bulbs. Planting should take place during late autumn 

 or winter, the proper depth to plant being that occupied by the bulbs before 

 removal viz. : — The crown or neck of the bulb showing at the level of the 

 surface. Hippeastrums require fairly moist conditions during the season 

 of active growth, and as little water as possible when at rest. They are 

 admirable subjects for pot culture, some fine specimens being occasionally 

 seen at horticultural meetings. An evergreen species H. reticulatum bears 

 foliage striped with white in the centre, and flowers of shades of pink. 

 Several fine hybrids have been raised between this and other species, 

 retaining most of the characteristics of reticulatum. In most of the local 

 nurserv and seed catalogues hippeastrums are referred to as Amaryllis 

 hvbrids, some of the finest varieties being comparatively rare and expensive. 



Vallota purpurea requires almost identical treatment with hippeastrums, 

 and is specially suited for pot culture. Several bulbs should be grown in 

 a fairly large pot in well drained loamv soil. Thev should remain undis- 

 turbed until the pot becomes too small owing to the increase of bulbs. 

 Over-potting and disturbance are the most general causes of their failure to 

 bloom. The soil should never be allowed to become dry. Bulbs of vallota 

 are plentiful and fairly chea^p. 



Zephyranthes require a moister situation than the hippeastrums, other- 

 wise the culture is practically identical. Z. carinata is one of the best 

 kinds. 



Flower Garden. 



The rainfall of early November should insure a fair amount of spring 

 growth where the surface soil was culti\'ated before it dried, as frequently 

 advised in these notes. Frequent light cultivation will keep the soil in a 

 condition tending to the maturation of such wood growth. In many 

 gardens the plants are prevented from producing ripened growths and 

 perfect flowers bv being incessantly watered during the whole of the 

 summer months. Such watering causes a forced growth from buds that 

 normally would remain quiescent during the greater part of summer, and 

 would have steadilv developed and produced fine bloom in season, while 

 the soft forced growths are usually destroyed bv the great heat and hot 

 drying winds of summer. Roses are often treated thus, instead of being 

 allowed to assume a state of comparative rest during Januarv and 

 February, after which, if lightlv pruned and thinned, and thoroughly 

 watered the teas and hybrid teas will develop growths that will produce 

 an abundant supply of flowers, fine in character. Newly planted roses, 

 and other plants and shrubs, not thoroughly established, require watering 

 during summer, as also do such plants as phloxes, bouv^rdias and others 

 that normally- produce their flowers at that time. 



Thrips caused the destruction of most of the light coloured roses in the 

 metropolitan district this spring. For the past three vears this destructive 

 pest has attacked all flowers developing during the greater part of October 

 and the whole of November and has completely spoiled most of them. It 

 is responsible too for the partial failure of the fruit crop this season, 

 despite tne application of various insecticides. Manv devices and means 

 are employed by growers of roses for exhibition to save their blooms from 



