THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 





A WORD FOR THE EREMURLS 



Uy Alice T. A. Quackenbush, Cold Spring-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



HOW vividly I remember unpacking a box of roots from my 

 nurseryman and seeing three huge octopus-like things, care- 

 fully partitioned from the rest, with a note of warning tied to the 

 inclosure urging care in handling. Eremurus roots ! They were 



planted in October, and the 

 spring with its new experience 

 seemed m any weary months 

 away. At that time, I did not 

 know the plant's one bad habit ; 

 that it is slow in developing to 

 the blooming point. I waited 

 two impatient years before the 

 first great bloom-stalk appeared 

 and, further, went through a 

 period of panic when the first 

 season the leaves yellowed and 

 died in midsummer. Now I 

 have several husky plants 

 grown from seed and find them 

 quite hardy. The seed is slow 

 to germinate, especially if 

 bought fro m the seedsman. 

 When taken directly from the 

 plant and sown at once, it makes 

 quite sizeable roots the first 

 season. 



Why is the Eremurus so little 

 grown? It is a regal thing 

 with blossom stalks growing 

 quite eight feet high. Of 

 the several species E. robustus, 

 a pink, and E. himalaicus, a soft 

 white, are quite hardy. They 

 flower in June and are an ar- 

 resting sight. A sandy loam 



mi^' 





Eremurus robustus grown from seed 



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