EUCIIARIS 



THE BULB BOOK 



EUCIIAKIS 



flowers, each about 2 ins. across, and 

 varj'ing in colour from pink to deep 

 rosy-purple, are borne on stout stems 

 well above the leaves. The variety 

 Watsoni (or aJhijforuvi) has large, 

 somewhat bell-shaped, creamy-white 

 flowers with an orange centre ; while 

 there is another form with pure white 

 flowers on stems about 18 ins. high. 

 The variety Bolanden (or Smithi) 

 differs from the type in seldom turning 

 purple. A garden form called " Pink 

 Beauty" has flowers of a delicate 

 shade of pink. 



E. robustvun. — An ornamental 

 species 6 to 8 ins. high, having 

 wavy leaves varjdng from lance- 

 shaped to ovate, and not marbled, 

 and having bright yellow flowers with 

 reflexed petals, the protruding cinna- 

 bar anthers being attached to white 

 filaments. The blossoms appear in 

 April. Fig. 133. 



EUCHARIS {eucJians, agreeable ; 

 referring to the scent of the flowers). 

 Nat. Ord. AmaryUidese. — A genus 

 containing about a dozen species of 

 noble - looking bulbous plants, all 

 natives of Colombia (New Grenada). 

 They are characterised by having 

 tunicated bulbs, oblong bright green 

 stalked leaves, and large pure white 

 flowers borne in irregular umbels on 

 top of a stout fleshy scape. The 

 perianth- tube is cylindrical, with a 

 dilated throat more or less curved, 

 while the six segments are more or 

 less spreading, the three inner ones 

 being somewhat wider than the three 

 outer. There are sLx stamens, remark- 

 able for having the lower half of the 

 filaments dilated into a flat appendage, 

 and united to each other to form a 

 kind of short corona or " trumpet," 

 as in Narcissus. 



Eucharises flourish in a stove or 

 warm greenhouse temperature, say 

 from 65' to 70' F. in winter to 80" or 



21 



more in summer. The bulbs vary 

 in size according to the species, from 

 H ins. to 3 ins. in diameter, and may 

 be grown in pots or planted in borders 

 under glass. Several bulbs may be 

 placed in one pot, allowing 2 or 3 ins. 

 between each, or a single bulb may be 

 allotted to one pot having a diameter 

 of 2 or 3 ins. more than the bulb. 

 I have found a compost of heavy 

 loam, w^th a good sprinkling of leaf- 

 mould, old cow-manure, and silver 

 sand exceUent, the ijots in every case 

 being well-drained -vnth a good layer 

 of crocks at the bottom. The best 

 time for potting is in early spring, 

 when the bulbs begin to send forth 

 fresh growths. This is also a good 

 time to increase the stock by separat- 

 ing the offsets from the older bulbs 

 and potting them up singly into 5-in. 

 or 6-in. pots according to size. In 

 potting, the top or crown of the bulbs 

 should be an inch or so beneath the 

 top of the soil, this being pressed 

 down firmly all round. 



When growth commences, watering 

 must be given as required, larger 

 supplies being necessary during vigor- 

 ous growth than when the plants are 

 in blossom or going to rest. To 

 secure particularly good results weak 

 liquid manure may be given two or 

 three times a week when the flower- 

 stems are pushing up from the bulbs. 

 Cow-manure, soot, and a little guano 

 mixed up in a bag and sunk in a tub 

 or tank will yield an excellent stimu- 

 lant. I have also used sheep drop- 

 Xjings in the same way and have been 

 satisfied with the results ; and doubt- 

 less any other natural manure would 

 be equally efficacious if used judici- 

 ously, and not too strong or too fresh. 



A moist atmosphere is one of the 

 essentials for successful Eucharis cul- 

 ture, especially during rapid growth. 

 The syringe should be used in the 

 morning and afternoon, and the stages 

 4 



