Minnesora SrateE HorTicuLTurRAL SoOcrmery. re § 
If they could only talk a little plainer and tell us just what they want, instead 
_ of saying as the little discontented boy in the fairy story did, ‘‘Oh would that 
something would come near and take me away from here,’’ how gladly would 
we humor the beauties by giving them what they wanted, which we often think 
is a more even atmosphere, with moisture and warmth. We have several varie- 
ties of Amaryllis, but are not sure to what species they belong, except Johnsoni. 
They grow well, and sometimes bloom abundantly; but why do they not bloom 
every year when you give them the same treatment? To those who desire minute 
instruction regarding them, we would say we have found nothing so plain as a 
page in the January, 1878, Botanical Index, issued by L. B. Case, Richmond, 
Indiana. Several years ago we purchased a Pancratium Mexicanum, and as 
it was a nice large bulb we looked anxiously for indications of bloom, but it 
did not grow as we hoped. One day in our reading we came across an account 
of a lady's travels in the South, and how she tried very hard to get a root of 
Pancratium, but it grew so dcep in the sand that she could not with the small, 
helps she had, succeed in getting it. We had planted ours as we did our Ama- 
ryllis, bulb partly exposed. We threw down our paper, and took the deepest 
pot we could find and put our Pancratium bulbs as far down into it as possible. 
They liked it, for they began almost immediately to grow, and we are now hoping 
again forabloom. We have another bulb, which we think must be Pancratium 
rotatum. We obtained it with no other name than Florida Lily. We should 
much like to know if it is the same Phenix advertises as Vanilla Lily. The 
flower is white, sweet, and very unlike any other we ever saw. 
We have left our especial favorite until the last, for we want information. What 
can we do to make our cyclamens grow and bloom as they used to? When chil- 
dren, wandering over the prairies of Illinois, we almost worshipped the beautiful 
Dodecathern Media which grew in mcist places among many other flowers, wild 
and lovely, and we think it must in some far away time have been the great 
grand parent of the Cyclamen, which a few years ago seemed to try its best to 
please us, but now, and for two years past, they have not done well although we 
have tried new bulbs and old ones, and have given them everything we could 
think of for their good. We almost forgot to say we want every spring hyacinth 
and narcissus bulbs which never fail to give us blooms. We may plant them in 
soil, or we may put them in damp moss or a glass of water, and in that way will 
delight us. 
We hardly know, but think we have recounted some discouragements in these 
pages, and as yet have said nothing of the army of worms and insects that we 
have to fight continually. Some plants are more infested than others, but we 
think none are exempt entirely, without they are constantly watched and cleansed. 
If we keep them too eool and damp, then the green fly flourishes; if too hot and 
dry, the red spider is in his glory; if we give too much water the earth sours, 
and breeds angle and white worms abundantly. We use fertilizers very spar- 
ingly, for we don’t like worms. Last fall we sent for some refuse hops, thinking 
they would be nice to put on: my own benches to set the pots on, hoping they 
would also be death to worms and insects, but we found them so full of little 
white worms that we did not use them. 
We do not know from whence comes the mealy bug, or the scale insects, but 
we do know that if you once give them a chance you must fight them valiantly 
or they will take everything before them. We have a small conservatory, but it 
was only a porch enclosed with glass as an experiment, and is not properly ven- 
tilated and has no conveniences for water, though the last deficiency we supply 
