328 On the Treatment of the Jlmaryllidem. 



Art. IV. Remarks on the Treatment of the Snaryllidece. By A. B. C. 



Gentlemen, 



It is generally acknowledged, that there is not a more 

 beautiful, curious and interesting family of bulbs, when well 

 grown, than the Amaryllidese; the only objection, by many 

 individuals, to their general cultivation, is, that they do not 

 bloom freely, while the fact is, if properly treated, they flow- 

 er profusely. The following is my method of treating, this 

 splendid tribe: if you think it worthy a place in your valuable 

 Magazine, it is at your service. I invariably keep the bulbs 

 dry, (with the exception of a few varieties which require to 

 be kept growing in winter and dormant in summer) during 

 winter, in a temperature of SS"^ to 45'^ ; when towards spring, 

 I examine them, and take those that show signs of vegeta- 

 tion, divest them of all decayed roots and old soil, and 

 put them in five inch pots [No. 3,] in the following fresh com- 

 post: three parts fresh loam, three parts manure, at least two 

 years old, and completely decomposed, three parts mould 

 formed from decayed leaves, or what gardeners call vegetable 

 mould, and one part sea sand; when I cannot obtain the 

 latter, I put a handful of salt to a bushel of the compost. 

 Mix all well together, put half an inch of broken tiles or 

 broken soft bricks into the bottom of the pots; finish with 

 half of the bulb above ground, and then place them in an 

 airy situation, where they will be fully exposed to the rays 

 of the sun; water sparingly till the leaves or flower stems 

 advance; as they grow, they require to be more liberally 

 supplied. In, or about the second week of July, many of 

 them will need to be shifted into pots one size larger [No. 4]. 

 About the end of September, begin to withhold watering, 

 gradually, until November, when it is to be entirely sus- 

 pended; the roots are then to be put away dry, in the same 

 pots, until spring. 



I then take them out as they begin to grow, and give them 

 gentle waterings, increasing it as they advance in growth. 

 In July I again shift them into pots a size larger [No. 5] ; 

 they will now be in pots of seven inches diameter. In the 

 following spring they are divested of all decayed roots, soil, 

 &c., and put into five inch pots, as the previous season, going 

 through the same process every two years, never using 

 pots under four, nor over eight inches. By the above 

 treatment, I never fail to have a profusion of bloom, from 

 March to June, and even later; I have had Amaryllis ama- 

 bile produce twelve flowers, and A. Johnsonii fifteen, forming 

 grand umbels, or rather large clusters of crimson and 

 scarlet, and crimson and white, which at that period of 



