io8 THE BOOK OF BULBS 



like a rather heavy loam, with some charcoal and crushed 

 bones. They should be disturbed as little as possible, 

 so as to avoid injury to their fleshy roots, and to prevent 

 the necessity of re-potting, established bulbs may be 

 top-dressed when being started into growth. Some 

 manure water is beneficial, but not when the blooms 

 show colour. Hippeastrums are increased by offsets 

 taken off carefully when the plants are at rest, and also 

 by seeds, which are sown in pots or pans in a temperature 

 of about sixty-five degrees, the seeds having only .a slight 

 covering of the sandy soil which should form the com- 

 post. When old enough to handle, the seedlings can 

 be placed singly in small pots and grown on in the heat 

 suitable for the larger bulbs. As the newer Hip- 

 peastrums are very high priced where of good quality, 

 this method of raising from seed is recommended. Plants 

 have been flowered in about two years from seed. There 

 are a good many species and it is only worth while to 

 name such as Ackermanni, crimson ; Equestre, orange ; 

 and vittata, all of which have given some fine varieties. 

 With regard to the named varieties, we would recom- 

 mend intending purchasers to consult the catalogues of 

 the leading bulb-dealers, where there may be found 

 varieties at all prices. Unnamed varieties may be 

 obtained at a lower price, but it must be remembered 

 that the newest and best named sorts are necessarily 

 very expensive. Habranthuses are now included with 

 the Hippeastrums and Zephyranthes. 



