84 HOME FLORICULTURE 



pot on their long stalks, are quite ornamental enough 

 in themselves to give it an honorable place in any 

 collection; add to the attractiveness of these its large 

 white blossom, as the spathe surrounding the spadix 

 is incorrectly called, and it is not at all to be wondered 

 at that it is, and long has been, a general favorite. For 

 the center of a bay window collection it is unexcelled, 

 when well grown. A typical specimen Calla is shown 

 in Fig 15. 



It is one of those plants which can be kept growing 

 all the year round without seeming to be injured by 

 this treatment. I have seen fine plants which had been 

 kept growing for years, and so far as I could see, 

 they were strong and healthy. But I have always 

 had the most flowers from the Calla when the roots 

 were dried off every summer. My plan is to put the 

 pot out of doors in June, on its side. No water is 

 given from that time to September. Then I turn the 

 earth out of the pot, shake away the soil from the 

 roots, and repot them in a compost made up of muck, 

 well-rotted manure and sand, taking care to put more 

 sand immediately about the bulb than elsewhere. I 

 provide the best of drainage. Though a semi-aquatic 

 plant, it does not delight in stagnant water about its 

 roots. The requisite amount of water can be given 

 by watering daily, and giving it in such quantities that 

 some will run through at the bottom of the pot. In 

 winter let the water be warm. Shower the foliage 

 daily. Give a light but not very sunny window, and 

 keep it rather w r arm. Do not let more than three or 

 four crowns remain in a ten-inch pot. Keep all offsets 

 beyond this number removed as they appear. Four 

 crowns will give you, or ought to give you, about 

 sixteen strong, healthy leaves at a time, and during 

 the flowering season each crown ought to give from 

 three to four flowers. 



