214 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



July, 



Amaryllises and their Culture. 



The Amaryllis is a noble genus of biilbniis 

 plants, of which there are now many splen- 

 did named varieties in cultivation. They 

 may be grown either in the greenhouse or 

 the window garden, and are not diflBcult to 

 manage, the great secret being to give them 

 alternately a season of growth and season of 

 repose. The colors range from the deepest 

 crimson scarlet to almost pure white. Very 

 often the centre of the flower is entirely dis- 

 tinct In color from the other parts, as for 

 instance a white center in a crimson flower 

 or a rosy scarlet center in a white flower. 

 On this, and the opposite page, 

 are shown two strongly con- 

 trasting types of the flowers. 

 The Johnson's Amaryllis a 

 variety having dark red flowers 

 with a white stripe down each 

 segment, is well known to 

 flower growers, and valued. 



All the Amaryllises are of 

 easy culture, the main require- 

 ments being that the plants 

 should be abundantly supplied 

 with water, heat and light 

 when they are coming into 

 flower, and water should be 

 withheld from them by degrees 

 when the bloom is over, until 

 growth has ceased entirely, 

 after which they should have 

 plenty of rest. It is the mis- 

 take of many to suppose it to 

 be necessary to place them con- 

 tiguous to the heating apparatus 

 in the greenhouse, a course 

 which leads to the severe In- 

 jury of hundreds of bulbs. 

 They will be better suited if 

 kept In any moderately dry 

 place where the temperature 

 does not fall below forty-flve 

 degrees. The foliage will some- 

 times remain fresh and plump 

 for a couple of months with- 

 out water. So long as the 

 plants are thoroughly at rest, 

 It matters not whether the 

 foliage dies away altogether, 

 or a few leaves remain green 

 throughout the winter. Bulbs 

 preserved in the way suggested, 

 will flower with double the 

 strength of others maintained 

 in a high temperature and where it Is in- 

 tensely dry. 



Wintered after the manner outlined, some 

 kinds may be turned out iuto a warm bor- 

 der in spring where they will flower; and if 

 the season be fine, they will mature their 

 bulbs in time to be taken up at the approach 

 of frost. If bulbs in pots are kept dry and 

 dormant during the latter part of the sum- 

 mer and autumn, they may be lead to bloom 

 in a warm place in the winter. Indeed, by 

 having a large stock of bulbs — and a good 

 strain may easily be grown from seed— a 

 regular succession of flowers may be had 

 throughout nearly the entire year. 



In pot cultivation, it may be put down as 

 a rule, that the Amaryllises do better not 

 to have the roots disturbed frequently; a 

 fresh pot once in two or three years is 

 enough, and will grow better plants than 

 can be accomplished by the annual shift as 

 so much practiced. But with the bulb thus 

 in one pot for several years, there must be 

 good drainage in the pots; rtrst, some pot 

 sherds packed carefully at the bottom, and 

 over this some sphagnum or bits of turf be- 

 fore filling in any soil which then go into 

 the pot the coarser particles next to the 

 drainage. 



The best season for repotting the main 

 stock is in the spring, for then the bulbs 

 should be making their new roots, and these 

 with having new soil to feed in, will help 



along the plant remarkably. It is a good 

 plan to repot a portion of the stock every 

 spring, and then not to allow a single flower 

 on the lot last potted, but to pinch out the 

 flower buds as soon as they appear. Always 

 pot firm and always in a substantial loamy 

 compost. Such a course will be of much 

 benefit to later crops of bloom. 



For growth and bloom, a temperature of 

 fifty degrees should be given at the start 

 and which soon after may ascend to sixty or 

 seventy degrees. From the time the new 

 leaver appear until after bloom, the plants 

 should be provided with plenty of water, a 



AMARYLLIS, ONE OF THE DARK TYPES. 



treatment which is really essential to the 

 best success of the plant. 



How are you Handling the Chrys- 

 anthemums Now? 



T. W. FISHER, WARREN COUNTY, PA. 



The months of .lune, July and August, 

 should be the making time of this flower. 

 One of the greatest mistakes made by begin- 

 ners in Chrysanthemum culture, is neglect- 

 ing to place these plants into the largest 

 pots soon enough ; failure may often be 

 traced to this cause — delay in potting. 



But the pots must not be too large. It is a 

 mistake to place weak-growing varieties in 

 pots which they can never properly fill with 

 roots ; the aim must be to have the pots well 

 filled with healthy roots, as the season's 

 growth matures. Pots 9 inches in diameter 

 are best suited for the majority of strong 

 single plants. Some weak-growing varieties, 

 among the incurved and .Japanese sections, 

 may have pots one or two inches smaller 

 in diameter, than for the bulk of the sorts. 



If special stress is laid upon having all 

 pots of uniform size, then two plants of the 

 weaker-growing sorts may be .set in each. 



Chrysanthemum plants should be repotted 

 firmly, using .soil that is quite rich, for much 

 growth must be made in a short period. In- 

 deed, the soil can scarcely be rammed too 

 hard at the final shift. If the soil to be used 

 is naturally heavy, it should be lightened by 



the addition of sand, charcoal, ashes, or de- 

 cayed leaves. The growth may at first not 

 be so strong from a closely firmed soil, but 

 the growth later will be more solid, and the 

 quality of the flowers be higher than if 

 loose potting is practiced. 



Many a collection of Chrysanthemums has 

 been spoilt at this early stage, through mis- 

 management of training. Where plants are 

 grown after the more natural way of train- 

 ing—that is, allowing them to grow from 

 the cutting untopped, in which case the 

 first natural break into additional branches 

 generally takes place the latter part of May, 

 or early in June, the manage- 

 ment is easy enough. If the 

 first flowers are the object, the 

 side branches should be re- 

 stricted to three of the strong- 

 est, removing all other shoots. 

 The new growth as it pro- 

 ceeds, should be supported by 

 stakes, one to each main shoot, 

 placing those of the side 

 branches midway between the 

 plant and the pot. By spread- 

 ing out the branches in this 

 way, sturdy growth is made 

 during the summer which be- 

 comes more solidified as it pro- 

 ceeds, owing to the thorough 

 light and air each separate 

 branch obtains over the plan 

 of tying the three stems to a 

 central stake. Disbudding the 

 shoots on later laterals is 

 more easily accomplished in 

 this manner, and mildew is far 

 less liable to attack the leaves, 

 as It is when the leaves are 

 huddled together. 



The position in summer Is 

 important. What is required, 

 is, that the plants receive the 

 sun and stiU be protected from 

 winds. Wind may cause a 

 serious check to the tender 

 growth ; although the plants 

 may not be so seriously injured 

 as to be broken. Cold winds 

 also prevent that quick start 

 into a new growth after pot- 

 ting, so desirable to establish 

 the plants in their new quar- 

 ters. A good plan is to arrange 

 one row on each side of a 

 garden path, as there they obtain the whole 

 Sim's influence. Where the plants must 

 stand in a block, good space must be allowed 

 between the rows. 



Many fail in watering at this season. 

 After potting, too much water can easily be 

 given to the roots, which causes the soil to 

 become sour and stagnant before the roots 

 can possibly have taken possession of it. 

 If the soil was moist when potting was per- 

 formed, the plants will not require water to 

 the roots for a day or two, except the sun be 

 very powerful, or a strong dry wind prevails. 

 Much better is it to syringe the leaves of the 

 plants twice dally until the new roots are 

 running into the fresh compost. Afterwards 

 much care should be exercised in allowing 

 sufficient water, and no more. Rapping the 

 sides of the pots with the knuckles is the 

 surest means of judging of the require- 

 ments. The size of the pots, vigor of each 

 variety, and position the pl.ants occupy, all 

 influence the supply. During hot days in 

 summer, three times is not too often to 

 apply water to the roots in some instances, 

 while others will need no more than two ap- 

 plications. The quality of the water is 

 important. When a supply of rain water is 

 obtainable, much less trouble is necessary, 

 and better results obtainable generally. 

 During bright weather, the plants should 

 be vigorously syringed in the evening of 

 such a day. It cleanses the leaves from dust 



