56 AMARANTUS 



retrnfUxus, Linn., A. cMorisluchys, Willd., A. tilbu: 

 Linn., A. blito)des, Wats., A. spindsns, Linn. The tn 

 first are known as pigweeds and beet-roots; the third : 

 a common tumbleweed. L_ jj. B. 



AMABtLLIS {classical name). AmaiyllidAce<e. 

 Bulbous plants from Cape of Good Hope, flowering in 

 late summer or in fall, the Ivs. appearing later. Perianth 

 with a short ribbed tube, the divisions oblong or lanceo- 

 late, the filaments distinct and no scales between them, 

 fls. 5-12, in an umbel, on a tall scape. Monogr. by Her- 

 bert, Amaryllidaceae, 1837 ; and by Baker, Handbook of 

 the Amaryllideie. 



In dealing with the culture of Amaryllis, it is cus- 

 tomary to speak of the genus in its horticultural sense, 

 —to Include Hippeastrum and related things. Such is 

 the understanding in the following cultural directions. 



There i 

 the An: 



months 



they arr .i 

 The boi-.l. . - 

 if convenient 



differing methods of cultivating 

 lure showy flowers in the spring 

 u.thod and the pot method. Any 

 ilicse methods will soon come 

 t ilit-y differ not only in method, 

 111.' results. The first method 

 lit in a prepared border after 

 J , say about the middle of May. 

 Ii iild have perfect drainage, and, 

 ledonthe south side of a house or 

 wall, fully exposed to the sun during the greater part 

 of the day. The bulbs are set out in rows, necessarily 

 with as little disturbance of the roots as possible, because 

 if they are bulbs which have undergone similar treat- 

 ment the previous year, by the middle of May they have 

 made a considerable number of new roots; besides, the 

 foliage also has gained some headway, and may be con- 

 sidered in the midst of actual growth. In planting, care- 

 fully firm the soil around the old balls, give one water- 

 ing, and on the succeeding day, after the surface of the 

 soil has been raked over, cover to the depth of 2 inches 

 with half-decayed cow- 



noval of weeds, they 

 vill need no more at- 

 i-ntion until the ap- 

 I roach of cool weather, 

 vhen they should be 

 ifted, sized, and pot- 

 ed ; however, at this 

 leason, if wet weather 

 las predominated, 

 ! of the bulbs will 

 be in a semi-dormant 

 state, while the ma- 

 jority will yet be in 

 active growth. Here 

 is the drawback to this 

 method : the roots are 

 large and fleshy, they 

 take up considerable 

 room in a 6- or 7-inch 

 pot, and the soil can- 

 not be evenly distrib- 

 uted amongst them, 

 neither can it be made 

 as firm as it should be. 

 The result is the par- 

 tial decay of the roots 

 and leaves, and in the 

 spring.when the flower 

 scapes appear, they are developed at the expense of the 

 bulb, through having insufficient roots to take up nour- 

 ishment from tlie soil. The flowers which are produced 

 are small, few in number, and do not show what the 



77. Amaryllis Belladonna. 



AMARYLLIS 



Amaryllis is capable of. To partly ameliorate these con- 

 ditions, the bulbs in active growth at lifting time may 

 be heeled-in on a greenhouse bench until they gradu- 

 ally ripen, taking care that some of the soil is retained 

 on the roots; otherwise the ripening profi-ss is :iltof.'ether 

 too rapid, so that the roots and leaves suiliii ii;\ 1- -i ili-ir 

 robust nature, become flabby, and ev. i , i; I'.ir 



this method, it can be said that a larger I liis 



can be grown with less trouble than I. \ um |. m.,!, 



but neither bulbs nor flowers compare in .^i/:c w ii ti ! li...-.o 

 kept in pots the year round. For the purpose o£ simply 

 increasing stock, the outdoor method is to be preferred. 

 Most of the kinds are naturally evergreen; potting under 

 those conditions is best done either after the plants have 

 made their growth in the fall or after they have finished 

 flowering in April. When done in the fall, they are al- 

 lowed to remain rather dry during the winter; this will 

 keep the soil of the original ball in a sweet condition 

 until the time arrives to start them into growth, which 

 may be anywhere after the 1st of January, or even 

 earlier if necessary. They will winter all right, and keep 

 their foliage, in a brick frame in which the temperature 

 is not allowed to fall below 45° F. By the beginning of 

 February, in a structure of this sort, they will be showing 

 flower-scapes, and should then be taken to a position 

 where more heat and light can be given. A weak solu- 

 tion of cow-manure will much help the development 

 of the flowers. When in bloom, a greenhouse tempera- 

 ture, with slight shade, will prolong the flowering period. 

 After flowering, the greatest care should be taken of the 

 plants, as it is from that period till the end of summer 

 that the principal growth is made. A heavy loam, en- 

 riched with bone-dust and rotted cow-manure, suits them 

 well. The seeds of Hippeastrums should be sown as soon 

 as ripe, covered very lightly with finely sifted leaf-mold, 

 and if this shows a tendency to dry too quickly, cover 

 with panes of glass until germination takes place. As 

 soon as the first leaves are developed, they should be 

 potted in the smallest sized pots and kept growing. In 

 the propagation of varieties, it will be found that the 

 large bulbs make two or more offsets each season; these 

 should not be detached until it is certain that they have 

 enough roots of their own to start with after being 

 separated from the parent. If a well-flowered specimen 

 clump is desired, the offsets may be allowed to remain 

 attached to the parent; they will, in most cases, flower 

 the second year under generous treatment. Amaryllis 

 Belladonna and the plant known as A. longiflora (really 

 a Crinum) are hardy in the District of Columbia ; A. 

 longiflora thrives even in damp, heavy soils, with no 

 protection, and flowers abundantly each year. The seeds 

 are about the size of a chestnut, and if not gathered as 

 soon as ripe, they are apt to germinate on the surface of 

 the ground during the next rainy spell succeeding the 

 ripening. A . Belladonna needs a warm, sheltered spot, 

 with deep planting. Cult. by G. W. Oliver. 



Bellad6ima, Linn. Belladonna Lilt. Fig. 77. Scape 

 2-4 ft., with a 2-lvd. dry spathe or involucre just under- 

 neath the umbel: fls. lily-like, short-tubed, and flaring, 

 with pointed segments and style, and 6 stamens deflexed, 

 on short pedicels, fragrant, normally rose-color; scape 

 solid : Ivs. strap-shaped, canaliculate and acute. B.M. 

 733. Gn. 33:641, 47, p. 46, 49, p. 276, 54:414. G.C. III. 

 24:315. An old favorite. There are varieties ranging 

 from white to red, and varying in shape and size of fls. 

 A. 6Mnrf(i, Gawl (B.M. 1450), is a large form, with white 

 fls., fading to blush. A. Hdllii, Hort., said to be from 

 N. China, and reported as hardy in New England, is 

 apparentlv a Lyeoris. For var. rosea perf^cta, si-c Gt. 

 4.">, p. 41:1": spectabilis tricolor, I",!', :;"-. S. ■■ r^'m^- 



toT A. Jferine; Sprekelia. ior A. f>ti I,' - ■ : n- 



bergia for .4. iufea; Vallota for ^. /' ' '>- 



ranthes for A. Atamnseo and candi.l I : in;; 



tradenamesprobably belongtoother I.'! iM r 1, im -t h:.. ly 

 to Hippeastrum: A.crocea, Gravedim, warniulliu, re- 

 fi'ilgetis. A. eruMscens, of Horsford's Cat., 1899 (by 

 mistake printed crnhescens), is Zephyranthes erubes- 

 cens, Wats. It is not now offered. 



L. H. B. 



