|{58 THE PLEASURE, OR [April 



Evelyn's Kalendar, that it was cultivated in England in 1G6-4. 

 from whence, no doubt, it was imported into America. 



To have this fragrant flower in tolerable early perfection, you 

 may about the first of this month, or any time in March, plant a 

 few roots in pots of light rich mould, one in each, first stripping 

 oft' the offsets, for if these are left on, they will draw away a con- 

 siderable part of the nourishment, whereby "the bloom will be greatly 

 weakened. The upper part of the roots, when planted in pots, 

 should only be covered about a quarter of an inch deep: imme- 

 diately plunge the pots to their rims in a hot-bed, and give but 

 very little water, if any, until the plants are up and growing freely, 

 but afterwards they will require a good supply. As the weather 

 gets warm, give them plenty of air, and also sufficient head-room, 

 {ill the middle of May, then place them where designed to flower, 

 first tying the advancing stems to small green painted sticks to 

 prevent their being dashed about by the winds. 



The time for planting these roots in the open ground is, in the 

 southern states, between the first and twentieth of this month, the 

 more northerly, the later; in the middle states, the last week in 

 April, or first ten days of May; and in the eastern states, between 

 the fifteenth and twentieth of May. 



Prepare for them beds of rich sandy loam, which, being well 

 trenched or dug, divest the roots of all the larger offsets, or of the 

 whole, if the flowers are the exclusive objects, and plant them in 

 rows one foot asunder and eight inches distant from one another 

 therein, making small drills for their reception, and covering their 

 crowns or upper parts about an inch or an inch and a half deep, 

 with fine loose earth; they will require no further care but to keep 

 them free from weeds, and to support their flower stems till Novem- 

 ber, when the roots are to be taken up and managed as then direct- 

 ed, except to cut off the stems after the bloom is over. The offsets 

 are to be planted in like manner, but somewhat closer, to produce 

 blowing roots for the ensuing season, as the old ones seldom flower 

 well the second year, though they will increase abundantly. 



Scarlet Amaryllis. 



The Amaryllis formosissima, scarlet amaryllis, orjacobsea lily, 

 is a flower of extraordinary beauty. The flower-stems are frequent- 

 ly produced towards the sides of the bulbs, generally not more than 

 two, which rise successively, so that after the flower produced on 

 one is decayed, another stalk arises nearly opposite to succeed it; 

 but there is usually not more than one flower on the same stalk. 

 The flowers are large, and of a very deep red; the under petals 

 hang down, the upper curl up, and the whole flower stands nodding 

 on one side of the stalk, making a most beautiful and grand ap- 

 pearance. Sometimes, but rarely, two flowers proceed from the 

 same spathe. It is a native of South America. 



Its management and season of planting, is in every particular the 

 same as directed for the tuberose: it flowers generally in about a 

 month after its being planted, and its bulbs do not ripen sufficiently 



