Amaranthus 



Amaryllis 



but there is a dwarf form which is only from 4" 

 to (>" in height. It requires the same treatment as 

 other half-hardy annuals, and may be grown in 

 beds or borders, as well as in pots in the con- 

 servatory. 



AMARANTHUS. 



Handsome hardy or half-hardy annuals (ard. 

 AmarantaceaO with small (lowers in large clustered 

 spikes, and largely used for bedding, conservatories, 

 and vases. Propagated by seeds sown about the 

 month of April, in hotbeds in the case of the half- 

 hardv species, and later in the open for the hardier 

 Amaranthuses. A good loam, well enriched with 

 decomposed manure, is best. When the young 

 plants are large enough to handle, thin out, and 

 afterwards harden off and transplant early in June, 

 or at the end of May, to where they are to bloom, 

 in sunny beds or borders. Plants in pots must 

 have plenty of room, and should be kept steadily 

 growing in a moist atmosphere and near the 

 glass. 



Principal Species : - 



camlatus, ','>', Aug., Inly, ann., pur. The popular 

 " Love-lies-bleeding " of gardens. Also a yel. var. 



hypochondriaons, :'/, Jy., crim. The " Prince's 

 Feather." A fine plant (*yn, cruentiis). 



melancholicns ruber, 1', Jy., leaves crim. A use- 

 ful bedding plant (*yn. gangeticus ruber). 



salicifolius. ;','. A handsome and brilliantly 

 coloured foliage plant. The var. Princess of Wales 

 is very fine. 



speciosus, I. 1 /, Jy., crim. pur. 



tricolor, U'. beautiful car. and yel. leaves. Several 

 vars. 



Other Species : 



hii'ulor. '.!'. leaves gm., yel. sanguineus, 3', Jy., pur. ; 

 Hrn<U>ri, :!', loaves finely leaves red. 



coloured or., yel., grn. splendens, 3', Jy., red 

 leaves, brilliant. 



XOTE. The popular nomenclature is adopted here ; 

 not tliat of some botanists. 



AMARYLLIS. 



(Ord. Amaryllide:c.) If all the plants some- 

 what vaguely referred to by this name were treated 

 under the heading there would be a very long list 

 indeed. There are, for instance, Brunsvigias, 

 Orinums. Hippeastrtiins, Nerines, Phycellas, Spreke- 

 lias, Sternbergias, Vallotas, and Zephyranthes, all 

 of which are sometimes spoken of as Amaryllises, 

 but are treated separately in this work under their 

 own names. For the purposes of a popular gardening 

 dictionary it is tin night desirable to refer to as Amar- 

 yllises the beautiful spring-flowering indoor bulbous 

 plants (technically Hippeastrums) grown under 

 that name, and deal with the rest under their re- 

 spective headings. A few species are deserving of 

 cultivation, and from these a large number of 

 beautiful hybrids have been obtained, which eclipse 

 the species in point of beauty. 



Propagation. By offsets and seeds. The former 

 are taken off when potting, and grown on the samii 

 lines as established plants till they arrive at a 

 flowering size (see figure). When the latter method 

 i- adopted the seed should be sown as soon as it is 

 ripe in shallow pans filled with loam and leaf mould 

 in equal parts, with sufficient sand to keep it open 

 (see figure). Place the receptacles in a tempera- 

 ture ranging from (iO to 70, shading from hot 

 sunshine. When the seedlings appear provide 

 plenty of light and moisture. It is well for them 



to remain in the seed pans until they have made a 

 few leaves, when they should be removed singly to 

 small well-drained pots, using soil of the same 

 character as for the seeds, but a little rougher. 

 Seedlings do not require to be rested in the early 

 stages of growth, and if kept green through the 

 autumn with limited supplies of water they start 

 vigorously in the spring, and may be had in flower 

 two to three years from the time of sowing the 

 seed. 



Soil.- For small seedlings equal parts of fibrous 

 loam and leaf mould, with enough sand to keep 

 the compost open. For established plants, two 

 parts loam, one part decayed manure, and half a 

 part sand. 



Other Cultural Points. Established bulbs that 

 have been rested through the winter should be 

 shaken out early in the year and repotted. Pot 

 firmly, and leave about half the bulb above the 

 soil. A low pit, with an intermediate temperature, 

 is a suitable structure for newly potted plants. 

 They should be plunged in Cocoa'nut fibre refuse. 



PROPAGATING AMARYLLISES (HIPPEASTRUMS) 

 FROM SEEDS AND OFFSETS. 



A Section of pan with seeds sown and covered with square of 



glass. 



B Early growth of young seedlings. 



C Seedling with tinlli partly formed and ready for potting. 

 D Seedling in small pot. 



E Large luilb showing growth and production of offsets. 

 F Small oftset hulli removed. 

 G Section of pot showing offset potted and started into 



growth. 



Use the syringe freely, but water sparingly until 

 growth has started and root action is vigorous. 

 When the plants are in full growth, and becoming 

 rootbound, liquid manure and .top-dressings of 

 fertilisers may be given with advantage. After the 

 flowering is over, and as growth is completed, give 

 less water both at the roots and overhead, finally 

 withdrawing supplies entirely as the leaves change 

 colour and fall from the bulbs. Keep the latter 

 dry through the winter in a temperature of from 

 45 to 50, resting them in the soil till the time 

 arrives for repotting early the following year. 



Hybrids and Varieties : 



Since the attention of hybridisers was turned to 

 this family of plants a large number of varieties 

 have been raised, and the work still goes on. The 



