HOTHOUSE. 99 



leaf-mould, well-decayed manure, and coarse silver sand. 

 Pot firmly. The pots may be 6in. or Sin. sizes, according 

 to the size of the bulbs. After potting, plunge the pots 

 to their rims in a hotbed of leaves or fibre refuse, in a 

 temperature of 60 deg., and give no water till growth 

 begins; then gradually increase the supply as the leaves 

 develop. As soon as the flower spikes begin to push, gradu- 

 ally draw the pots out of the plunging material, and then 

 stand them on the staging, in a temperature of 65 deg., 

 to flower. After flowering it is advisable to replunge the j 

 pots, and to let them remain thus till growth is completed 

 at the end of the summer, when gradually reduce the sup- 

 ply of water, and keep quite dry when the foliage is dead. 

 Store the pots on their sides in a temperature of 55 deg. 

 till repotting time. Liquid manure should be given once 

 a week to plants in full growth, Hippeastrums are easily 

 reared from seeds sown in spring in a temperature of 65 

 or 75 deg., afterwards growing the seedlings continuously 

 on in pots for three years, when they will flower. Increased 

 also by offsets. The evergreen species require to be grown 

 in similar soil, but not to be dried off in winter. 



The species worth growing are: Ackermanni, crimson 

 (spring) ; aulicum, crimson and orange (winter) ; equestre, 

 red and green (summer) ; Leopoldii, crimson and white 

 (spring); pardinum, yellow and scarlet (spring); procerum, 

 lilac (winter); psittacinum, orange and scarlet (summer); 

 Reginae, red and white (spring); vittatum, crimson, red, 

 and white (spring). The evergreen species is H. reticu- 

 latum, rosy scarlet (spring). For names of the hybrids 

 and varieties, which are very numerous indeed, see cata- 

 logues issued by specialists. 



Kymenocallis. A genus of white fragrant- flowering 

 bulbous plants, natives of Tropical America. They flower 

 in autumn, winter, or spring. 



These bulbs require to be grown in well-drained pots in 

 a compost of two parts sandy loam, and one part decayed 



n2 



