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Bulbous Plants. 



ACHIHENES— The usual method of cultivation is to start the rtil- 

 zomesfrom the end of February till theend of April, to give a succession 

 of bloom. When the plants have made 2 inches of growth they are 

 placed one by one in a wide shallow pan about 2 inches apart each way, 

 eachgrowth being staked before plants showbloom. This method means 

 a great amount of labor. I prefer starting the rhizomes in their last 

 season's flowering pans; after making a little headway divideinto three 

 or more equal parts and put into their flowering pans without supports. 

 The specimens are not so symmetrical as those which are staked, but 

 they give a satisfactory quantity of bloom and are most useful for the 

 conservatory during the Summer months. 



For growing in suspended baskets in the greenhouse the older kinds 

 are well suited. Use wire baskets, and with started plants build them 

 in from the bottom upwards so that the sides will be clothed with them. 

 The Achimenes do not need a very warm place for storage. During 

 their resting season clip off the stems to within an inch or two of the 

 pot instead of wrenching them out, as the rhizomes are easily torn out 

 with them. Stand the receptacles on their sides in a dry part of a cold 

 house. No water will be required till Spring. 



AMARYLLIS (Hippeastrum)— These beautiful plants are not as much 

 grown as their merits deserve; this is partly because the flner kinds are 

 somewhat expensive, especially when flowering bulbs are purchased. 

 With a few good sorts to start with they may be increased, and even 

 new varieties raised much more rapidly in America than in Europe, as 

 our Summers are very favorable to their rapid growth and increase by 

 offsets. Seeds are produced quite freely, and from this method of prop- 

 agation flowering plants are raised with little trouble. Most of the 

 very numerous hybrids now in cultivation are the progeny of A. vittata 

 and A. Ackermanni. There are two methods of culture— growing in 

 pots all the year round, and growing them during Summer planted out 

 in the open, lifting and potting in the Fall. I much prefer the first 

 method for the production of the largest sized blooms. Few flowers 

 are more attractive than those of the Amaryllis; they are borjie in 

 umbels on stout scapes well above the foliage. The colors are princi- 

 pally crimson, blood red and white, some of the varieties being beauti- 

 fully striped and mottled. Their season of blooming is generally from 

 January to May. About the beginning of the year the pot-grown bulbs 

 which are dormant should be removed from the pots and repotted in 

 good, rich compost; at first water only to settle the soil, gradually 

 increasing the supply. Some bulbs will show flowers early; these, If 

 wanted in bloom quickly, will be forced along with a minimum tempera- 

 ture of 60 degrees. By giving too high a temperature the foliage is 



