NEEINE 



THE BULB BOOK 



NEEINE 



that is, the leaves are in a growing 

 and assimilating condition, and finish 

 their work about April or May. 

 During this period of activity the 

 plants should be kept on shelves in 

 the greenhouse close to the glass, to 

 secure as much light as possible; 

 and the temperature at night should 

 not fall below 50° F., certainly not 

 below 45° F. Plenty of fresh air 

 should be given on all favourable 

 occasions to avoid a "stuffy" atmo- 

 sphere. When the leaves have 

 withered, the bulbs should be given- 

 a period of rest. This is one of 

 the most important features in the 

 cultivation of Nerines. It will 

 benefit the plants during this resting 

 period to place them in a dry, sunny 

 position, and no water whatever 

 should be given. The flower-spikes 

 begin to appear in June, and from 

 then onwards till October and 

 November, and in some cases even 

 tiU January, a supply of blossom 

 may be expected during the dullest 

 months of the year. 



Propagation. — ^Nerines are easily 

 propagated by offsets from the older 

 bulbs, detached after the flowers 

 have faded. Seeds may be ripened 

 in most cases, and if sown in gentle 

 heat in spring will germinate readily 

 in rich gritty soil. In about three 

 years they will make flowering bulbs. 

 The ease with which Nerines may be 

 raised from seeds has naturally 

 attracted the hybridist, and some 

 very fine forms have been evolved. 



The species most used at present 

 are, curvifolia, flexnosa, 'pudica, and 

 iarni&nsis. 



The following are some of the best 

 Nerines grown : — 



N. amabilis {N. pudica x N. hum- 

 ilis), bright pink on stems 12 ins. 

 high. 



N. appendlculata. — This species is 

 remarkable for having a strap-shaped 



process with two to four long apical 

 teeth at the base of each filament. 

 Flowers pale pink. {Gard. Chron. 

 1894, xvi. 336.) 



N. atrosangiilnea {N. Planti x iV. 

 fleoniosa\ deep salmon rose, 2 ins. 

 wide, wavy petals ; stem 12 to 18 ins. 

 high. 



N. Bowdenl. — This is closely related 

 to N. flexuosa. It has glossy green 



Fig. 280.— Nerine Bowdmi. (J.) 



thickish leaves over 1 ft. long and 

 ^ in. broad. From six to twelve 

 flowers are borne in an umbel on 

 scapes about 18 ins. high. They are 

 very large, and of a pale pink colour 

 with a darker line down the centre of 

 each of the recurved segments, which 

 are 2j to 3 ins. long. (Gard Chron. 

 1904, xxxvi. 365, f. 164; Flora and 

 Sylva, May 1905.) 



N, Cam! {N. curvifolia x N. wndu- 

 lata), rosy scarlet, stems 12 ins. high. 



N. curvifolia. — A fine species with 

 large umbels of glistening scarlet 

 flowers, each \\ ins. across, with 

 broad reflexed segments, and borne 

 on stems 18 ins. high {Bot. Mag. t. 

 725 ; Red. Lil. t. 274). 



The variety Fothergilli is stronger 



379 



