56 



AMARANTUS 



AMARYLLIS 



retro flixus , Linn., A. chlordstachys, Willd., A. dlbus, 

 Linn., A. ilitoldes, Wats., A. spindsus, Linn. The two 

 first are known as pigweeds and beet-roots ; the third is 

 a common tumbleweed. L H. B. 



76. Amarantus Gangeticus (X /4). 



AMAB'^LLIS (classical name). Amaiylliddcew. 

 Bulbous plants from Cape of Good Hope, flowering in 

 late summer or in fall, the Ivs. appearing later. Perianth 

 with a short ribbed tube, the divisions oblong or lanceo- 

 late, the filaments distinct and no scales between them, 

 fls. 5-12, in an umbel, on a tall scape. Monogr. by Her- 

 bert, AmaryllidacesB, 1837 ; and by Baker, Handbook of 

 the Amaryllidese. 



In dealing with the culture of Amaryllis, it is cus- 

 tomary to speak of the genus in its horticultural sense, 

 —to include Hippeastrum and related things. Such is 

 the understanding in the following cultural directions. 

 There are two widely differing methods of cultivating 

 the Amaryllis to produce showy flowers in the spring 

 months,— the border method and the pot method. Any 

 one trying both of these methods will soon come 

 to the conclusion that they differ not only in method, 

 but in flower-producing results. The first method 

 is to plant the bulbs out in a prepared border after 

 they are done flowering, say about the middle of May. 

 The border selected should have perfect drainage, and, 

 if convenient, be situated on the south side of a house or 

 wall, fully exposed to the sun during the greater part 

 of the day. The bulbs are set out in rows, necessarily 

 with as little disturbance of the roots as possible, because 

 if they are bulbs which have undergone similar treat- 

 ment the previous year, by the middle of May they have 

 made a considerable number of new roots; besides, the 

 foliage also has gained some headway, and may be con- 

 sidered in the midst of actual growth. In planting, care- 

 fully firm the soil around the old balls, give one water- 

 ing, and on the succeeding day, after the surface of the 

 soil has been raked over, cover to the depth of 2 inches 



with half -decayed cow- 



manure. With frequent 

 waterings during the 

 summer and the re- 

 moval of weeds, they 

 will need no more at- 

 tention until the ap- 

 proach of cool weather, 

 when they should be 

 lifted, sized, and pot- 

 ted ; however, at this 

 season, if wet weather 

 has predominated, 

 some of the bulbs will 

 be in a semi-dormant 

 state, while the ma- 

 jority will yet be in 

 active growth. Here 

 is the drawback to this 

 method : the roots are 

 large and fieshy, they 

 take up considerable 

 room in a 6- or 7-inch 

 pot, and the soil can- 

 not be evenly distrib- 

 uted amongst them, 

 neither can it be made 

 as firm as it should be. 

 The result is the par- 

 tial decay of the roots 

 and leaves, and in the 

 spring, when the flower 

 scapes appear, they are developed at the expense of the 

 bulb, through having insufficient roots to take up nour- 

 ishment from the soil. The flowers which are produced 

 are small, few in number, and do not show what the 



77. Amaryllis Belladonna. 



Amaryllis is capable of. To partly ameliorate these con- 

 ditions, the bulbs in active growth at lifting time may 

 be heeled-in on a greenhouse bench until they gradu- 

 ally ripen, taking care that some of the soil is retained 

 on the roots ; otherwise the ripening process is altogether 

 too rapid, so that the roots and leaves suddenly lose their 

 robust nature, become flabby, and eventually die. For 

 this method, it can be said that a larger number of bulbs 

 can be grown with less trouble than by the pot method, 

 but neither bulbs nor flowers compare in size with those 

 kept in pots the year round. For the purpose of simply 

 increasing stock, the outdoor method is to be preferred. 

 Most of the kinds are naturally evergreen ; potting under 

 those conditions is best done either after the plants have 

 made their growth in the fall or after they have finished 

 fiowering in April. When done in the fall, they are al- 

 lowed to remain rather dry during the winter ; this will 

 keep the soil of the original ball in a sweet condition 

 until the time arrives to start them into growth, which 

 may be anywhere after the 1st of January, or even 

 earlier if necessary. They will winter all right, and keep 

 their foliage, in a brick frame in which the temperature 

 is not allowed to fall below 45° F. By the beginning of 

 February, in a structure of this sort, they will be showing 

 flower-scapes, and should then be taken to a position 

 where more heat and light can be given. A weak solu- 

 tion of cow-manure will much help the development 

 of the fiowers. When in bloom, a greenhouse tempera- 

 ture, with slight shade, will prolongthe flowering period. 

 After fiowering, the greatest care should be taken of the 

 plants, as it is from that period till the end of summer 

 that the principal growth is made. A heavy loam, en- 

 riched with bone-dust and rotted cow-manure, suits them 

 well. The seeds of Hippeastrums should be sown as soon 

 as ripe, covered very lightly with finely sifted leaf -mold, 

 and if this shows a tendency to dry too quickly, cover 

 with panes of glass until germination takes place. As 

 soon as the first leaves are developed, they should be 

 potted in the smallest sized pots and kept growing. In 

 the propagation of varieties, it will be found that the 

 large bulbs make two or more offsets each season ; these 

 should not be detached until it is certain that they have 

 enough roots of their own to start with after being 

 separated from the parent. If a well-flowered specimen 

 clump is desired, the offsets may be allowed to remain 

 attached to the parent; they will, in most cases, flower 

 the second year under generous treatment. Amaryllis 

 Belladonna and the plant known &aA. longiflora (really 

 a Grinum) are hardy in the District of Columbia; A. 

 longiflora thrives even in damp, heavy soils, with no 

 protection, and flowers abundantly each year. The seeds 

 are about the size of a chestnut, and if not gathered as 

 soon as ripe, they are apt to germinate on the surface of 

 the ground during the next rainy spell succeeding the 

 ripening. A. Belladonna needs a warm, sheltered spot, 

 with deep planting. Cujt. by q. -^^ Oliver. 



Belladdnna, Linn. Belladonna Lilt. Fig. 77. Scape 

 2-4 ft., with a 2-lvd. dry spathe or involucre just under- 

 neath the umbel: fls. lily-like, short-tubed, and flaring, 

 with pointed segments and style, and 6 stamens deflexed, 

 on short pedicels, fragrant, normally rose-color ; scape 

 solid : Ivs. strap-shaped, canaliculate and acule. B.M. 

 733. Gn. 33: 641, 47, p. 46, 49, p. 276, 54: 414. G.C. III. 

 24:315. An old favorite. There are varieties ranging 

 from white to red, and varying in shape and size of fls. 

 A. ildnda, Gawl (B.M. 1450), is a large form, with white 

 fls., fading to blush. A. Hdllii, Hort., from N. China, 

 but probably not native there, is evidently only a form 

 of the Belladonna Lily. For var. rdsea perfScta, see Gt. 

 45, p. 443 ; spectibilis tricolor, 45, p. 358. See Britns- 

 vigia for A . gigantea and orienta lis ; Crinum for A . longi- 

 folia and ornata ; Hippeastrum for A. auliea, eques- 

 tris, fulgida, Johnsoni, Leopoldii,pardina,proeera, Be- 

 gins, reticulata, vittata ; Ijycoris ioT A . aurea ; Nerine 

 for A. Nerine; Sprekelia for A. formosissima ; Steru- 

 bergia for A. lutea ; Vallota tor A. purpurea ; Zephy- 

 rauthes for A. Atamasco and Candida. The following 

 trade names probably belong to other genera, most likely 

 to Hippeastrum : A. crdcea, Grave&na, macrdntha, re- 

 fiilgens. A. eruMscens, of Horsford's Cat., 1899 (by 

 mistake printed cruhescens) , is Zephyranthes erubes- 

 cens, Wats. It is not now offered. _ „ _ 



L. H. B. 



