258 PLANT CULTURE 



Propagation. There is no necessity for propagating them 

 in the East, owing to the low rates charged by dealers. They are 

 among the first flowers to open in Spring. 



EUCHARIS. The Amazon Lilies have long been popular 

 stove bulbous plants, their large, pure white flowers making them 

 favorites wherever grown. To the florist who does a general trade 

 this is a paying plant when properly grown in moderately large 

 quantities. There are three species in general cultivation — E. 

 grandiflora {amazonica), E. Candida and E. Sanderi. The first is 

 the best known of the three, and the most profitable to grow, as the 

 individual flowers are larger and more of them are produced on a 

 stalk. They are grown in pots, tubs, or on benches. 



Culture. Their culture seems a trifle difiicult to many, but this 

 idea has arisen through trying to grow them under adverse condi- 

 tions. They are plants which delight in a warm, moist atmosphere, 

 shaded from strong sunshine. The temperature should never fall 

 below 60 degrees, and it should only be allowed to get in the neigh- 

 borhood of that figure during cold weather. The plants cannot be 

 properly grown after the manner of most bulbous subjects which 

 florists handle, such as Liliums, Richardias, Gladioli and Tulips; 

 that is, potting them up at a certain time to have them in bloom at 

 a given date. Their culture has not been brought down to such a 

 fine point because their nature does not permit of it. They can be 

 grown either with or without a short period of rest in the Fall 

 months. It is best to keep them growing all the time, but to do this 

 successfully the roots must have close attention. From the nature 

 of the compost in which they grow it will become sodden if extra 

 precautions are not taken in the way of providing good drainage, 

 also in mixing with the soil a goodly quantity of broken charcoal 

 to keep the mass porous. The principal ingredients should consist 

 of loam two parts, leafmold one, a fourth to consist of rough sand 

 and well rotted cow manure. The first two methods are preferred, 

 as the plants can be more easily handled than when on benches. 

 A good sized clump can be kept in a 10- or 12-inch pot for a good 

 many years by periodical examinations of the drainage, the decom- 

 posed soil removed from around the ball with the aid of the hose, 

 and a mixture of loam and bonemeal dusted over it. Put back in 

 the pot and give a good top dressing. Clumps treated in this way 

 have flowered three and four times in a year regularly for twelve years. 



FREESIA. The rapid improvement of this old favorite indoor 

 flowering bulb has placed upon the market not only pure white forms 



