THE AMARYLLIDTK. 
695 
and air, whicli will greatly improve their colour ; give them a mode- 
rate supply of water whenever the soil becomes dry, and they will 
continue in ilower all through October. After the flowers have de- 
cayed, the gi-een leaves will begin to shoot, and as on the perfection 
of the growth of these, the future flowering of every bulb depends, it 
will be necessary to render them every possible assistance, and not 
as is generally the case, thrust them under the stage of the green- 
house, stove, or any other place where they will be out of sight. The 
best method I know is to make a hotbed, and after having set on a 
frame, lay over the dung about a foot thick of the same compost they 
were potted in, then turn out each pot of bulbs with the ball perfect, 
for if these are broken, their growth will be much retarded, shelter 
them, from theseverity of winter, and give them watei- and air as they 
require it, until the bulbs are ri]?e, then keep the soil perfectly dry. 
By this treatment, many will bloom the second year with great vi- 
gour ; as soon as the flower stems begin to shew, take them up with 
a trowel so as not to injure the small fibres that are starting, and pot 
them, being careful to remove none but those shewing flower. If they 
were allowed to stand on the bed two years, and could be kept warm 
through the second winter, they would bloom finer than those that 
are imported. 
10. Amary'llis, (A Nymph of Virgils.) Of late years, this genus 
has been greatly increased by a number of hybrids, many of which 
far surpass the originals, both in the production of their flowers, and 
the rich variety of their colours, they for the most part, require the 
temperature of the stove, although some as the A. pumilio, pudica, 
blanda, &c. will do very well in the green-house, and two or three 
species as the A. belladonna, &c. will do in a frame, or even out of 
doors in warm situations ; they are in general easy of culture, and 
are readily increased by offsets, and many ripen plenty of seed. A 
shell peeled oflT the bulb with a leaf attached, will grow very freely 
if some pollen be shaken on the stigma at the proper period : the 
strong growing species must be plentifully supplied with water du- 
ring their time of flowering and gi'owing, they thrive best if planted 
in large pots. Mr. Sweet found it an advantage to turn them out of 
the pots, when the bulbs were rijje, and after shaking all the soil 
from them, laying them upon a shelf in a dry situation, until they 
began to shew flowers, he then had them potted in light turfy loam, 
rather more than one-third of white sand, and the rest turfy peat, 
well chopped together, but not sifted for it takes away all the best 
part of the soil. All the pots should be well drained with potsherds, 
this, however, Mr. S. found would not do as a general rule for " A. 
