1382 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
537 
Sunflowers, Single and Double. 
Fashions in flowers have shown some 
strange freaks within the past two or three 
years. We have already mentioned the sud¬ 
den popularity of that common weed, the Ox- 
eye Daisy, which has been seen in large quanti¬ 
ties in the florists’ stores. This was followed 
by the common Buttercups, and later still by 
the coarsest of all flowers, the common Sun¬ 
flower. The Annual Sunflower, with its broad, 
blackish disk, surrounded by a row of yellow 
rays, was pronounced beautiful by a person 
who is regarded as an authority in aesthetics, 
and forthwith it comes from obscure back¬ 
yards to be flaunted on the fashionable prome¬ 
nades. But however coarse and lacking in 
as a Dahlia. The plant is perfectly hardy, 
and is readily propagated by the division of 
its thick, fleshy roots, every piece of which 
will make a plant. The engraving gives the 
form of the flower, of course reduced in size. 
What are “ Spanish Lilies.” 
There are frequently brought to New York, 
and other seaports, large bulbs which are of¬ 
fered at the stores where West 
India fruit is sold, as “ Spanish 
Lilies.” These bulbs, from the 
size of one’s two fists, to that of a 
child’s head, look somewhat like 
an enormous onion. They are 
not properly lilies, but if planted 
There are six long and conspicuous stamens, 
which are connected by a cup-shaped crown, 
extending from one to the other, and adding 
greatly to the beauty of the flower. The 
flowers of some species open only at night, or 
in cloudy weather. If the bulbs can be ob¬ 
tained in spring, they may be planted in the 
open border, where they will produce a pro¬ 
fusion of flowers. If purchased late, the 
bulbs must be potted for the greenhouse. 
the double many-flowered sunflower ( Helianthus multiflorus), 
THE Spanish lily ( Pancratium Caribceum). 
real beauty the common annual species may 
be, there are some Sunflowers which in their 
proper place are really desirable. In former 
volumes we have pictured and described sev¬ 
eral tall perennial species, which are worth 
growing wherever there is room, such as the 
Graceful Sunflower (Helianthus orgyalis). 
Maximilian’s, and others. In these, the flowers 
are single, that is show a distinct disk, but the 
heads are small and are less coarse than in the 
annual species. For making a warm, bright 
effect in the garden, the Double Many-flowered 
Sunflower is especially valuable. It is given in 
the works on gardening and in the catalogues 
as the double H. multiflorus, and is said to be 
from Virginia. The single form has been 
cultivated in Europe for over 200 years, and as 
no species like it is known to grow wild in this 
country, its place of nativity is very doubtful. 
The plant grows about four feet high, with 
numerous branches, and heart-shaped, rough 
leaves; the heads of flowers are numerous, 
three or four inches across, and consist entirely 
of ray-florets, or are “full double.” They are 
of a rich golden yellow, and quite as showy 
out, according to the season in the open bor¬ 
der, or potted for the greenhouse, will bloom 
and produce interesting flowers. These so- 
called “ Spanish Lilies,” belong to the genus 
Pancratium, and while not true lilies, they 
belong to the related Amarylis family. The 
name. Pancratium, is derived from Greek 
words meaning “all powerful,” though no 
one seems tQ know why. The dried bulbs of 
some are saiil to act as an emetic, but they are 
not used in medicine. There are more than 30 
species found in tropical countries, of which 
some five grow in our Southern States, from 
North Carolina to Florida. The species sold 
as “ Spanish Lily,” is P. Caribceum, but those 
from our southern coast are quite as showy. 
The bulbs throw up numerous strap-like, flat 
leaves, and a flower-stalk, which bears at the 
top an umbel-like cluster of numerous flowers. 
The individual flowers are very pretty, and 
worthy of examination, their general struc¬ 
ture being shown in the reduced engraving. 
The flowers are pure white, and usually fra¬ 
grant, each with a long and slender tube, 
which splits above into six narrow divisions. 
They are plants worth growing, even if 
their commercial name is a misnomer, as. 
they are neither “Spanish,” nor “Lilies.” 
'1'llie Apple !S cj il> .—Professor T. J. Bur¬ 
rell, Champaign, Ill., gave his results upon 
the investigation of the Apple Scab, at the 
last meeting of the Society for the Promotion 
of Agricultural Science. He stated that dur¬ 
ing the past season, the scab had been verjr 
common in the orchards of the West, some' 
trees not having an unaffected leaf or fruit. 
Thin-skinned varieties of apples are much 
more attacked than those with thick skins, 
some of the latter being almost free from the 
trouble. The cause of the scab is a minute 
fungus. The spores germinate in the spring, 
and any remedy employed should be used 
early in the season. Coal-oil is recommended 
as a wash, and kerosene, and common soft- 
soap, may be used with good results. The 
weather is a modifying condition, and there¬ 
fore the amount of the scab will vary from 
season to season, according to the circum¬ 
stances of temperature, moisture, etc. 
