1883 .] 
HYMENOCALLIS SPECIOSA. 
71 
fields at harvest-time. But, however ripe and which the grains are set, contain so much 
dry the corn ears may appear when cut, they moisture. If put away too soon, the leafy 
will require several weeks of careful drying, sheaf will mildew and the whole head decay, 
the stalks and “cob,” or central pith, round — F. D. Horner, Kirkby Malzeard, Papon. 
HYMENOCALLIS SPECIOSA. 
§ HIS is a West Indian species, known 
also under the synonymous name of 
wws Pancratium speciosum. It is com¬ 
paratively little grown, yet now when 
bulbous plants of the class to which it belongs 
are being more looked up than in times past, 
it is not unlikely that this fine kind may meet 
with more attention. It is of moderately 
strong growth, with stoutish bright green 
leaves, narrow and channelled at the base, 
much broader above, somewhat abruptly 
tapering, but pointed at the extremities. The 
bulbs, when strong and well grown, are large, 
tapering up to the crown, from whence the 
leaves spring. 
The plant is a free grower, but requires a 
brisk heat to do it well; it will bear as much 
as the well-known Eucharis amazonica, and 
its leaves will stand much more sun than 
those of the Eucharis are usually found to do 
with. With me it used to flower about July 
or August, but like many others of the allied 
species I have no doubt the time of its bloom¬ 
ing will vary with the way in which it is 
treated in respect to warmth and other 
matters. I found it slow to increase, occa¬ 
sionally producing off-sets, which, when about 
a year old, may he removed from the parent 
plant and potted singly. This should be done 
just before they are started into growth. 
Fairly holding soil suits them, but it must 
not be of too heavy a nature ; nor should too 
large pots be used in the first instance, the 
plants being kept rather under than overdone 
in this respect until they get to thriving 
freely, after which they must not be stinted 
for root-room, as most of this section of 
Amaryllids require comparatively more space 
for their roots than do the ordinary varieties 
of Amaryllis. 
After flowering it makes growth, and should 
be liberally treated to heat and sufficiently 
supplied with moisture until the growth is 
finished up, which will be towards the end of 
October. During this time the plants should 
be stood well up to the light, otherwise the 
leaves get drawn and are soft and weak, a 
condition not conducive to blooming freely. 
Through the winter keep them much drier, 
but do not let the soil become quite so dry as 
in the case of Amaryllis. In the spring again 
give water, and treat to heat and light as when 
growing the previous season. When the flower 
stems appear let the plants have as much air 
as the other occupants of the house will bear, 
for with this, as with most other subjects of a 
like nature, the true character of the flowers is 
best brought out by treatment that is calculated 
to give strength and substance. All that is 
further required is to give increased pot room 
as the bulbs increase in size, and to see that 
the foliage is never allowed to suffer by insects, 
such as red spider or thrips, which do much 
harm in very little time.—T. Baines, Southgate. 
