February 11, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
113 
Sprekelia formosissima. 
The Jacobea Lily, as this is known, is so nearly hardy that 
., skilful cultivator, selecting the proper position for it, might 
succeed with it by giving the same treatment as that which 
Lives so successful results with the Belladonna Lily lhe 
fatter and this plant were at one time included under Amaryl¬ 
lis i mt s ince then the distinctions have been admitted to be 
,„o ,rreat to include them in the same genus. Most gardeners 
are "familiar with the general appearance of the Belladonna 
h'ilv. but that under notice, being nearly hardy, is seldom cul¬ 
tivated in pots, and only the more enthusiastic attempt its 
cultivation out of doors. 
The flowers of a Belladonna Lily are very nearly regular, 
lint in this case they are remarkably irregular, more so in fact 
than we remember seeing in any other member of this family. 
T|I e flower projects horizontally at the top of the scape, and 
three of the segments are directed upwards, or may be rolled 
over behind, while the three lower ones are directed downwards 
and so modified at the base as to form a short, false tube, 
I enclosing the stamens and style. The latter organs are also 
remarkably bent downward! in a. similar fashion to those of 
an Epiphyllum. 
The flower is bright crimson, and 3 in. to 4 in. in length, so 
that it is totally distinct in appearance from the Belladonna 
Lily, and appears at a different season—namely, ip 
June, in advance of the development of the leaves. 
The latter are narrowly strap-shaped, or might be 
compared to those of a small form of Amaryllis or 
Hippeastrum. 
A rather substantial soil should be selected for it 
_namely, one containing plenty of fibre, and at the 
; same time well drained. The best position is a sunny 
border at the foot of the wall of a. hothouse. The 
bulbs are of large size, with a long neck, and this in 
itself is an advantage of which the cultivator might 
avail himself to plant it at a considerable depth, sa.y 
9 in. or 12 in. below the surface, to ensure its safety 
during periods of frost. Hardy or half-hardy bulbs 
may not receive injury even although frozen at such 
a depth, because the thawing takes place gradually, 
i and the bulb then resumes its natural functions. If 
I exposed to alternate freezing and thawing its life 
! would undoubtedly be endangered. 
Several varieties of the Jacobea Lily have been in¬ 
troduced, though seldom seen in cultivation at the 
[present day. One of these is S. f. glauca, with 
smaller and paler flowers than in the type, and glau¬ 
cous leaves. Another one named S. f. Karwinskii 
has paler flowers and more or less decidedly edged with white. 
Another one named S. f. ringens bears a drooping flower, and 
the broad upper segment is striped at the base and middle 
with yellow lines or bands. The leaves of this variety are 
! glaucous. Our illustration shows three blooms -on as many 
I stems of the typical form, and will serve to give an idea of 
the peculiar structure of the flower and the formation of the 
lower segments so as to form a tube. 
Roses. 
4 ear by year fresh recruits are added to the great army 
of those that grow the Bose, and just now all eyes are fixed 
on the Boses planted in the autumn, to see with what succe.v 
the planting is attended, and thoughts are turning towards 
the glorious season of bloom. So far for the garden, but how 
very few, comparatively speaking, use their greenhouses for 
the growing of this beautiful flower. 
As an amateur. I can say from experience that it is quite 
possible for an amateur to grow a batch of clean and healthy 
Boses in his cool greenhouse, and be more than satisfied with 
the result. Winter is generally a long wait for the Bose 
enthusiast, and it is by having a few Boses in pots in his 
greenhouse that the winter becomes a busy time for the 
Rose grower; and to grow the said batch of healthy Bose 
trees, and produce the most beautiful Boses in May (for in¬ 
door Roses are purer and fresher than those grown out of 
doors) is by no means so difficult- as the amateur imamnes.- 
It is not too late, even now, to start a collection for this 
spring, if they are procured at once, or, of course, they may 
be bought already in pots, a great number being sold annually 
in pots by nearly all nurserymen. I always buy plants as if 
for outdoor planting in November, but I have bought and 
potted them up as late as the end of January. 
Florida Oraxge Crop Destroyed. —From New York comes 
the announcement, that news has been obtained from Tampa, 
Florida, stating that. 75 per cent, of the Oranges hanging on the 
trees have been rendered unsaleable by a severe frost. Not 
since the great frost of 1886 have the owners of the Oi-ange 
plantations suffered so much loss. 
■* * * 
A Park for Erdixgton. —On the 1st inst. the Councillors of 
Erdington, near Birmingham, had under consideration the 
spending of £13,000 for the laying out of the Rookery as a park 
and highways depot. It was also contemplated to spend 
£13,888 for the erection of public buildings and a free library. 
After some discussion, they resolved to spend £8,000 on the 
Rookery. The purchase price having been £7,250, it left but 
a small sum for the developing of the place. The public will 
be admitted to the place almost immediately. 
Sprekelia formosissima, The Jacobaea Lily. 
About September or October I get all the pots well washed, 
also the crocks for the drainage, in preparation for potting 
time, so that when the plants arrive I can proceed to pot them 
up at once. Pruning the strong roots hard back, and preserving 
the small fibrous roots, I pot the Roses in 7 or 8-in. pots, in 
a good compost consisting of turfy loam, leaf manure and 
sand ; they should be potted fiiphly and then stood out in the 
open for a few weeks till the first nip of winter comes, when 
they should lie brought under glass. Little or no water need 
be given as they are best kept on the dry side till root action 
commences again. 
I always prune them in January, and in doing so cut them 
back to two or three eyes, especially the first year of being 
in the greenhouse ; also prune them to a plump bud. and one 
that points away from the centre of the plant if possible. 
About the end of January, if in a fairly warm district, they 
will commence to break into leaf; protect from severe frost 
with a few sheets of paper, fixed somehow between them and 
the glass. A little sand on each pot aids the drainage, and 
as the weather improves watering must be carefully attended 
to, a tap on the pot being a good guide as to the state of the 
soil, a hollow sound denoting want of water. A little soot in 
the water is a great purifier of the soil, and makes the foliage 
a better colour, and when the flower buds appear later on, a 
little liquid artificial manure is a great help to improving 
