May 25, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
347 
Hippeastrums.’ 
7 , 
(Amaryllis). 
To Flower from 
Seed in Two Years. 
Many amateurs are deterred from the 
[culture of Amaryllis, having, no doubt, an 
idea that great heat is requisite for their 
success. They are quite as easily grown 
as the common Clivia, while the colour 
and richness of the flowers leave nothing 
to be desired. The following notes detail 
the writer’s method whereby flowering 
plants are secured in two years from seed. 
In January the seed is sown in 5m. pots, 
using finely sifted soil (two 5m. pots hold 
a half-crown packet of seed) and plunged 
ma small box of cocoanut fibre, the whole 
being placed upon the pipes of an early 
vinery. As soon as the first leaf is four 
inches long the pots are removed from the 
box and placed upon the stage where 
plenty of light is available. When the 
second leaf appears transplant each seed¬ 
ling singly into 3m. pots, using slightly, 
rougher loam, with a little leaf soil and 
some sharp sand. Water carefully at first, 
and each morning and night dew over the 
young plants with the syringe. Whenever 
these pots are full of roots shift into 5 or 
6 % in. pots; this being the flowering size, 
a richer compost is necessary. Use loam 
three parts, leaf soil one part, sharp sand 
one part, and a teaspoonful of Clay's 
manure to each pot of soil. Pot firmly 
and water the following day. Continue 
syringing morning and afternoon and grow 
in full sun. The seedlings are ready for 
their final shift in July. 
Should the shade of Vines or other 
plants become too dense, a large frame is 
equally suitable. I use no artificial heat 
from May till November, but where such 
can be provided growth will be more 
rapid. The plants must be kept growing 
throughout the first winter, and as the days 
lengthen the second season the plants 
should be afforded a stimulant in the form 
of Clay’s or Thomson’s manure, using a 
teaspoonful to each gallon of water, 
applied once a week. As the autumn ad¬ 
vances water must be gradually withheld. 
Stand the plants in a cold frame, and in- 
1 duce the bulbs to ripen; as preparatory to 
; going to rest the foliage turns yellow 
| watering is discontinued. From Novem¬ 
ber to January the pots can be stored in 
any unheated house which is frost-proof. 
In February introduce the bulbs to an 
early vinery or warm greenhouse, syringe 
them morning and evening until the flower 
spike appears (usually in advance of the 
leaves). Water can then be given In suffi¬ 
cient quantity to moisten the ball of soil. 
Repotting can be safely performed when 
the flower spike is well advanced or imme¬ 
diately the flowers are past. Subsequent 
treatment is in all respects similar to that 
already detailed for second season seed¬ 
lings. As the same labour is entailed in 
raising a good or inferior strain, always 
secure seed from a high class seedsman. 
F. Smith. 
Louth, Lines. 
A donation of ^50 has been made to 
the South-Eastern Agricultural College, 
Wye, Kent, by the Goldsmiths’ Company. 
Maclaren and Sons. 
Tulipa kolpakowakyanti 
Hippeastrum flowered from seed in 
two years. 
A WILD YELLOW 
Tulip. 
(Tulipa kolpakowskyana). 
The above species was introduced from 
Turkestan in 1877, and flowers during 
April and May. Imported bulbs have a 
considerable range of variation in colour, 
and some of the finer ones have been se¬ 
lected. The florist does not seem, how¬ 
ever, to have taken this Tulip in hand for 
improvement. No doubt, it would be 
slow to vary by comparison with species 
that have been cultivated in this country 
and on the Continent for centuries, but 
it would no doubt give rise to a fresh 
series of new and beautiful forms. The 
outside of the flower may or may not be 
attractive according to the amount of red 
on the back and the brightness of the 
yellow edge. When the flower expands, 
"however, the inside is of a beautiful bright 
vellow or even golden-yellow in the best 
forms. When in bloom the three outer 
segments are recurved at the tip. The 
accompanying figure shows this, but the 
bloom was rather young when photo¬ 
graphed. The flowers are about 2 in. or 
3 in. long according to the strength of 
the bulb, and there is a black blotch at 
the base of each segment. 
- +++ - 
Spiraea arguta. 
In making a selection of the 12 best 
deciduous flowering - hiubs, this would be 
selected in the fi'.-t three, for it is one of 
the most florife nis shrubs we possess, and 
without doubt one of the most beautiful. 
It is considered to be of hybrid origan, 
and has only been in general cultivation 
for 12 or 14 years. When mature it at¬ 
tains a height of quite six feet, and if 
isolated, forms a shapely bush quite as far 
through. The branches are wiry and 
clothed with dainty, bright green, tiny 
leaves. The flowers are dazzling white, 
and borne in profusion on the upper side 
of the previous year’s growth. Usually 
they are a their best about the middle or 
end of April, and Last well on into May, 
and during most of the time the blossoms 
almost hide the branches. When first 
planting, good, rich, loamy soil should 
be provided, and very little after cultiva¬ 
tion, other than weeding will be required, 
as it is rarely that any pruning is neces¬ 
sary. To increase this charming shrub, 
it is best to select a plant and layer all 
the branches. By this means really good 
plants can be obtained in 12 months, 
whereas from cuttings a much longer 
period has to elapse before the same sized 
plants can be produced. 
F W T . D. 
-- 
TULIP LA GRANDEUR. 
The above is a handsome Darwin Tulip 
with crimson-scarlet segments and a yel¬ 
low base. The filaments are black. An 
Award of Merit was accorded to Messrs. 
W’alter T. Ware, Ltd., Bath, by the 
R.H.S. on April 30th. 
