
The late Theodore L. Mead of Oviedo, Fla., 1852-1936, father of the Mead 
strain of Hybrid Amaryllis, the most widely grown American strain. This was one 
of his favorite portraits, taken with some of his flowers and plants around him. 
He was a pioneer horticulturist of Florida and actively interested in many other 
beautiful plants, orchids, palms, Bromeliads, etc. 
show record as reported in the 30’s in early issues of “Herbertia,” when the old 
American Amaryllis Society shows were held in Orlando, Fla., sometimes with 
an attendance of 25,000 persons, speaks for itself. Amaryllis culture took a bad 
beating in America during the war, but now the popularity of these glorious 
flowers is growing by leaps and bounds beyond all hopes of before-the-war days. 
Fortunately, fundamental stocks of Amaryllis hybrids were maintained and 
developed during the war in Holland, by leading specialists in the bulbs, including 
Ludwig & Co., Van Tubergen, Van Meuwen, Van Waveren, Van Grieken, and others. 
With the coming of peace, came a relaxing of the federal quarantine regulations 
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