RNS — ruffled rose and white variegated, striking, 
MARY McCANN—creamy-white with red and rose vein- 
ing and shading, generous doubling, $5.00. 
These are the foundation stock of what may be a long 
line of new double Amaryllis as hybridizers continue Capt. 
McCann’s work. Double Amaryllis have a small percentage 
of fertile pollen which is used on the single types. From 
the resulting seed a small percentage comes with varying 
doubled form. Lakemont Gardens introduced these double 
Amaryllis in 1949. Against a returnable deposit of $1.00 
we will loan a set of color transparencies of all five. 
ACHIMENES 
The rising tide of popularity for various members of the 
GESNERIAD or African Violet Family, which includes the 
popular ACHIMENES, GLOXINIA, SAINTPAULIA, GES- 
NERIA, etc., has carried the ACHIMENES to new heights 
in the past two or three seasons. ACHIMENES (pronounced 
A-KIM-EN-EES with accent on the KIM), have taken the 
country by storm. The orders for this amazing plant (or 
rather for the tiny tubercles) swamped us from January to 
May last spring, and we humbly ask pardon of all customers 
who experienced delays in delivery. 
It was frantic but exhilerating, this astounding surge 
of popular demand for a revived plant favorite, which like 
the Camellia, was a “craze” 100 years ago with hundreds, 
yes hundreds of varieties listed in the old garden papers and 
catalogues of the time only to decline into almost complete 
neglect until 10 or 15 years ago. 
Now we are searching the world for new, at least new 
to us, varieties of ACHIMENES, which have been retained 
in rare collections, which have survived in botanical gardens 
or other places. To date we have gathered about 33 kinds, 
mostly horticultural varieties, but including a few species, 
as A. longiflora, A. longiflora alba, A. pedunculata, A. tubi- 
flora, A. pulchella, A. Scheeri, A. glabrata (Gloxinia fimbri- 
ata), A. grandiflora, and possibly a few others. 
Tiny Tubercles 
The Achimenes grows from tiny tubercles formed on 
the roots, which remain dormant over the winter after the 
old plant has died down in late Fall. We have a better 
stock of most varieties this season and can supply upwards 
of 50,000 of Royal Purple, Patens, or mixed, for any large 
mail order house, etc., interested in adding this line of 
popular bulbs, which can be packaged and shipped with 
utmost convenience. 
The Achimenes are planted from February to June, 
but best from March and April through May. The colors 
range from purple, blue and violet through pale lavender 
to white, pink, rose, red and crimson. 
Achimenes can be started in flats of peat and sand, and 
later transplanted to beds, pots, or baskets under trees or 
in lath shade. In North Florida we have found them natur- 
alized under shrubs and trees in shady nooks where the 
ground does not freeze. Country people have many inter- 
esting names for them, including Cupid’s Bower, Widow’s 
Tears, Kimono Plants, Monkey-Faced Pansies, etc. They 
are natives of Mexico, Central America, West Indies, Brazil, 
etc., and were first reported (A. coccinea) from Jamaica in 
1756 by Patrick Browne in his famous History of Jamaica. 
Literature 
We have a few copies of our article on Achimenes in 
“Tropical Homes & Gardening Magazine” (Miami) for Oct., 
1952, still on hand for 25c (entire copy) plus 5c postage. 
Also see our Achimenes article (with others) in PLANT 
LIFE, 1949, page 21. See Achimenes Article by Peggy Schulz, 
The Home Garden, November, 1953. 
We are short of some varieties this season, but have 
other kinds, which previously have been rare and choice, 
in reasonably abundant quantities, at reduced prices. Cul- 
ture is like the Gloxinia, Saintpaulia, Episcea, Gesnera, etc. 
—plant five or six Achimenes tubercles in a five or six inch 
pot, using any good Gloxinia or African violet soil. (% 
sandy loam, %4 leaf mold, 4% compost or sifted peat, well 
rotted manure, etc.). Drainage must be good and give plenty 
of light. Ask for our special leaflet on Achimenes culture, 
free to every Achimenes customer. 
Our own most recent Achimenes articles have been in 
trade papers, “The Achimenes Revival’, July 2, 1953, Florists 
Review, and “Achimenes Comeback”, which appeared in 
Prof. Alex Laurie’s column, “Alex Laurie Says’, Florists Ex- 
change, Nov. 7, 1953. Ask for reprints of these. No. 2 of 
the Journal of the American Gesneriad Society, headquar- 
ters in California, contains valuable Achimenes articles, 
Membership $1.50 per year. 
STANDARD VARIETIES 
ROYAL PURPLE (Purpie King, Pulcherrima, etc.)—best 
all-around Achimenes, early blooming, vigorous, free-flower- 
ing. Doge Purple (RHS color chart), 75c per doz. 
PATENS—the best dwarf type reddish purple for pots 
(Petunia Purple), bright, compact type, foliage veined dark 
red. 75¢c per doz. Try this one. (Achimenes grandiflora) 
DAINTY QUEEN—a splendid white type, with slight 
lavender eye at center, 98 per cent white. Best white avail- 
able this year. Large flowers, free blooming, showy, vig- 
orous. $1.50 doz. 
GALATEA—the best early flowering blue (Hyacinth blue), 
searce this season (Achimenes longiflora type—see cut). $2.50 
doz. White form with lavender eye, A. longiflora var. alba, 
$1.50 doz. 
ANDERSONI—easy growing, light to medium blue, with 
light green foliage, wonderful for hanging baskets, trailing 
boxes. $1.00 doz. 
MADUNA—fine showy variety with rose-purple flowers, 
white center, rich green foliage, veined red, vigorous and 
thrifty, $1.50 doz. 
LITTLE BEAUTY—fine rose-pink, dwarf type, dark red 
erect foliage, just about tops in Achimenes. We are short 
this season on this one. $3.00 doz. Fine for pots. 
LOVELINESS—small dainty foliage and small to me- 
dium size flowers, medium to late flowering, clear rich violet 
shade. $1.00 doz. 
MME. GEHEUNE-—a splendid foliage variety with hand- 
some bronzy-red tomentose leaves and stems, attractive rose- 
purple flowers, easy. $1.50 doz. 
ATROPURPUREA—a light-green foliage variety with 
rich, bright reddish-purple flowers, compact and early bloom- 
ing. $1.50 doz. 
SELECT ACHIMENES VARIETIES 
MARGARITA—the nearest pure white, very short this 
season, a few at 50c each. Please order Dainty Queen in 
place for quantity lots. 
VIVID—one of the medium late flowering “Little Beauty” 
types, foliage dark, semi-dwarf, flowers cerise-lake, vigorous, 
easy, free flowering $2.00 doz. 
VENUSTA—violet purple, semi-double, medium sized 
flowers on a dark foliage, compact plant, very free flowering, 
fine for pots or boxes. Very rare and choice, an old variety 
going back to 1849. Each flower has a tiny “rose-bud” cen- 
ter. $3.00 doz. 
PULCHELLA—the oldest species known (A. coccinea) 
from the West Indies. Late blooming with myriads of little 
bright scarlet flowers. Brightest red of them all. Short this 
season. Can spare a few to early customers. 50c each. 
PINK BEAUTY (ADELE DE LA HAUTE)—a luscious 
rose-pink to lavender pink with light center, of the A. longi- 
flora type, Scarce this season. 50c each. 
NESSIDA—Some regard this as the most beautiful of 
all Achimenes, with its Amethyst Violet flower and Cad- 
mium orange center. Makes a strong, erect plant, handsome 
green foliage, distinct and attracts immediate attention. A 
fair stock this year. $1.50 doz. 
BIG BOY BLUE—a large flowered type, much like Mag- 
nificum, (A. longiflora, major) but with deeper blue flowers 
having an orange throat. $2.00 doz. 
VERSCHAFFELTII—an old favorite and one of the best, 
the flowers having lavender purple lines and veins on lav- 
ender-tinted white. Compact, extra free flowering, easy 
culture, fine for pots or hanging baskets. $1.50 doz. 
CATTLEYA—the finest of all Achimenes in our personal 
opinion in the blue and lavender shades, and possibly of 
them all. A true pastel, or orchid shade, blending with a 
milky lavender, large A. longiflora flowers, superb and su- 
preme. We have a good stock for the first time. We expect 
this to be the most popular Achimenes in future years. $1.50 
doz. Don’t fail to try this one. 
MINIATA—the best red in the dwarf, trailing, early 
varieties, actually a dusky crimson to carmine in shade with 
yellowish throat. Scarce. $2.00 doz. 
MASTER INGRAM—a super Achimenes, bold, hand- 
some, trailing foliage and big sparkling cherry-red flowers 
shading to a velvety maroon. Striking in flower, and very 
effective. A true red shade. $2.00 doz. 
CARMINE QUEEN—a dainty variety of the Loveliness 
type, but flowers more crimson in shade. Short this year. 
MASTERPIECE—one of the most unusual and beautiful 
Achimenes, with fine, upright olive-bronze foliage, serrate- 
edged leaves, distinctive and remarkable, having showy 
eda OULE |G flowers, it would be hard to improve. $1.50 
OZ. 
MAGNIFICUM (Achimenes longiflora var. Major)—most 
popular Achimenes in the trade, largest flowers, to 3 inches 
