growth maintain constant moisture with no drying out. A mulch of sphagnum on top of 
soil is advisable. 
During active growth, fertilize with weak liquid manure, color of very weak tea, 
about every 2 to 4 weeks or use Spoonit. If tips of foliage turn brown or dry you are 
probably over fertilizing. Temperatures when growing well should be about 60° at night 
and 70° to 80° in day time. 
We give potted bulbs plenty of sunshine. Seldom do plants or flowers need protection 
tho in mid-day they may in some sections. Examine plants for mealy bug which can 
cause failure if not controlled. A 
Dutch Hybrids. These fine hybrids require special care. They have been greenhouse 
grown for generations and may be kept in good condition for many years, even in- 
definitely, it their culture requirements are met. 
There should be enough peat in the soil to make it definitely acid, use no clay. Add 
enough sharp sand to provide quick drainage as the plants must be watered frequently 
when growing and blooming. Do not omit bone-meal and when in thrifty growths 
fertilize with liquid manure,—not too strong, about the color ot weak tea. Or use 
Spoonit, or mulch plants with a little dairy manure, any manure. Overfertilizing is bad. 
It will cause wilting of foilage or dry tips. A varied diet is good. 
Many times customers have given us bulbs they could not make grow. Not once 
have we failed to start them and grow them on. We plant the recalcitrant bulb in a 
small pot of pure sphagnum and keep it warm and wet. Often roots are started within 
two weeks and sometimes even top growth. When sufficiently well rooted shift to larger 
pot of proper soil but do not remove sphagnum or disturb roots. 
Keep potted Amaryllis moist at all times. We never force Amaryllis to go dormant. 
Many bulbs will grow almost the year around and often bloom earlier if kept growing. 
Prepared Bulbs, for Christmas flowering. Customers report that after flowering they 
decline, fade away. If some one will send me one of these decadent bulbs, I will see what 
I can do. Give name of strain and. variety. 
No quantity discounts on Amaryllis, except as listed. 
Guarantee. If you do not like the flower, return it at once stating cause of dis- 
approval. We will replace with another bulb. We appreciate but do not require 25c for 
postage on replacement. Thus we can give more insulation. 
A. ambigua. Lily shaped, white flowers with pink markings, on tall straight stems. 
5 to 7 flowers in an umbel. The exquisite spicy fragrance perfumes the entire garden. 
Plant 4” deep in garden in south, to Okla. $2.50. 
A. immaculata (syn. A. candida). The very large, pure white flowers are lily shaped 
and exquisitely fragrant. This very rare and beautiful species is a prized possession for 
any flower lover and grows to a very large size. Price $5.00. Very large, $6.50. 
Howard and Smith Hybrid Amaryllis. This firm has bred Amaryllis many years. 
They have produced the best American strain. They are located only 25 miles from 
La Verne and I have known them intimately for over 30 years. The business is 
strictly wholesale. I have checked many times on their breeding methods and they are 
the best, and as follows. From their fields, the best colors and varieties are selected and 
placed in their greenhouses. These are to become “mother bulbs.” The pollen parents 
are selected from outstanding bulbs of their own and from imported hybrids. A recent 
survey of their plant shows that they are growing thousands of Dutch and_ other 
imported hybrids, and many selected from their own fields. These are now potted and 
will be placed soon in greenhouses. 
One expert hybridist has charge of these houses. Pollen is used only from the 
most choice flowers and many, even of the imported hybrids are not good enough. 
Only the most vigorous bulbs are used as seed parents. The seedlings are grown in 
beds for one year then moved to a field until blooming sizes develop. Weaklings do. not 
survive the field culture and thus at maturity their blubs combine hardiness and beauty. 
Dime store and most seed store Amaryllis are produced by growing from unselected, 
- chance crosses or self pollinated seed. Thus the bulbs with the strongest vegetative func- 
tions are reproduced. They are beautiful, strong bulbs. The flowers often please those 
10 
