332 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  19,  1900. 
spotted  aod  blotched  with  brilliant  rose  on  a  pure  white  ground  or  the 
reverse  (fig.  92),  while  still  more  have  small  spathes  with  gorgeous 
colour  and  floriferousness  as  their  chief  recommendations. 
Apart,  however,  from  the  species  and  varieties  that  are  cultivated 
for  the  beauty  of  their  spathes  we  have  others  with  noble  foliage,  and 
of  which  Anthurium  Veitchi  may  be  mentioned  as  typical.  This  is 
undoubtedly,  when  well  grown,  one  of  the  handsomest  large-leaved 
plants  in  cultivation.  These,  however,  must  have  abundance  of  room 
to  show  ( ff  their  good  points,  and  perhaps  this  is  one  reason  why 
plants  are  not  more  commonly  seen  in  gardens.  Grown  in  large  tubs 
standing  in  some  conspicuous  position  they  never  fail  to  attract  atten¬ 
tion  frcm  everjone,  and  as  a  rule  they  are  much  admired.  Until  the 
plants  of  the  fine-foliaged  Anthuriuma  have  attained  to  considerable 
size  annual  repotting  is  desirable,  using  a  mixture  largely  composed  of 
sphagnum  moss  and  fibrous  peat.  When,  however,  the  plants  are  in 
large  receptacles  this  practice  is  not  generally  adopted  owirg 
to  the  labour  entailed,  and  it  is  not  really  necessary  provided  the  pots 
or  tubs  v  ere  efficiently  drained  at  the  outset,  and  that  great  care  is 
always  exercised  in  watering. 
Eeverting  to  those  which  are  cultivated  for  their  spathes,  it  may 
safely  be  said  that  A.  Andreanum,  A.  Sober  zerianum,  and  the  many 
hybrids,  are  all  worthy  of  extended  culture,  but  as  the  brilliant 
A.  Sober zerianum  is  perhaps  the  most  popular,  the  succeeding  remarks 
may  be  taken  as  applying  more  particularly  to  this  section.  Broadly 
speaking,  this  plant  cccupies  a  position  in  our  stov-es  in  summer 
similar  to  that  of  the  Poinsettia  in  the  winter.  They,  too,  are  like 
the  last-named  in  another  respect,  for  though  really  stove  plants, 
they  are  exceedingly  useful  for  the  embellishment  of  the  conservatory. 
The  plants  are  much  less  tender  than  was  at  one  time  supposed, 
and  although  considerable  heat  is  required  to  bring  them  to  perfection, 
they  are  quite  safe  in  the  conservatory  during  the  flowering  season, 
while  a  high  temperature  is  not  essential  during  the  resting  period. 
I  look  for  the  time  when  a  collection  of  Flamingo  Flowers,  as 
Anthuriums  have  been  called,  on  account  of  their  gorgeous  colour,  will 
be  found  in  every  garden  where  gay  flowering  plants  are  required. 
Anthuriums  should  not  be  grown  merely  to  represent  the  species  or 
simply  to  add  to  the  collection,  but,  wheie  conveniences  permit,  should 
be  cultivated  by  the  dozen,  according  to  the  demand  for  decorative 
plants  doling  the  spring  and  summer  months.  For  associating  with 
Ferns  nothing  can  be  more  effective  for  room  and  corridor  deccrationj 
and  they  will  not  suffer  nearly  so  much  under  these  circumstances  as 
do  many  stove  plants. 
The  cultural  details  are  very  simple.  At  the  outset  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  plant  is  an  epiphyte,  being  found  growing  on 
the  tiunks  of  fallen  trees  where  Mosses  and  other  Cryptogams 
vegetate,  and  care  must  therefore  be  taken  not  to  pot  the  plant  too 
low  or  in  too  close  a  compost,  as  has  sometimes  been  done  in  the 
past.  The  fact  of  its  growing  on  trees  in  its  native  habitat  suggests 
the  methods  of  procedure  for  its  successful  cultivation  in  this  country. 
A  suitable  compost  is  lumpy  peat,  sphagnum,  leaf  mould,  charcoal, 
and  sand,  to  be  mixed  to  form  an  open  fluffy  mass.  For  small  plants 
pots  must  be  used  ;  but  they  should  be  more  than  half  filled  with 
drainage,  to  be  covered  with  a  layer  of  moss,  and  the  plant  be  potted 
high  above  the  rim,  after  the  manner  of  Orchids.  For  large  plants 
pans  are  preferable  to  pots.  About  four  to  six  weeks  after  potting, 
when  the  roots  are  showing  through  the  surface,  cover  with  green  flake 
mots,  into  which  they  will  penetrate  freely.  The  plants  should  have  a 
high  temperature  at  starting,  and  be  frequently  syringed  in  preference 
to  watering. 
Anthuriums  generally  grow  slowly  at  first,  but  when  once  established 
they  are  rapid  in  their  movements,  especially  when  assisted  with  liquid 
manure.  That  made  from  horse  droppings  has  been  found  to  assist  the 
plants  materially  ;  cow  or  other  cooling  manures  are,  no  doubt,  equally 
useful,  but  guano  is  not  recommended.  An  average  temperature  of  65° 
is  suitable,  but  they  are  capable  of  enduring  a  much  lower  temperature, 
and  will  also  flourish  in  a  higher  one.  They  have  been  seen  luxuriating 
at  80°  to  90°,  and  looking  quite  happy  in  50°  to  60°,  and  have  further 
been  known  to  be  wintered  in  a  house  that  was  commonly  down  to  45°. 
There  is,  however,  abundant  evidence  to  suppose  that  this  plant  is  not 
delicate  and  tender,  and  that  it  may  be  grown  in  any  garden  which  has 
convenience  to  ripen  Muscat  of  Alexandria  Grapes.  The  rich  scarlet 
spathes  of  Anthurium  Scherzeriauum  render  a  healthy  specimen  a 
magnificent  object,  and  it  is  a  blaze  of  beauty  over  a  long  period.  In 
young  plants  the  spathes  are  rather  small,  but  they  increase  in  size  as 
the  plants  gain  in  strength.—  J. 
Amaryllises  at  Chelsea. 
With  many  people  perhaps  it  will  be  a  matter  for  speculation  as  to 
when  the  old  name  will  go  to  the  wall  and  the  newer  one  of  Hippeastrum 
be  brought  to  the  fore.  That  the  latter  is  the  more  correct  no  one,, 
it  may  he  assumed,  cares  to  dispute;  but  when  a  very  beautiful  class  of 
plants  has  become  familiar  to  growers  by  one  name,  it  is  no  easy  matter 
to  oust  it  for  a  fresh  one  that  is  even  longer  and  more  unwieldy.  One 
might  say  with  the  Bard  of  Avon,  “  What’s  in  a  name  ?  ”  particularly 
when  reference  is  made  to  such  splendid  plants  as  these.  They  are  not 
plants  that  are  found  in  every  nursery  or  every  garden,  but  in  the 
latter,  at  any  rate,  they  ought  invariably  to  be  grown,  as  they  provide 
such  boldly  handsome  Bowers  as  cannot  be  seen  in  any  other  family. 
No  better  illustration  of  their  effectiveness  could  be  found,  or  need  be 
desired,  than  is  provided  by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  at  the  Royal 
Exotic  Nursery,  Chelsea.  The  Amaryllis  or  Hippeastrum  exhibition 
there  has  become  an  annual  event,  and  one  which  behoves  every 
horticulturist  who  can  find  the  time  and  opportunity  to  see. 
The  large  span-roofed  house  that  affords  them  accommodation  is 
generally  a  magnificent  sight  by  the  middle  of  March,  but  this  jear 
the  plants  were  fully  three  weeks  later  in  attaining  to  perfection.  Day 
after  day  the  buds  remained  in  one  condition,  and  some  of  them 
continued  thus  over  such  a  long  period  that  they  could  never  reach  the 
highest  state  of  excellence.  There  were,  however,  at  the  time  of  my 
visit  hundreds  of  spikes  carrying  flowers  of  splendid  substance,  form, 
and  colour.  Rarely,  indeed,  have  the  plants  presented  a  better 
appearance  than  this  year.  One  observes,  tco,  in  addition  to  the 
greater  range  of  colouration  that  the  skill  of  Mr.  John  Heal  has 
brought  into  the  flowers  that  the  foliage  now  comes  with  the  spikes  to 
some  considerable  extent,  whereas  only  a  few  years  ago  the  leaves  were 
decidedly  later.  This  combination  materially  enhances  the  gener  al 
effect,  as  the  leafage  is  very  handsome  in  itself;  the  green  colour  is 
rich  and  acts  as  a  most  desirable  foil  to  the  gay  flowers. 
As  with  other  florist’s  flowers  hybridisation  at  the  outset  and  sub¬ 
sequently  cross-fertilisation  has  transformed  the  plants  from  a  com. - 
paratively  uninteresting,  because  restricted  in  colour,  family  to  one  of 
the  greatest  value  from  a  decorative  point  of  view.  We  now  see  as  we 
take  an  elevated  position  at  one  end  of  the  structure  peculiar  colours 
and  shades  that  were  unknown  and  possibly  undreamed  of  only  a  few 
short  years  ago.  These  most  desirable  additions  are  the  result  of 
unremitting  care  and  patience  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Heal,  and  there  is 
probably  no  firm  that  can  claim  to  have  done  one  tithe  as  much  as> 
Messrs.  Veitch  &  Sons  in  the  development  of  the  Amaryllis.  Each  year 
brings  something  new,  and  though  the  long  sought  for  yellow  variety 
is  not  yet  an  accomplished  fact,  one  may  see  faint  traces  of  its 
presence  in  at  least  two  varieties  ;  it  is  one  of  those  colours  that  may 
or  may  not  be  secured,  but  one  thing  is  quite  certain,  which  is  that  if 
it  never  comes  it  will  not  be  for  the  want  of  trying. 
Amidst  such  a  plethora  of  excellent  varieties  it  is  no  easy  matter  to 
select  a  dozen  or  so  and  say  that  they  are  the  choicest  of  the  choice. 
One  has  to  take  at  least  four  points  into  consideration  in  appraising  the 
merits  of  an  Amaryllis,  and  these  are — 1,  colour  ;  2,  form  ;  3,  substance, 
and  4,  size.  To  some  persons,  perhaps,  the  last  named  attribute  would 
carry  a  considerable  weight,  but  one  must  always  bear  in  mind  that  a. 
small  flower  may  comprise  the  other  three  essentials,  and  that  the 
chances  are  that  increased  age  and  strength  in  the  bulb  will  bring 
commensurate  increase  in  the  magnitude  of  the  flower.  In  some,  how¬ 
ever,  such  as  Jas.  H.  Veitch,  we  find  the  combination  of  every  excellent 
point,  and  have  a  perfect  flower.  The  colour  towards  the  outer  extre¬ 
mities  ot  the  segments  is  very  intense  velvety  crimson,  deepening  in 
the  throat  to  a  rich  blackish  crimson  without  the  slightest  suspicion  of 
the  green  tint  of  which  traces  are  found  in  many  of  the  flowers.  It  is 
regarded  at  Chelsea  as  one  of  the  finest  dark  varieties  that  has  ever 
been  raised.  It  is  a  noble  flower  in  all  its  parts.  In  striking  contrast 
to  the  last  named  is  Sostrata,  which  is  brilliant  orange-red  in  colour, 
and  while  it  has  not  the  size  of  Jas.  H.  Veitch,  it  is  of  fine  form  and 
stout  texture.  Another  dark  variety  that  commands  attention  is 
Merula,  the  peculiar  shade  of  which  is  most  difficult  of  description. 
In  a  single  word  perhaps  the  best  colour  to  name  it  is  magenta,  but 
it  would  require  an  artist  to  give  a  correct  portrayal  in  words. 
Handsome  as  are  the  dark  Amaryllis,  no  one  could  possibly  fail  to 
admire  the  chastely  beautiful  lighter  flowers.  One  of  these,  named  Iphis, 
is  a  purewhite  save  for  the  flush  of  delicate  green  that  pervadesit.  Zephyr, 
scarlet  rose  with  white  margins,  is  one  of  the  most  charming,  while 
Leo,  white  with  rose  on  the  upper  portion  of  the  flower,  is  likely  to  take 
the  popular  fancy.  Other  light  varieties  of  undoubted  merit  are  Cupid, 
rose  and  white ;  Lycius,  bright  rose  with  a  considerable  amount  of 
white ;  and  Titan,  white  and  crimson.  Though  rather  a  small  flower, 
Zebina,  a  brilliant  orange-scarlet,  is  very  fine,  as  also  is  Nazara,  dark 
crimson,  but  the  flower  of  the  latter  is  of  considerable  size.  Xantho,  a 
deep  velvety  red,  is  superb,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  Laverua, 
which  is  deep  crimson.  As  a  scarlet  Theodata  will  not  be  easily 
surpassed,  as  not  only  is  the  colour  good,  but  also  the  form,  substance, 
and  size.  Of  fine  shape  is  Medores,  which  is  of  a  peculiar  brownish 
red  shade,  and  with  it  this  brief  list  must  be  closed.  Let  those  who 
would  like  to  see  them  remember  that  “  time  flies  fast,”  and  that  the 
day  will  soon  be  here  when  the  Chelsea  Amaryllis  will  have  passed  to 
their  rest  for  another  season. — F.  W.  H. 
