The Florida agriculturist., 1907-12-04
A Good Word for Nehrling's
AmarylliS.
An1aryll1S.

Amaryll1S.
1he following report OF some ex-
perlments, was published under the
head OF Notes From The Rural
Grounds, in the Rural New Yorker:
Few OF Luther Burbank's produc-
tons have been so highly lauded as his
hybrid ana CrOss-bred Hlppeastrums
or show AnarylI1s, as this species is
universally termed by gardeners. Pages
OF eloquent description are devoted to
his AmarylnS in E1arWOOdS IN eW
Creations III Plant Lie, and dealers
descriptions generally exhaust the vO-
CaDulary OF praise. lie is created with
having "Created" gorgeous improve
mentS on this already splendid horst S
mower, OF size, V1gOr and beauty quite
beyond imagination. The bulbs have
Deen III commerce for several years
at prices ranging from SO to $I25 each.
On reports or actual trials coming TO
our nOuCe, we purchased, through re-
liable trace sources IN the spring OF
1900, several bulbs, and at the same
time an equal number of new hybrid
strain raised by II. Nehrl1ng, Gotha,
FIOrlUa, learned but modest bOtaniSt
...lO mas grown and bred H1ppeastrums
Tor the last 80 years. Mr.. NehrI1ng
makes no secret of the parentage OF
his varieties, freely stating that he used
the best European and American hy-
br1ds, crossing them with the most
vigorous species Obta1naDle, especially
the rare Wh1te-hOWered and sweet
scented H. solandr1tiorum from Cen
tral America. The two lots of bulbs
were potted up just alike IN similar
compost, one each in fve-inch pots,
and given identical treatment The
Burbank bulbs, though large and
sound, made slow start, producing
no blooms the first season. The Nehr-
ling bulbs all floWered soon after be-
ginning growth, each sending up tall
scape bearing four large blooms, seven
to eight inches across. The color1ng
was white, flushed and striped with
pink and crimson. There was faint
but perceptible fragrance, the plants
showing in this characteristic as well
as in the foliage and length Of spike
or scape, the influence Of Solandrlho-
rum. The present year, 1907, these
bulbs, though still confined to tlve-1nch
pots, sent up two sCapes each, bearing
eight blooms even larger and finer
than last year. The Burbank bulbs
also blOOmed this season, producing
one scape Of four flowers each, almost
precisel y similar to those of the Nehrl-
ing hybrids, except that they we're
somewhat smaller and borne on longer
stems. Evidently the parentage is
stout the same, Solandrihorum having
been used as one parent and show
hybrlds probably containing blood Of
the light-colored Hippeastrum vittatum
the other. The main difference is in
the bombast and mystery cast about
the origin of the California strain and
the higher price demanded for the
bulbs, which in this instance were
inferior in vitality and bloom produc-
ton. The climates of both California
and Florida are admirably adapted for
the outdoor culture of the Amary1lis,
which can be brought to maturity from
seeds or divisions in much less time
and at a mere fraction Of the expense
that is needed to grow them under
glass in colder latitudes. Great i'm
provements from the gardeners stand
point may be expected from the efforts
OF breeders thus fortunately situated,
but the best results may not always
come from the loudest shouters. The
Burbank and Nehrling hybrids, judged
by this trial, are nearly equal in value
and interest, and are distinct acquisi-
tionS to this beautiful group of flower
rO1o 14c i IL: Il