Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-16


gardens of our grandmotherss but little
heard of recently. The exnlDltioii, Whicn
was one of the attractions OF the Nalionai
Capital during inaugural week ana LOT
some time after. included thousands y.
nIants whose gorgeous blossoms mad a
tropical luxuriance and served to demon
strate the remarkable changes Whlcn the
hybrid florists have been able 10 accom-
plish by cross fertilization Inc process
IF cross fertilization is as simple as II is
effective No doubt the idea or II, as
demonstrated to the many visitors VINO
attended the exhibition. will nave VIDE
spread development throughout the couh-
try during the coming season Inc
amaryIlis blossom lends itself readily 10
the process because of it's size and SIM
pIicity.
x
The florist desiring to make a cross
breed between two plants will select two
as nearly perfect
Eor;ef'e Method in size and color
ing as he can Sc
of Mixing Colors. cure. usually rep
resenting two distinct colorings. For m
stance, he Will take red-hoWereu anu
white-fiowered amaryllis. When the iio"
er first opens, he will remove the poiIeh-
bearing anthers of EACH Then' Win
soft camel's hair brush. he will apply
flower to the stigma of a red blossom allS
the pollen from red blossom 10 "hite
one. The applied pollen will pass through
the STYLES of the flower down into the
oyary. where it reaches the seeds. which
o,readv are formed 1t nourishes them
quite as well as the pollen from the
anther of the flower to which they De-
long When the flower fades, these SEEDS
ripen and are carefully gatheIeu anu
lie of
are seen in the wonderful striped ana
yariegated flowers which grow upon the
plants produced from the seeds winch are
taken from plants producing flowers OF
single color.
The history of the amaryllis goes back
10 the earliest times, when voyagers to
unknown countries brought back to the
centers of civilization rare tropical plants
which the botanists of the period delight
ed to add to their herbariums, while the
EXPERT gardeners endeavored to ADAPT
them to their own localities. The
amaryllidaceae family is a large one, in
Guiding more than five hundred species,
of which the hippeastrums are best
known. This species includes about fifty
varieties, most of which are included un-
der the common name amaryllis, although
the amaryllis demonstrated now by the
Department of Agriculture really comes
from the iily .Johnsoni, also known as the
Bella Donna lify... 1t first was produced
by poor watchmakos. named Johnson.
love for plants. and by dint of great sac
rifice secured few plants of the amaril-
lidaceas family for experiments. h@.iA-
veloped variety which finally was TAG.
SO he did not lose his recognition. as did
the less fortunate developer of the
american beauty rose.
+
The amaryIlis as exhibited to the thou
sands of visitors to the government
Amaryllis Repays at wash
for Time and Trouble. m ,ns'0n .wa
lasting value as a garden plant, because
II blooms but once in a season: however.
that bloom lasts SO long under proper
conditions and Is SO magnificent in APP
pearance. it repays no small expenditure
of time and trouble. After the Towering
the bulbs should be preserved, unless 1t
is desired to produce the next plants di-
rectly from the seed. The flowers some
times measure eight or nine inches across
and grow in great cliistArs above rich
background of long. bright green leaves
Most OF the varieties are considerech
scentiess, although delicate perfume is
noticeable from some of Them ESPECIALLY
JUST after they open. While the different
species are to be found in many tropical
countries, the plant used by Johnson.
which formed the beginning of the va
riety now being exploited by the Depart
ment or Agriculture, is said to have been
native to Brazil.
Recently the Efforts of the department
have been turned toward the develop
nFent and production of some more pro-
iifc ana hardy species of Easter lilies
which will lend themselves readily to the
he q M fotr~ I, IA a<v-f
For this purpose several hundred fifls.
plants, raised in the government green
houses near Washington. have been dis
tributed among the different experiment
stations or the country, especially those
in California. They will be utilized for
experimental efforts of reproduction and
II Is hoped that the results of these ex-
periments. IL successful. will be made of
practical value to the country within the
next three years In the meantime the
commercial florists must still be given
the corner upon the production of Eas-
Ter lilies once supposed to be imported
from bermuda, although now raised each
year TO an increasing degree in this
country.
Hx
The interest in rose culture is appealing
to school children in number of cities
Even h e
Rose culture principles of
Appeals to Children. ,nm p p :
fragrant beauties are being studied by the
ahildren of number of agricultural
high schools and the production of two
new roses Is claimed by school in a
western town. well known periodical
published for boys has been stimulating
the interest in rose culture by Offering
prizes for the best results. boy of fiji
teen recently won a prize for an article
giving thorough description of the
manner in which he raised roses from
cuttings. He set cuttings of fine hot
house roses. obtained from bouquets sent
TO his sister, in wet sand in the cellar
where the proximity of the furnace gave
him the required temperature. He kept
them properly moistened until the roots
formed, then set them in separate pots
in which they blossomed within eighteen
months.
While new flowers occasionally seem
10 predominant In popular favor, the per
inanent value Of the rose remains unaf-
fected and rose culture is recognized al
ways as a most important branch of
Horticulture. Each year new roses are
developed, some OF which never are heard
OF excepting among the rose growers
themselves, while others become well
known to the general public
At present the latest rose news of the