PLANTING IN THE OPEN GEOUND. 15 



in circumference and is wholly formed of the bases of the leaves. 

 This particular bulb was in no way injured by the soil being washed 

 from the roots; it was repotted and formed a stem, which bore two 

 flowers. 



Of the two seedlings in flower (PI. I) the one to the left, marked "A," 

 is L. longiflorum, crossed with L. harrisii; that to the right, marked 

 " B,"' is the reciprocal cross. There is a very marked difference in the 

 size of the flowers, the one to the right being fully 2 inches longer 

 than the other. This difference was observable in nearly all of the 

 individuals of the L. harrisii X L. Ixmgiflorum batch. 



The bulbs shown in Plate V, tig. 2, are the largest which were 

 formed. They belong to the L. harrisii X L. longijlorv/m batch and 

 were harvested on the 15th of August, ten months and fourteen days 

 after the seeds germinated. The bulb to the right measured 6 inches 

 in circumference. Each of the plants bore three average-sized flowers. 

 It will be seen that the bulb formed as in Plate V, fig. 1, has disap- 

 peared, and new bulbs with true scales have formed at the bases of 

 the stems. 



PLANTING IN THE OPEN GROUND. 



Batches of lilies for experimental work in ascertaining localities 

 favorable to the production of bulbs should be planted late or early 

 according to the particular section of the country in which the exper- 

 iment is to be conducted. In the North it ma} T be considered safe to 

 put them in the ground during the latter half of September. Farther 

 south the planting should be delayed so that there may be no danger 

 of the growth showing above ground previous to freezing weather. 



In the North as hard freezing weather approaches the ground in 

 which the bulbs are planted should have a heavy mulch of such a 

 nature as to be easily removed in spring. This mulch will serve 

 several purposes; it will help to keep the soil around the bulb at an 

 equable temperature and prevent rapid thawing and freezing at and 

 near the surface of the soil. Throughout the South, especially in the 

 districts within the frost belt, the mulch need not be heavy, and should 

 consist of half -decayed leaves or very old manure, so that there will 

 exist no necessity for its removal when the growths are making their 

 wa} T through the soil. It should not be applied too soon, as there is 

 then a danger of the soil being kept too warm, thus encouraging the 

 shoots to push above the soil before the advent of cold weather. In all 

 cases a mulch should be spread over the soil during hot, diy weather. 



So far as the requirements of the lilies are understood, correct con- 

 ditions would not be supplied by repeated cultivation between the 

 rows. Those conditions could be secured best by a system of mulching 



