MAY. 95 



CULTURE OF THE JAPAN LILY. 



Although all the varieties of this magnificent Lily are easily culti- 

 vated, they are very seldom managed so well as they might be with 

 a very little extra trouble. I have successfully adopted the following 

 mode of culture for some years. 



About the latter end of December I get my mould prepared for 

 potting. It consists of equal parts turfy loam and fibry peat, with 

 about one-eighth of silver-sand, using the whole without sifting. For 

 large specimen-plants I employ 15 -inch pots, filling them with the 

 above compost to within four or five inches of the top, according to 

 the depth of the bulbs. In pots of the dimensions just stated, I place 

 five bulbs of nearly equal size in the following manner : one in the 

 centre of the pot in an upright position, the other four at regular dis- 

 tances round it, placing the latter a little on their sides, so that when 

 they begin to grow, the stems of the four outside bulbs come up over 

 the rim of the pot. 1 insert the bulbs so that the crowns may be 

 about half an inch above the rim of the pot, filling-in the mould be- 

 tween them, and giving a slight watering. Station the pots under 

 the stage of the greenhouse or in any cool place, taking care that 

 their occupants do not get too damp or too dry until they begin to 

 grow, when they must be removed to as light and airy a situation 

 as possible. I set mine in the front of a late vinery where the vines 

 have not yet started. When the shoots are about five or six inches 

 long, I tie a piece of bast round the pot under the rim, to which I 

 fasten the outside shoots, taking care not to break any of them ; and 

 by moving the bast as the shoots grow, they are kept growing out- 

 wards, which gives more room for those in the centre of the pot. 



When the shoots are about seven or eight inches long, I get some 

 pieces of turfy peat and cut them about four inches square, a little 

 w^edge-shaped, to make them fit round the pot better. I place these 

 all round the rim of the pot, letting the side-shoots come out between 

 the pieces of turf. I then put a little silver-sand and charcoal-dust 

 round each stem, about an inch and a half up it, filling the space be- 

 tween the stems and the pieces of turf with rich mould prepared as 

 above, with about one-half good rotten manure in it. They soon 

 throw out a mass of roots all round the stem into the mould above 

 the rim of the pot. Your plants will then have all the mould in the 

 pot to grown in. I am more particular in mentioning this, as a writer 

 has recommended 12-inch pots, and the bulbs to be placed four inches 

 deep from the crown, which with four inches for the depth of the 

 bulbs themselves, the roots could only have four inches of mould to 

 grow in. 



As soon as the weather will permit (say about the middle of 

 April), they must be removed out of doors, somewhere behind a low 

 wall, where they can be protected with a mat, in case of a frosty 

 night. I place mine on planks behind a pit until the end of May, 

 when I set them in a shady situation where they can get sufficient 

 air and plenty of room, keeping them well watered, particularly when 

 the flower-buds are being formed. You must also examine them now 



