128 THE FLORIST. 



the gaudy Tulip all its charms, flakes the Carnation, laces the Picotee, 

 makes the proud Dahlia almost to forget its ancestry — giving to Flora 

 beauties not her own. He, by morphology's aid, raised the wild 

 Dog-rose from its humble birth to wear a diadem, — be beauty's 

 queen ! "What were Roses all without his fostering care ? 



But what is Nature ? Is she not to-day just what she was ten 

 thousand years ago ? and who can tell but all our efforts only help 

 to do what Nature's self has ofttimes done before without our aid ? 

 Therefore, vain man, think not those things are done at thy mere 

 bidding; thou art but the secret agent of a will mightier than thine. 

 Those soft pursuits are given to lead our thoughts from worldly 

 cares to seek a brighter and a better home. 



A. Kendall, Florist. 



Queen Elizabeth's Walk, Stoke Newington. 



JAPAN LILIES. 



The different varieties of Lilium lancifolium are, in my opinion, some 

 of the most beautiful objects that are within the reach of cultivators 

 of moderate means ; and it is a matter of difficulty with me to ac- 

 count for their comparative neglect by many admirers of Flora's less 

 beautiful and more expensive productions, save by supposing that 

 they are but little known in our rural districts. The following re- 

 marks, therefore, may possibly be the means of inducing those who 

 have hitherto neglected these beautiful plants to bestow upon them 

 the attention which they merit. 



The Japan Lilies are recommended by many for out-door culture, 

 and are said to be perfectly hardy. The truth of the latter state- 

 ment I am not inclined to question ; but the results of my experi- 

 ments with Rubrum and Album in the open border have not been 

 much to my mind ; and, from what I have observed elsewhere, I am 

 inclined to think that, except in a few favoured localities, these 

 varieties will never be popular border-flowers in England. I have 

 seen them in the most favourable soil and situation in some of the 

 midland counties, and then they have been shewing flower towards 

 the middle or end of September, a season in which the blooms were 

 no sooner expanded than they were disfigured by the effects of our 

 damp atmosphere at that period. I would fain hope, however, that 

 1 am mistaken, and that those who state that these Lilies are suitable 

 for open-border cultivation are right. The experience of your cor- 

 respondents in this matter would, I am sure, form a useful page in 

 a future Number of The Florist, and I invite attention to the subject. 

 I would, however, take the liberty of stating, that we have already a 

 sufficient number of periodicals open to articles savouring of contro- 

 versy, and that the conductors of The Florist are right in deter- 

 mining that it shall continue the vehicle of well-authenticated facts 

 and mature experience. I would on that account invite only such 



