THE FLORIST. 129 



persons to reply as have tried Album and Ilubrum for at least two 

 seasons in the open border ; and then the locality in which they 

 succeeded or failed should be mentioned. I am aware that many 

 flower Rubrum in perfection out of doors, and so do I ; but then the 

 plants were in pots, and were artificially forwarded before they were 

 placed in the open border, and without this assistance I have never 

 found it to do any good. Our damp atmosphere, moreover, too soon 

 disfigures it with black spots, and the flowers are but short lived, 

 which I have also found to be the case with Album. 



While I cannot agree with many, however, in recommending these 

 Lilies as border-flowers, I am of opinion that they deserve the most 

 extensive cultivation as pot-plants. For the conservatory or green- 

 house they are decidedly the most splendid of autumn flowers. 

 Those who intend to procure bulbs of the different varieties should 

 do so when they are dormant, for they then suffer least from the 

 accidents common to travelling. If the bulbs are received in the 

 pots in which they have made their season's growth, shake the soil 

 from their roots, and repot them in fresh material, giving a gentle 

 watering to settle the soil, and place them in a cool frame or green- 

 house, where they may remain without further attention until the 

 beginning of March, by which time they will be shewing signs of 

 activity, and may be moderately supplied with water. I generally 

 find the pots to be well filled with roots towards the latter end of 

 April ; and, when such is the case, I carefully shift them into a pot 

 which I consider to be sufficiently large for their season's growth. 

 This, however, must be regulated according to the age and strength 

 of the bulbs. For offsets of the first year I use 5 -inch pots; for 

 those of two years 9-inch pots ; and for full-grown bulbs, which 

 they will be the third season, 12-inch pots. After they receive their 

 final shift they are returned to their former quarters, allowed abun- 

 dance of air, and are carefully supplied with water, for they very 

 readily suffer from an excess of this element. They will enjoy an 

 evening sprinkling with the syringe after bright clays, but they will 

 thrive without it. As the season advances, they will be improved 

 by a little manure- water. If they are not injured by over- watering, 

 or the want of air, they will not be likel)' to suffer from any other 

 cause ; should the green-fly, however, make its appearance, fumigate 

 at once with tobacco-smoke. As the stems advance, give them the 

 support of a stake. The plants I wish to flower in August I retain 

 in the greenhouse ; such as I want for a later period I remove to a 

 sheltered place out of doors ; and by a little management in this 

 way I secure a succession of bloom for at least two months. After 

 the plants have flowered, I gradually withhold water, in order to 

 thoroughly ripen the bulbs ; and if they can be placed in a vinery 

 from which the crop has been cut, they will profit by the means 

 usually employed to ripen the wood of the vines. A dry, moderately 

 warm atmosphere then proves highly beneficial to them. 



When I am satisfied that the bulbs are thoroughly matured, 

 which is known by the decay of the leaves and flower-stems, I turn 

 them out of their pots, shake the soil from their roots, and replace 



