13G THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDENT GUIDE. 



GUERNSEY AND SCAEEOEOUGH LILIES. 



For pot culture it is best to buy bulbs of these directly they are 

 imported iu September, aud pot them at once. Any light stuff will 

 do for them, as the flower-spikes are then just pushing up. The first 

 is bright scarlet, and the second a lovely rose-colour. The bella- 

 donna lily, Amaryllis belladonna, is perfectly hardy, and will flower 

 regularly every autumn if planted on a dry, warm border, and left 

 undisturbed. Besides the Guernsey lily, Nerine samiensis, we have 

 other good Nerines, the best of which are, N. coruscans, bright 

 dazzling scarlet ; N. flexuosa, lovely rose ; and JV. Fothergilli (syn., 

 curvijlora) ; but they are all rather expensive, averaging from half-a- 

 crown to five shillings each. _ZV. puniila and N. imdulata have lovely 

 rosy lilac-coloured flowers, and can be had for about sixpence each. 

 Good fibry loam, with the addition of a fourth part of leaf-mould, 

 and a sprinkling of sand, will suit them admirably. These must be 

 kept quite dry after the foliage dies down. 



My favourite amongst greenhouse Amaryllids is the Scarborough 

 lily, or Yallota purpurea. It is seldom we see it well grown. 

 The best specimens I have ever seen were grown by myself. I had 

 half a dozen, and each measured three feet through, and bore annually 

 from twelve to fifteen flower-spikes, with stems as thick as a man's 

 thumb, and eighteen inches in height. Nothing could equal those 

 in the conservatory through September. The miserable little species 

 we see in five-inch pots give us no idea of the beauty and capabi- 

 lities of this plant when fully developed. The way I managed them 

 can be told in a very few words, for nothing appertaining to plant 

 growing could be attended with a greater degree of simplicity. In 

 March the plants begin to start into growth, and if they require a 

 shift, they are repotted. Toung plants are shifted every year, but 

 when they get large once in two years will be quite sufficient. I 

 first of all drain the pots well, and, in potting, ram the soil rather 

 firm. I always use good mellow loam, full of fibre, two parts, and 

 then make up the third part with hotbed manure, rotted to a powder, 

 and leaf-mould. I am convinced that a better compost than this 

 cannot be had. After they are repotted, they are either placed in a 

 cold frame, or in the greenhouse, close to the glass, with plenty of 

 air, and in the middle of May they go out of doors, in a rather 

 shady position, with the pots elevated slightly, to keep the worms 

 out. The north side of a wall is the best position, and under the 

 drip of trees the worst ; better by far stand them out in the blazing 

 sun. Here they get regular attention. If recently potted, clear soft 

 water is sufficient, but after the pots get full of roots, especially 

 during the second year, moderately strong manure-water will be 

 required. The draining from the manure-heap, diluted with an 

 equal quantity of water, is about the proper strength to use. They 

 remain out of doors until the flower-spikes are above the foliage, 

 and then go to the conservatory, to enliven it with their large salver- 

 shaped flowers for the next month or six weeks. The slugs must 

 not be forgotten, for they are fond of the young foliage, and have a 

 great partiality for the flower-spikes just as they are pushing from 



