132 THE FLORIST AND P0M0L0GIST. [June, 



administered. This treatment will secure strong and healthy bulbs. When 

 throwing up its strong flower-stem in spring, this lily, from its stately habit, 

 is a remarkable feature in the garden, contrasting strongly with everything 

 around it. 



The general structure of L. auratum, with its heavy head of flowers and 

 leggy stem, would seem at a first glance to render it unsuitable for out-door 

 planting ; and as, like the Gladioli, the season is far advanced before its flowers 

 open, and even then they are not of long duration, it would be set down as ill 

 adapted for planting by itself. The plan which I take to obviate these defects 

 with the Gladiolus is to plant wide, and to grow between the rows mixed 

 varieties of double-branching larkspurs, kept pegged down. When sown in a 

 little heat, and nursed on to form strong plants, they flower on throughout the sea- 

 son, and assist wonderfully in giving a character to the group. I purpose adopting 

 a similar plan with L. auratum, but instead of using larkspurs, I shall plant it 

 in a mixed bed of sub-tropical plants, and I believe its massive head of flowers 

 will contrast to good effect with the surrounding foliage. The first important- 

 point is to select the warmest and most sheltered situation to be found. The 

 beds should be trenched deeply, and in the operation thoroughly decomposed 

 manure should be well incorporated with the soil, or should the latter be a 

 strong heavy loam, a liberal portion of sand and leaf-mould may be added with 

 advantage. A bed composed of the following plants, arranged according to 

 taste, surrounded by an edging of a single row of Centaurea ragusina and pine- 

 apple beet planted alternately, will have a fine effect : — Canna of sorts, Ricinus 

 of sorts, Humea elegans, Arundo Donax variegata, Tritoma Uvaria, Lilium 

 auratum, Gladiolus of sorts, and variegated maize. The plants will require to 

 be well established, and carefully hardened off before they are turned out. The 

 list might be greatly extended, but I have confined my remarks to those plants 

 which I have found to succeed well here. 



Gordon Castle. J. Webster. 



WASHINGTON PEAR. 



'HIS is a small early Pear, of more than average merit as regards flavour, 

 hardiness of constitution, fruitfulness, and general usefulness. For flavour, 

 and the texture of its flesh, it is altogether first-class. In appearance, 

 however, it is much wanting, the fruit in general being small and rather 

 scrubby-looking, the outline here given being that of a full-sized fruit, while many 

 of them are considerably smaller. It may be thus described : — Fruits below 

 medium size, obovate, regular in outline, the surface even. Skin smooth, of a pale 

 green colour, slightly speckled with russet, like the Uoyenne Blanc, but as the fruits 

 ripen after being gathered, the colour in most cases changes to a uniform pale 

 yellow. Stalk about half an inch long, moderately stout. Eye rather small, 

 with the segments erect, open. Flesh white, perfectly melting, very juicy, the 



