402 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



There can be no question about the hardihood of the Lily, as Lieut. 

 Woodroffe informed me the winters in Japan are nearly as cold as in 

 England, and that they have plenty of skating there. The Lanci- 

 foliums received with the auratums are not yet in flower. They are 

 potted one bulb in a 24-sized pot, and are now 4 or 5 feet high, 

 and have from five to ten blooms on each ; but none are yet expanded, 

 probably because of being potted late. There are in the collection some 

 orange-yellow varieties, in the way of L. aurantiacum, and L. Thun- 

 bergianum. Should anything good flower amongst them, a description 

 of them must be given on a future occasion, as from what I have seen 

 of those that have flowered, I consider them more curious than pretty. 



I fear the culture of the Japan Lily is not properly understood, as 

 a gentleman in this neighbourhood received a collection from his 

 brother in Japan, but did not succeed in flowering them, in conse- 

 quence of not growing them in their proper soil ; and others I have 

 known that have bought bulbs of L. auratum, and not succeeded well 

 with them. One in particular was astonished when I told him they 

 would not grow in common garden soil. When I examined the soil 

 his bulbs were potted in, I found it did not contain a particle of peat 

 or silver sand. 



There is something so beautiful in the Lily tribe — whether it is the 

 modest Lily of the Valley or the common L. candidum of the gardens, 

 with their pure white flowers, or the numerous varieties received from 

 Japan — as to deserve a more extended culture. 



Who can survey a beautiful Lily without the mind at once reverting 

 to that passage in Scripture — " Consider the Lilies of the field, how 

 they grow ; they toil not, neither do they spin ; and yet I say unto you, 

 That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." 

 And their beautiful flowers, exquisite colouring, and rich markings, 

 and in some instances their delicious perfume, deserve that some such 

 immortal saying as this should be the fitting record of their splendid 

 qualities. 



William Plestee. 



Elsenham Hall Gardens. 



NOTES ON HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



violace^e. 



If this natural order presented nothing except the Sweet Violet for 

 our admiration, it would have a very strong claim on the consideration 

 of all lovers of sweet and beautiful flowers. But there are many 



