276 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Lily of the Valley—continued. 
similar age and size to those first planted, and, conse- 
quently, do not produce such large flowers. 
Forcing. Either home-grown or imported Berlin crowns 
should be used for early forcing. They should be placed 
rather thickly in pots or boxes, and a little light soil or 
con- nut fibre lightly shaken amongst the roots, but not 
over the tops; they should be covered with moss. Another 
plan is to insert them similarly in propagating frames, 
and pot up as they come into flower. The roots do not 
grow during this period; consequently, it is immaterial 
which method is adopted. Plunge in a bottom heat of 
about Södeg., and, if possible, maintain a surface tempera- 
ture of 10deg. less. This encourages the production of 
leaves and flowers at the same time—conditions not readily 
obtained with the earlier supplies. If pots or boxes are used, 
to keep the crowns in a darkened position. This is 
considered beneficial in assisting to start them into 
growth. When close frames are used, similar conditions 
may be secured by covering the sashes, so as to exclude 
light. It is important that the soil be placed as 
lightly as possible round the roots, in order that the heat 
may pass readily through it. Water, of the same tem- 
perature, should be given often enough to keep the whole 
well moistened. Bottom heat from an inclosed water 
buted, and not of such a drying nature as when the pipes 
are amongst the plunging or draining material. The very 
earliest batch not unfrequently fails; but if the crowns are 
good, and proper attention is given in forcing, each of the 
later ones may generally be relied upon to produce good 
in a few ordinary small crowns along with the larger ones. 
_ Clumps are forced in quantity later in the season; some 
_ where the 
. is impracticable. Lilies of the Valley, severely forced, are 
not of much further use; plants only gradually forwarded 
im spring, if put in the open ground after flowering, will 
ce. again by the second year. 
-Varieties Besides the typical plant so largely grown 
familiar name of Lily of the Valley, there are 
wy es, not, however, possessing any particular 
merit. A larger-growing form is known as major, and a 
rose. Ooloured variety is sometimes termed rubra. The 
variety with double flowers is not worth cultivating. There 
is a very ornamental form with golden-variegated leaves, 
which are. attractive when the markings are well deve- 
loped. e. 
LLYS P 
- LIMATODES. Included under Phaius (which see). 
LIMAX. See Slugs. 
LIMB. The flat expanded part of a pisi 
= LIME. The application of Lime as a manure to 
p ‘certain soils has long been practised, and has been 
attended with excellent results, in rendering them pro- 
ductive, and bringing, by its chemical action, the com- 
Ponent parts into a proper condition for being absorbed 
by the roots of plants. Lime is not naturally found in 
state, but is plentiful in combination with carbonic 
forming what is termed Carbonate of Lime. In 
cess of burning usnally adopted, the earbonie acid 
Ariva off, and the substance left (Quicklime) has a 
: affinity for water, either for absorbing it rapidly 
when placed in contact, or more slowly from the atmo- 
sphere, Quicklime is extremely caustic, and possesses 
the pe of decomposing animal and vegetable sub- 
stances its fertilising value on soils containing a 
vegetable matter, such as recently 
oa „or that where there is a 
. quantity of T Consisting of roots and fibres, that 
-would otherwise — “el in an undecomposed state. 
_ Lindley, 
‘land, rich in humus, 
empty ones of a similar size may be inverted over them, ‘ 
tank, with pipes lying in it, is always more evenly distri- | 
flowers. An excellent plan for obtaining leaves is to put 
of them, if well ripened, may be utilised at any season, 
hasin ultivation Crowns ; it. 
yan a ee e latter substance contributes its own fertilising Vote 
from wells, springs, or other sources. 
Lime—continued. 
in his “Theory of Horticulture,“ states that 
“when this substance (Lime) is mixed with decaying 
matter, it hastens its decomposition, and renders it more ` 
easily assimilable by plants. This is its chief horticul- 
tural value, if regarded as a manure. In old cultivated 
it suddenly increases productive- 
ness in a remarkable degree; increasing the properties 
of dormant animal or vegetable manure. Hence it has 
a most important effect in kitchen gardens. But Limed 
land soon loses its productiveness unless manure is sub- 
sequently applied, and poor soils are soon run out by it. 
To some plants, such as many Conifers, it is injurious; 
to others it appears to be an indispensable article of 
food, such as Potatoes, Sainfoin, Barley, Beetroot, Peas, 
Clover, &.“ Although Lime itself is thus apparently 
a necessary element in the food of many plants, it is more 
especially valuable in soils by rendering other constituents 
soluble, and reducing them to a state in which they may 
be absorbed and assimilated. In applying Lime to any 
land, some caution is necessary, as it possesses the im- 
portant property of expelling or setting free ammonia, 
one of the indispensable constituents of plant-food. 
Where farmyard manure has long been used, a light ap- 
plication of Lime may be of great advantage in hasten- 
ing decomposition; while, on the other hand, soils which 
contain but a small amount of organic or vegetable 
matter, might, by similar dressings, become exhausted. 
Peat and clay soils, or those recently broken up after 
forming grass-land, are acted upon most beneficially by 
Lime, the effect produced depending greatly on the 
amount of organic matter contained in each. It should 
be applied as a top-dressingy or be well incorporated 
near the surface Ta the soil. One of the t nods 
is to form a c ; 
refuse of any cape for spreading over 
and mix a large proportion of Lime 
to the mixture, and, at the same time, exerts its in- 
fluence in many other ways. The application of Lime 
has been recommended, in some cases, to the extent of 
200 bushels to an acre 5 but a quarter or half of this 
quantity will, perhaps, in the majority of instances, be 
sufficient to effect the desired purpose. An experiment 
should be made with a small portion of ground, in the 
first place, and, if the results prove favourable and 
marked, a larger portion might be treated under similar 
or altered conditions, according to the a t of success 
attained. The presence of Lime in the soil is very 
hurtful to Rhododendrons, and many other hard-wooded | 
plants of a like nature, grown in the open air. It is 
also most destructive to hard-wooded Cape and Australian 
plants, cultivated in sandy-peat soil, under glass. Lime 
being, to a certain extent, soluble in water, the use of z 
that which contains any large proportion should, if 
possible, be avoided in the cultivation of all the plants 
just referred to. Rain-water contains much less than 
any other; consequently, it should be preserved and 
utilised to the fullest extent in preference to that obtained 
LIME, CHLORIDE OF. See Chloride of Lime. — 
LIME, SWEET. See Citrus Tämetta. 
LIME-TREE. See Tilia. Posed © 
e WEST INDIAN. See Citrus medica 
3 A tribe of Geraniacow. „ 
LIMNANTHEMUM (from limne, a marsh or pool, 
and anthemon, a blossom ; referring to the natural habitat 
of the species). Floating Heart. SyNs. Schweycke 
Waldschmidia. Orp. Gentianee. About two dozen spe- 
cies have been referred to this genus; these may pro- 
bably be reduced to about ten. They are ornamental 
aquatic wae, closely allied to Villarsia, widely ve 
4 
