THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



787 



for an automobile drive which, following the shore and 

 gomg inland, will connect the different features and lead 

 back to the remodeled mansion, the main entrance of 

 which is reached on the west side, over a spacious terrace, 

 adorned with Italian vases; to the south extends a rose 

 garden, with fountain and sun dial. Shady walks and 

 drives run from here to different directions. The ar- 

 rangement of their course is most pleasing in their inter- 

 esting change of scenery, now leading under old live oaks 

 covered with Spanish moss, then winding through the 

 subtropical growth of saw palmettoes and underbrush, 

 traversing nicely kept orange groves, the trees laden 

 with golden fruit and finally reaching the various points 

 of view. There is another rose garden, a formal garden, 

 a lily pond and an Italian garden. The latter is situated 

 on the highest part of the estate and a charming view 

 o'er the bay and the Ke}-s is to be had from the adjoining 

 pergola, the columns of which are clothed with bignonia 

 venusta and Solanuin Wcndlandii, which do exceedingly 

 well here. 



It would take considerable space to count up the differ- 

 ent plants, shrubs and trees that helped build up the es-. 

 tate and in which Florida and Californian nurseries shared 

 likewise. 1 will therefore in an article to follow review 

 the plants that are especially adapted to the conditions in 

 Southern Florida. 



LILIUM LONGIFLORUM AND ITS 

 VARIETIES. 



If there ever existed a doubt as to the universal popu- 

 larity of this lily over all others, the ever-increasing num- 

 ber of its bulbs which annually reach this and other coun- 

 tries should go a long way to dispel it, writes E. H. Jen- 

 kins in Gardening Illustrated. That such popularity is 

 well merited there is no room for doubt, and it is safe to 

 assume that it will long occupy its present unique posi- 

 tion. Nothing, indeed, short of a disease that would ren- 

 der the plant ungrowable or unprofitable would be likeh' 

 to remove it from its exalted place, and. happily, so far it 

 annears to be immune from such attacks. To some ex- 

 tent such immunity may be due to a natural sturdiness of 

 habit and to the somewdiat firm texture of leaf and stem. 

 Whatever the cause, we have reason to rejoice at the 

 fact, seeing that no lily lends itself so admirably to so 

 wide a sphere of usefulness. In these respects it is alone 

 — unique. As a pot plant for the conservatory or sitting 

 room it knows no peer, nor can it be said that it fragrance 

 is of so overwhelming a nature as to unfit it for use in 

 either. Then from the pot plant point of view it possesses 

 the merit of dwarfness, and this with glossy leaves and 

 flower-crowned stems appeals to all. In its purity it is 

 only equalled or surpassed by one, and that the pure white 

 ?iIadonna kind, though the twain are so distinct from each 

 other even in this respect that any comparison of their 

 merits would be uneciual and unfair. Hence, for amen- 

 ability to pot cultivation and general utility, these long- 

 flowered trumpet lilies are unique. They were so in 

 former times when so much depended on early-matured 

 bulbs — the product of a growth in a warmer clime than 

 our own — and the commercial gardeners' skill in forc- 

 ing them into flower. Today they are doubly so, because 

 of the way they lend themselves to the modern method 

 of retarding, from out of which, after weeks or months 

 of suspended activity they emerge practically unimpaired 

 in leaf or blossom or number of flowers. This in itself 

 is a great gain, yet not half so great as the knowledge 

 that the crop is more distinctly under control than it was 

 before. Then there is the added value of these retarded 

 lilies as winter flowers with but a tithe of the artificial 

 heat re(iuired at one time to get them into bloom for 



Easter — the dual saving in fuel and time being of con- 

 siderable import to the gardener. By the same method 

 also a great succession is maintained, and in conjunc- 

 tion with frame and cool greenhouse treatment of the 

 non-retarded bulbs a whole year's supply is assured — a 

 matter of importance when it concerns so indispensable a 

 subject as this. Hence, from every point of view, so 

 far as the gardener who gardens in glasshouse or frame 

 is concerned, these trumpet lilies would appear now to 

 meet every requirement. Not so the hardy-plant gar- 

 dener, for he at least could desire that these long-flowered 

 lilies were equally amenable to cultivation in the garden as 

 in pots. True, the bulbs may be started in pots and 

 planted out in April or May, or even later, and a flower- 

 ing ensured from July to September following with but 

 little trouble, iiul that is not enough. What is lacking 

 in the plant is that degree of hardiness that would ren- 

 der it of permanent value in the garden. Unfortunately, 

 instances of its continued success as an open-air plant 

 are quite rare, the bulbs usually flowering well in the 

 year of planting and then gradually dwindling away. An 

 examination of the bulbs reveals the fact that usually the 

 bulbs have broken up, and, though small and healthy, 

 one is driven to the conclusion that an absence of soil- 

 warmth precludes the possibility of recuperation. More- 

 over, the plant, though of some sturdiness of habit, is not 

 innately vigorous. 



CULTURE. 



In common parlance, Lilium longiflorum may be said 

 to succeed in sun or shade, with possibly a preference for 

 the former. In any case warm, well-drained soils are 

 much to its liking, and in such a v.-arm and sheltered 

 situation they are most likely to succeed. A probably 

 opposing condition to success is the inclination in some 

 varieties — e. g., eximium — to perjjetual growth, a char- 

 acteristic which, however desirable in warmer climes, is 

 not calculated to be followed by success in our own. To 

 some extent this may be modified by lifting and drying 

 soon after flowering is over, and when subsequently re- 

 planted of keeping the stations dry till March ensuing. 

 Such dryness is not that of the shop store, and is in no 

 sense harmful to the bulbs. Moreover, the old idea of 

 drying off being injurious or fatal to the lily has long 

 since broken down, though it may be carried to excess. 

 F>y these means those who garden in warm and favored 

 districts may still look for some measure of success. In 

 free growth these lilies delight in liberal supplies of root 

 moisture. Under pot cultivation the greatest enemv of 

 the plant is green-fly : and these, secreting themselves 

 among the covering leaves and buds at the summit of the 

 stem, are difficult to eradicate if once a footing is ob- 

 tained. The better way, therefore, is to fumigate from 

 the preventive standooint. A good, rich, sandy loam 

 with leaf-soil suits quite well, and, in addition to much 

 root moisture, the free use of the syringe should be in- 

 dulged in at all times, save from November to February 

 inclusive. During this period the requisite watering and 

 damping down of the paths will suffice. As the unsullied 

 purity of the flower is of considerable importance to the 

 gardener, the removal of the anthers while these are 

 \()ung and hard should receive attention, desjiite the fact 

 that it is a species of mutilation not tolerated in some 

 quarters — When cut it should be remembered that the 

 well-developed buds expand perfectly in water, hence, 

 without loss of material, the association of bud and blos- 

 som in any bold arrangement is both natural and artistic. 

 The following are the best varieties : 



I.. FoxGIFLORU^r. — The typical species is characterized 

 by great dwarfness and sturdiness. the unforced plant be- 

 ing usually about 2 feet high. The bulb, too. is distinct 

 both in its somewhat contracted base and flatfish top 



