124 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ February 18, 1868. 



■well-formed flower of very delicate colours, but rather dull- 

 looking. Habit bad, and a sby bloomer. 



L. spcciosvm conjmhijjonim punctatnm (Laurentius). — This is 

 oneof the monstrous varieties, with the flowers all in a heap, 

 a Btyle which I do not admire, but the freshness and delicacy 

 of colour ill this flower induce me to tolerate the hideous stem. 

 ,'" ii. spaciosum macranthum (Laurentius). — Good, large, dark 

 flower, but dull in colour. 



L, speciosmn covipartum (E. G. Henderson). — Flower small, 

 very dark, but dull-looking. Very dwarf habit. Erect flower- 

 ing. Sby bloomer. 



L. xpecivtitni nibnim Extra (Tan Geert). — Good-shaped me- 

 dium-sized flower; ground flushed with rose, dark spots. 



L. r.peciotiinii album (Van Geert). — Medium-sized flower of 

 good shape; beautiful, pure colour. Fine habit; the bud not 

 liable to twist as in the old album. It is also much earlier 

 than that variety. 



There appears to be great confusion in the trade respecting 

 the varieties of Lilium speciosum, and when you order from 

 any list it is very uncertain what sorts you will obtain. There 

 are so many different strains of Lilium speciosum album, 

 rosenm, rubrum, and some others, that it appears to be quite 

 impossible to keep them distinct. 



AUh'>ugh there are many other species to dilate upon, I 

 most conclude this paper, hoping that some other Lily-grower 

 will give us the benefit of his experience, and let us know what 

 choice varieties he has the happiness to own. I'erhaps some 

 raiser of seedlings will tell us the results of his labours, and 

 describe the beautiful "bairns" he is the father of, and how 

 many years passed before they showed him their lovely 

 faces. — Hespekus. 



SOILS AND SITUATIONS FOR CONIFERS. 



Notwithstanding all that has been written on Conifers, the 

 question is still often asked. What position should this or that 

 Conifer occupy ? Failing to secure correct data to guide us in 

 tiiese matters, except the teaching of Nature, which all of us have 

 not the opportunity of obtaining, perhaps the nearest approach 

 to it would be a statement of the experience and observations 

 oi yonr readers, the particulars of which could be condensed 

 into tables, and, perhaps, the various subjects could be arranged 

 in classes, having regard to situation, soil, <tc. An arrangement 

 of- this sort would do good service — it would prevent much 

 disappoiutment, and be far more valuable in my opinion to 

 future planters than details of the effects of frost without such 

 Jjarticulars, because in many instances it is more than probable 

 that the soil has caused the mischief and not the frost, and 

 that the position is at fault when trees are blown down, and not 

 the wind. I believe it is often the case that the very prepara- 

 tion of the soil for planting some of the best Conifers is only 

 laying the foundation for their death ; not because they refuse 

 to grow in the soil, but because they are forced to an excessive 

 growth. 



The havoc made by frost in the case of Pinus insignis is in 

 many instances attributable to the soil it is planted in ; in 

 short, the soil is too fertile, and, like an overfed child, the tree 

 succumbs to the first attack of cold. 



I have seen pits dug deep and broad, and filled with rich 

 compost for this tree. I question if this practice would answer 

 even where the temperature is never below the freezing point. 

 What is the consequence? Long shoots, which before they are 

 properly hardened start into growth again, and before this 

 growth is completed grim winter is upon them. What chance 

 llSB a tree in such a state to pass through a severe winter ? 



Again, I have seen this tree treated in a way quite opposite 

 — i.e., having no preparation of soil beyond the breakiug-up of 

 the' natural cue, which was stony and poor. The tree made 

 short shoots yearly, but became thoroughly hardened, and 

 seemed to stand cold or wind as well as P. austriaca. Here 

 was an exemplification of consulting Nature, while tho other 

 case was an unwise interference with her laws. If a tree is 

 adapted by Nature to grow on rocks and between rocks, adapted 

 to entwine its roots around stones and bore deep down after 

 moisture, why should it be placed in a moist soil prepared 

 with hi-jli-fceding ingredients? 



The Pjm-.ses, as a class, ought to occupy an elevated position 

 on stony ground, and if it is found necessary that they should 

 be fed, let it be done by mulchings on the surface. The Spruce 

 family, according to my observation, will do best iu lower 

 positions ; indeed, the best pLintatiou of Spruce I ever saw 

 ■was in wet clay with a fall sufficient to carry away the water. 



which ran out of it through the winter. The trees will take a firm 

 hold in deep soil though it be poor, so long as it is damp ; 

 while Larch, for instance, although it seems to penetrate a 

 rock in some situations, will not go through wet clay. I have 

 known the Larch grow to a good size and be at last blown down 

 because it had no hold in the soil, none of its roots being 

 found more than a foot beneath the surface in such situations. 



The Arbor Vitic and Junipers will succeed in low places where 

 the soil is rather damp, better than iu high dry places. I am 

 speaking of the natural soil. There is still some doubt as to 

 where the Taxodium sempervirens should be planted. Much 

 has been said against low damp situations for planting this 

 tree, and that it will not thrive there. Now, my experience and 

 observation are opposed to this assertion ; provided the tree 

 is not overfed with rich matter in the soil, I believe it would 

 even grow in a bog. The first tree I ever saw, which is nearly 

 twenty years since, was planted very near a piece of ornamen- 

 tal water, and it did so well that I have always thought it out 

 of place in any other but low damp situations. Its rusty appear- 

 ance in elevated positions tends to confirm this view. I have 

 seen it since in similar damp positions doing equally well, and I 

 could point out some trees growing so near the water that 

 many of the roots must be under water all the year round. It 

 is in company with the Osmunda regalis, a Fern which dehghts 

 in moisture. That circumstance alone would at once give suffi- 

 cient evidence of the nature of the situation ; but there is more 

 clay here than is commonly found where this Fern abounds. 

 The appearance of the tree just alluded to is everything one 

 can desire, not in the least drawn-up, but short-jointed and 

 dense, with a dark green colour seldom seen iu trees in higher 

 positions. I shall, therefore, put this tree in the class for 

 damp situations. 



The east wind is a great enemy to Taxodium sempervirens. 

 Having several trees under my daily notice in almost all kinds 

 of situations, I find those exposed to that wind are always 

 brown on the east side, and one-sided besides. The east wind 

 seems to singe the young shoots as they appear, and the trees 

 are miserable, irregular subjects destitute of beauty. Others 

 in a moderately dry soil, although they always look brown in 

 spring, do grow a little every year, but are very poor trees 

 compared with those planted in moist situations. One feature 

 I have noticed in trees in high dry situations, not open to east 

 winds, which I have not seen in those in lower places — is 

 that they blossom ; and I have picked a few cones from them, 

 but the seed has not grown. This Taxodium is a beautiful 

 tree when well grown, and the timber, I am told, is also valu- 

 able; it ought, therefore, to be extensively planted. 



I have not had the opportunity of testing the Wellingtonia 

 gigantea in wet places, but the tree being from the same 

 locality and so much resembling the Taxodium in some respects, 

 I have no doubt it will do in moist situations. 



I have found the Cedars do best on high stony ground, while 

 the Cryptomeria japonica will grow in a very wet soil. I have 

 seen some trees so near the water that unless the Cryptomeria 

 was fond of moisture the roots? must have rotted, but this has 

 not been the case, the top of the tree having every appearance 

 of health. Not far from the Taxodium alluded to above as 

 being near the water, there are some Cryptomerias growing in 

 a manner I have never seen in trees planted in high positions. 

 In colour and character the trees are so different from many 

 growing in similar positions, that one might be excused for 

 taking them to be another variety. Some Cypresses are also 

 flourishing in the same soil. A Silver Fir which is, I should 

 imagine, a self-sown one, is growing in an island in the middle- 

 of the water ; although it is no better that many others, yet it 

 is a proof it will stand wet soil. 



I might enlarge these notes by citing instances which tend 

 to prove that many of the Conifers will not only do well in 

 damp places, but there succeed the best ; but my object when 

 commencing writing was to condemn high cultivation, or over- 

 feeding of Conifers, which is often the cause of failure where 

 the trees are iu low places, and not the situation. If this 

 matter be attended to, and care be taken to give room, air, 

 light, and as much sun as possible to the top of the tree, there 

 will be less complaints respecting the failure of Conifers. — 

 H. Mills, Emjn, Penrhyn. 



Cateepillaks on Bedding and Other Softwooded Plants. 

 —My bedding and other softwooded plants having been seri- 

 ously injured by caterpillars, I was induced to feed up several 

 specimens, and found them to be the caterpUlur of a moth 



