203 



the translations of the Bible, to eliminate the misinterpretations 

 of the Book which millions of people read with confidence. The 

 Council ought to have its headquarters in Jerusalem and to es- 

 tablish in America, which is both practical and spiritual, a com- 

 mittee which would make preparations for this world council. 

 2nd, To plant in Jerusalem a " Garden of the Prophets and the 

 Sages " with branches in the botanical gardens of the great world 

 centers, to make possible for the " children " of all the world, to 

 all of whom the Prophets have addressed themselves, a better 

 understanding of their ideas and sentiments. 



Ephraim Ha-Reubeni. 



LILIES^ 



A general survey of the true lilies and their near relatives 

 reveals that the lily family contains relatively few plants of im- 

 portance as food and fibre crops. Of these the onions are perhaps 

 most important. The young shoots of asparagus are among the 

 delicacies of the spring season. Bulbs of certain of the true lilies 

 are eaten by man, especially in China. The seeds of a Ritsciis are 

 used as a substitute for coffee. One member of the lily family, 

 New Zealand flax, yields fibre. Several members yield medicinal 

 products; of these, sarsaparilla (from Smilax) may be mentioned. 

 The array of important economic plants in this family is, however, 

 not a noteworthy one. 



Man's chief interest in the lily family is in their use as orna- 

 mentals. The family is noted for beauty of flowers — frequently 

 the flowers are both beautiful and conspicuous. Here are to be 

 found the tulips, the hyacinths, the dog-tooth violets, the Mariposa 

 lilies, the day lilies, and, of course, the true lilies. 



Of the true lilies (the genus Liliiim) as many as 400 different 

 kinds or species have been described. Many of these are, how- 

 ever, rare and unknown in cultivation. Only about 50 kinds are 

 known to flower growers, and of these about 25 kinds are well 

 known. 



The list of hardy lilies that are, with moderate care, easily 

 grown in an ordinary flower garden about New York City is 

 longer than most people suspect. It includes at least 15 species, 



1 Abstract of an illustrated lecture given in the ^fuscum Building of The 

 New York Botanical Garden on the afternoon of Julj' 25, 1925. 



