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THE CANADIAN ITORTTCULTURIST. 



Yet deep planting is sometimes advan- 

 tajreous, for the tubers need a certain 

 degree of protection, and sometimes in 

 light soil the potato inclines to come a 

 little tovV^ards the surface. Perhaps it 

 seeks w^armth and dryness. In one 

 experiment, the addition of six inches of 

 sand to an extremely heavy clay soil, 

 utterly unfit for potato-growing, pro- 

 duced an extraordinarily large and fine 

 yield. 



Essential conditions of success, then? 

 seem to be; LA single eye cut down 

 to the central line; 2. Warmth and dry- 

 ness for the growing tuber, but coolness 

 and moisture for the roots. Proper cut- 

 ting is the great point, everywhere and 

 always. By this means the crop may 

 be increased at least 25 per cent, over 

 ■what it would be if the potatoes . were 

 cut in any other manner whatever; 

 and there is great saving of seed 

 hesides.— ^Country Gentleman. 



THE LILY OF THE VALLEY. 



Convallaria majalis. 



Since fashion has decreed that this 

 long neglected, charming little spring 

 flower, with its snowy, fragrance- 

 spreading bells — "May-bells," as the 

 Germans call them— shall be fashion- 

 able, an enormous impetus has been 

 given to its cultivation. But this 

 perfect emblem of purity and modesty 

 of the floral world did not require the 

 dictates of fashion to be held as a 

 treasure by all true lovers of flowers 

 since time immemorial, although to 

 many a florist it may have brought, 

 according to the language of flowers, a 

 true " re tour du bonheur." 



The Lily of the Valley grows wild 

 throughout Europe, in rich, damp 

 •woods, under the shade of deciduous 

 trees. It succeeds splendidly in culti- 

 vation, if conditions similar to those 

 under which it grows naturally are 



provided, and its roots are not dis- 

 turbed for several years. 



In making new beds a partly-shaded 

 situation should be selected, where the 

 ground is not traversed by the roots of 

 growing trees. Unless the soil is natur- 

 ally rich and deep, it should be dug 

 thoroughly to a depth of at least twelve 

 inches, working in at the same time a 

 good quantity of decomposed manure, 

 and, if very heavy, some sand and leaf 

 mould should be added. If old clumps 

 are at hand, these should be divided 

 before replanting ; the roots sold in 

 seed stores are generally already divided 

 into single crowns or *'pips," which is 

 the technical name for them. These 

 are usually set out in rows, about 

 twelve inches apart and six inches in 

 the rows. The crowns should be about 

 two inches below the surface of the 

 ground. They may be planted in the 

 fall or spring, but most growers are in 

 favor of fall planting, as at this season 

 better plants may be obtained. When 

 the ground freezes, a light coat of de- 

 cayed manure and some mulching 

 material should be scattered over the 

 bed. During the first summer the 

 rows should be hoed and kept free 

 from weeds ; afterward the plants will 

 take possession of the entire ground. 



Forcing Lilies of the Valley forms 

 an important branch of floriculture 

 near our large cities, and this art has 

 reached so high a state of perfection that 

 flower-spikes are now seen in florists' 

 windows throughout the entire year. 

 The roots used for forcing are nearly 

 all imported from Germany, where im- 

 mense quantities are grown at small 

 cost. As soon as the "pips" arrive, 

 which is during the month of Novem- 

 ber, they are placed closely together 

 in shallow boxes, which are kept in 

 cold frames, where they can be pro- 

 tected against severe freezing. After 

 about four weeks those wanted for 

 earliest blooming are removed to a 



