THE CANADIAN HORTI0ULTUEI8T. 



273 



WINTER FLOWERING BULBS. 



BY HERMANN SIMMERS, TORONTO. 



THE EASTER LILY. 



Among the varieties most suited for 

 indoor culture, we may class the Easter 

 Lily (Lilium longiflorum, Harrisii). 

 This variety, on account of its easy 

 culture, has of late years been given a 

 prominent place by all amateurs ; but 

 there may be some readers of the Hor- 

 Hculturist who are not aware of its re- 

 markably easy culture, and who would 

 give it a trial if they only had some 

 thoroughly explicit directions. We will 

 endeavour to give some directions based 

 upon a thorough practical experience in 

 the cultivation of the Easter Lily. 



Take a sufficient quantity of good 

 rich loam to fill an ordinary pint pot 



THE EASTER LILY. 



about three-quarters full, add the re- 

 maining quarter, of ordinary sand, in 

 order to prevent the earth from souring; 



then place the bulb in the centre of the 

 pot, care being taken not to press the 

 earth under the bulb at all, so that the 

 roots of the bulb will have easy growth. 

 Press the earth firmly around the bulb, 

 after which water thoroughly ; then 

 place the pot in a totally dark portion 

 of a moderately warm cellar, tempera- 

 ture not to be lower than 40°, or in a 

 box, which would require to be covered. 

 Watering the pot would be necessary 

 about once a week, or, if the mould is 

 moderately damp, it could be left for 

 about ten days. 



After treating the balb in this form 

 for about eight weeks, itcould bebrought 

 to the light, care being used not to bring 

 it to the light suddenly, or else the stem 

 will be forced too quickly, and not be 

 able to hold the large truss of white 

 flowers which would appear in about 

 five weeks after the above treatment. 



We might add that it is necessary to 

 water it at regular intervals, at the 

 same time that the other plants in the 

 house, or conservatory, are watered ; 

 but not too much at a time, as the 

 bulb is liable to rot with too much 

 watering. 



If, at times, the bulb does not show 

 as quick a growth as is desirable, an 

 application of some prepared plant food 

 may be given it, when the diflference 

 will at once be noted. 



The directions, as given above, may 

 appear somewhat lengthy to the readers 

 of the Horticulturist, but the actual 

 cultivation of the Easter Lily will not 

 be found greater trouble than that of 

 other plants in genei-al. 



Toronto, 8th Nov., 1886. 



