The ya^pan Lilies. 265 



THE JAPAN LILIES. 



By Francis Parkman, Jamaica Plain, Mass. 



So the varieties of L ilium land folium are popularly called, though 

 there are many other lilies equally entitled to the name, inasmuch as 

 they also are natives of Japan. 



Liliiim lancifolium with its varieties is worthy to stand at the head 

 of the whole race of lilies, for it surpasses them all in beauty, without 

 even excepting the new and superb Gold Banded Lily. A few years 

 ago there were doubts of its hardiness ; but, in truth, it stands our 

 winters better than our own native lilies, and is much less exacting in 

 its choice of soil. 



Now, as to its varieties : first we have tlie pure white, then the 

 faintly spotted variety, L. lancifolium pnnciatufu, then the so-called 

 rose colored, then the red, and finally the deeper red or crimson. 



The white variety, L. lancifoliutn album^ is without spot or stain. 

 It blooms a week later than the rest, has an excellent constitution, and 

 is very hard to kill. This is not the case with L. lancifolium puncta- 

 tum^ which seems capable of withstanding severe cold, but, on the other 

 hand, is more liable than any other member of the family to become 

 diseased. It resents frequent removal, and should be allowed to re- 

 main undisturbed until the bulbs become too crowded. 



L. lancifolijim roseum is too often but a mere name, being undis- 

 tinguishable from the red variety, from which, at the best, it difters 

 only in a lighter shade of the same color. One of the principal Dutch 

 bulb growers lately advertised L. lancifolium roseznn, " true" selling 

 those with this recommendation at four times the price of those which 

 he did not profess to guarantee. Curious to see in what the " truth " 

 consisted, I ordered some of them, but they proved no whit different 

 from scores which were growing beside them. They were the common 

 L ilium roseum^ and nothing more. A great many, however, are sold 

 under this name, which are entirely undistinguishable from the red 

 variety, Lilium rubrum. This last is a superb flower, and is des- 



