258 The Treatment of Japan Lilies. 



consider to be sufficiently large for their season's growth. 

 This, however, must be regulated according to the age and 

 strength of the bulbs. For offsets of the first year I use 

 5-inch pots ; for those of two years 9-inch pots ; and for full- 

 grown bulbs, which they will be the third season, 12-inch 

 pots. After they receive their final shift they are returned to 

 their former quarters, allowed abundance of air, and are care- 

 fully supplied with water, for they very readily suffer from 

 an excess of this element. They will enjoy an evening 

 sprinkling with the syringe after bright days, but they will 

 thrive without it. As the season advances, they will be 'im- 

 proved by a little manure-water. If they are not injured by 

 osv^er-watering, or the want of air, they will not be likely to 

 suflfer from any other cause ; should the green-fiy, however, 

 make its appearance, fumigate at once with tobacco-smoke. 

 As the stems advance give them the support of a stake. 

 The plants I wish to flower in August I retain in the green- 

 house ; such as I want for a later period I remove to a shel- 

 tered place out of doors ; and by a little management in this 

 way I secure a succession of bloom for at least two months. 

 After the plants have flowered, I gradually withhold water, 

 in order to thoroughly ripen the bulbs ; and if they can be 

 placed in a vinery from which the crop has been cut, they 

 will profit by the means usually employed to ripen the wood 

 of the j/ines. A dry, moderately warm atmosphere then 

 proves highly beneficial to them. 



When I am satisfied that the bulbs are thoroughly matured, 

 Avhich is known by the decay of the leaves and flower-stems, 

 I turn them out of their pots, shake the soil from their roots, 

 and replace them in smaller pots. For full-grown bulbs I 

 use 8-inch pots ; but this I leave to the judgment of the cul- 

 tivator. When potted, treat them as recommended above. 

 I had almost forgotten to state that the bulbs ought to be 

 covered some three or four inches with soil ; this is of im- 

 portance, for they throw out strong roots just above the 

 crown of the bulb, and frequently produce a couple of small 

 bulbs from the same part of the stem. A strong bulb of 

 Rubrum produced with me last autumn somewhere about 



