ESSENTIAL CULTURAL POINTS 45 



the spring frosts; the young shoots are often 

 very susceptible to frost, and injury of this 

 sort is an unsuspected cause of failure. 

 Branches of any evergreen are the safest pro- 

 tection, but even bare boughs will break the 

 force of the frost. 



Some lilies are a bit tricky in one particular ; 

 they may decide to take a rest for a year and 

 then, when you have set them down as "gon- 

 ers," fool you by "bobbing up serenely." 

 Again certain lilies put in an appearance the 

 first spring, but either give unsatisfactory 

 bloom or none at all. Most of the lilies that 

 root only from the base of the bulb establish 

 themselves so slowly that they are rarely at 

 their best for a year, and occasionally they may 

 be two or three years getting about it. Of the 

 Martagon group, L. Hansoni is about the only 

 one that can be relied upon to bloom well the 

 first season. The no-hurry kinds further in- 

 clude L. giganteum, the buds of which should be 

 pinched off the first spring if any do appear, 

 in order that root-growth may be encouraged; 

 L. monadelphum, L. Humboldtii and L. parda- 

 linum. So patience with, as well as understand- 

 ing of, lilies is called for. 



One secret of the success of the madonna and 



