THE DURATION OF LILY FLOWERS 75 



The Neilgherry Lily (L. neilgherrense) lasts fresh and 

 bright for a fortnight or more, as it does not expand its 

 flowers till October or November. L. speciosum, flower- 

 ing as it does in the open air in late summer and early 

 autumn, lasts a long time, but even an exceptionally hot 

 September day will impair their beauty. Flowers of 

 Lilies when cut will last longer in rooms if the water 

 is changed daily, and a bit of the base of the stem cut 

 off. 



When cutting the flower stems for vases it is best to 

 cut only the upper portion, so as to leave some foliage 

 on the lower uncut part, to enable the bulb to complete 

 its growth. 



