THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



653 



manure should be thoroughly decomposed. 

 A sheltered situation should be chosen, 

 and if possible screened from the mid- 

 day sun, and protected from westerly and 

 southerly gales and from heavy driving 

 rains ; for this Lily is very susceptible to 

 injury by cold draughts and cutting winds. 

 No better place can be chosen than a 

 snug nook sheltered from the north and 

 east by shrubs, but at the same time open 

 to the sun. The best examples that have 

 been seen were grown in a Rhododen- 

 dron bed, and planted in a deep, moist, 

 peaty soil, where they have been for years 

 undisturbed. When planted among other 

 things the young and tender uprising 

 shoots are greatly protected in spring. 

 As to propagation, there is scarcely any 

 need to enlarge upon that, as bulbs are 

 imported so plentifully ; and it is only 

 necessary to separate the young bulbs and 

 replant them in good soil. Those who 

 increase this Lily from seed must be pre- 

 pared to exercise a little patience, as the 

 seed is long germinating and the seedlings 

 are several years before flowering. The 

 seed should be sown, as soon as ripe, in a 

 frame. The seedlings should be planted 

 out as soon as the bulbs are of an appre- 

 ciable size. 



L. Browni is a fine Lily in the way of 

 L. japonicum, but with larger flowers. 

 It is readily distinguished from any other 

 kind by the rich brownish-purple mark- 

 ings on the exterior of the blossoms, which 

 in well-grown plants are sometimes 9 in. 

 in length. It is hardy and vigorous, and 

 succeeds without giving much trouble. 

 In a soil and position which suits L. 

 auratum it flourishes, and need only be 

 lifted every few years and replanted in 

 fresh rich soil. It grows from 2 to 4 ft. 

 high, and has deep green foliage distinct 

 from allied kinds. The variety Colchesteri 

 is handsome. Quite recently, some re- 

 markably fine and strong-growing varie- 

 ties of this Lily have been obtained 

 from the district whence L. Henryi came ; 

 named by Mr. Baker Chloraster and 

 Leucanthum. 



L. bulbiferumisone of the handsomest 

 of European Lilies, and is about 2 ft. high. 

 It bears large crimson flowers shading to 

 orange. The variety umbellatum is finer 

 and stronger, and has large umbelled 

 clusters of flowers. This Lily is generally 

 distinguished from its congeners by bulb- 

 lets on the axils of the leaves. It grows 

 freely in ordinary soil, and flowers in 

 early summer. A capital plant for bold 

 groups, and thriving under partial shade 

 or in the open. 



L. canadense (Canadian Lily). This 



beautiful flower is among the oldest of 

 cultivated Lilies. It is 2 to 4 ft. high, and 

 bears, on slender stems, terminal clusters 

 of drooping blossoms usually orange, and 

 copiously spotted with deep brown. It 

 also occurs with red flowers (rubrum) 

 and with yellow flowers (flavum). L. 

 parvum, L. Bolanderi. L. Grayi, and L. 

 maritimum resemble it, and like it re- 

 quire a partially-shaded position and 

 a moist, deep peaty soil enriched by 

 decayed leaf-mould. It flowers late in 

 summer, and is very attractive in bold 

 masses, such as are often seen in nur- 

 series about London. Like its allied 

 forms it makes elegant groups among 

 choice shrubs such as Azaleas and Rho- 

 dodendrons ; and by such an arrange- 

 ment we get a second bloom and a 

 variety of form from beds that had only 

 one blossoming season, and were poor 

 and stiff in outline ; we prevent sense- 

 less digging when the groups are once 

 in place ; and we keep the shrubs from 

 growing into a solid ugly mass, while 

 they shelter our Lilies. 



L. candidum. One of the best-known 

 and loveliest Lilies, seen in almost every 

 cottage garden, and producing snow- 

 white blooms in summer. It dislikes 

 coddling or being meddled with, and 

 thrives best when undisturbed for years 

 in good garden soil. Any attempt to 

 deal with it like the more delicate ones 

 generally results in failure. The best- 

 flowered plants are in old gardens, where 

 the bulbs are allowed to run as they like 

 with no attention whatever. In bold 

 masses, no plants can compare with the 

 common white Lily when in bloom. It 

 is so fair a flower that there is scarcely 

 a place which a good plant or well-grown 

 group of it will not adorn. But the care- 

 ful growth and the proper placing of such 

 lovely hardy plants give the highest 

 charm -to the garden. For years it has 

 been difficult to find even a miserable 

 tuft in many "show" gardens, though 

 they displayed nothing there so good as 

 a tall white Lily in a cottage garden. 

 Moist loam seems to suit it generally, 

 though, like other Lilies, it will grow in 

 a variety of soils. There are two forms 

 in gardens a thin petalled and a broad 

 petalled form, with petals overlapping 

 and dark stem. This is the handsomest 

 and most vigorous. There is also a late 

 tall variety called speciosum, a beautiful 

 one. The varieties peregrinum, striatum, 

 and monstrosum are not so fine, but the 

 striped-leaved variety aureo-marginatis is 

 valuable for its foliage in winter. 



L. chalcedonicum (Scarlet Martagori) 



