ON LILIES 253 



our Lilies. It is the same species as that offered in 

 many catalogues under the name of Thunbergianum. 

 The botanists, indeed, appear to be unanimous in giving 

 the name elegans priority, and the dealers have as 

 strong a leaning to the longer name. It is a Japanese 

 species, and has scarlet flowers. The height ranges 

 from a foot to two feet. It is not quite hardy, and 

 although it will thrive in the border with auratum 

 treatment, it, or one of its varieties, is often grown 

 in pots. The varieties cost from two shillings to two 

 pounds per dozen, according to their rarity. The 

 following varieties are offered in many catalogues : 

 Alice Wilson, yellow ; alutaceum, orange ; citrinum, pale 

 yellow ; flore pleno, double ; grandiflorum, blood red ; 

 marmoratum aureum, yellow ; and Van Houttei, scarlet, 

 a fine variety. Although these varieties of elegans are 

 low growers they have very large flowers, and are 

 extremely handsome plants. 



The species excelsum, testaceum, and Isabelinum are 

 the same a plant growing four or five feet high, with 

 nankeen-yellow flowers. It succeeds with the auratum 

 treatment. Fortunei bears orange yellow flowers, and 

 grows two feet high ; it is not an important species. 



The tallest member of the whole genus is giganteum, 

 a true son of Anak, often growing twelve feet high, and 

 bearing pure white flowers. This magnificent Lily is a 

 native of the Himalaya, whence it was introduced in 

 1852. It is illustrated in the Botanical Magazine, t. 4673. 

 It is by no means the plant for an exposed place, as it is 

 somewhat tender, and is soon spoiled by a cold wind. 

 It thrives with the auratum treatment in a sheltered 

 place, and also luxuriates in a deep, peaty soil among 

 shrubs. There is nothing more gratifying to the flower- 

 lover than to see Lilium giganteum starting on its career 



