IMPORTANT FLORISTS' PLANTS 155 



It will be readily seen that this trick is a decided advantage, inasmuch 

 as it puts one a year ahead in the production of these bulbs from scales. 

 If planted in the open ground it takes a year to get the scales used up. 

 In the vicinity of Washington, D. G., the bulbs are mature in late June 

 and can then be scaled. By late September the scales are used up and 

 the bulblets start to root and form top growth. They can then be 

 planted one and one-half to two inches deep in the open ground. 



"Stems. There are few crops in which the waste product can be 

 used for propagation as it can in this Lily. As is well known, the foli- 

 age of this Lily commonly dies shortly after the flowers have faded. 

 If the flower stem is cut within, say, a foot of the ground, as is common 

 in marketing the flower, the remainder of the stem can be used in prop- 

 agation. With a twist and sharp pull sidewise, the base of the stem 

 can be easily pulled out of the bulb, with apparently no injury to the 

 latter. These old stem bases can then be layered in sand and in four 

 months will produce six to fifteen bulblets, some of which may flower 

 the second year and many the third. 



"There are various ways of handling these stems. We have had 

 good success with them in the same chamber in which Hyacinths were 

 incubated, i. e., under benches in the greenhouse as described above. 

 We have also had good propagation in a month or six weeks' longer 

 time when the stem bases were layered in sand, where the conditions 

 were not altogether dry but still not moist enough for plant growth. 



"The method of propagation from the stems is to be recommended 

 as quick, efficient and inexpensive. Its application, furthermore, is 

 not confined to this Lily. It has a very wide application in the genus, 

 as has also the scales method. 



"In the Puget Sound region it is the universal custom to jerk the 

 stems out of the bulbs and clean up the beds as soon as the flowers have 

 faded. There is apparently no evil effect from the practice. Whether 

 it would be safe where July and August are wet months is not known. 



"Bulb. There is a propagation occurring naturally by the splitting 

 up of the old bulb, but in this species it is a rather slow method of in- 

 crease, for the bulbs get very large before they split, provided condi- 

 tions are suitable for the best development of the species." 



GROSSING LILIES 



Prof. E. A. White, in The Florists' Exchange of July 12, 1919, writes 

 that in the course of work carried on by G. L. Ghien few Lilies set seed 

 well after self-fertilization. In 38 crosses made at Cornell University, 

 seedlings were obtained from crosses between 10 species. 



The actual crossing process is described by Professor White as 

 follows: 



"As the buds began to develop in March one of the strongest was 

 selected for blooming and the others removed. This was to give vigor 

 to the parent flowers. After the flowers were well opened and the 

 stigmas had become receptive they were cross-pollinated. Pollina- 

 tion in Lilies is comparatively easy for the essential organs, L e., stamens 

 and pistils, are large and the pollen is abundant. 



"It was found necessary to hand-pollinate the pistils in order to 

 insure the best development of seeds. Nature seems to endeavor to 

 prevent self-fertilization in Lilies, for in most species the pistil is much 

 longer than the stamens and the pollen is too heavy to be blown to the 



