8 NOTES ON LILIES 



its roots are full of vigour. Therefore, we say, never move a Lily 

 when it is doing well. Never let it be out of the ground longer than 

 necessary. Never let it be dry. All our experience goes to show 

 that Lilies thrive best in pure fresh air, with a moderate share of sun 

 light, and with a moist cool border for their roots. In support of 

 our view that Lilies would be generally grown out-of-doors in the 

 open border to greater advantage than in pots, we will quote a few 

 examples which have come under our observation. 



(A.) Lilium Thunbergianum Bicolor. We saw this grown in five 

 different gardens in one year, a very rainy season. 



1. In small pots, where it bloomed well, but the growth was stunted, 

 and about 6 inches high ; the bulbs, we will venture to add, when 

 taken up would not be so large as when planted. 



2. In our own and three other gardens without liquid manure 

 7th about 12 inches to 18 inches; flowers fine and well coloured; 



mlbs fine when taken up, with numerous small ones. 



3. At Mr. Wilson' s, both in pot and out-of-doors growth very 

 luxuriant, 2 to 3 feet high, fine trusses of flowers, richly tinted. 



(B.) Lilium Concolor.- We had a patch of this charming Lily 

 planted out in the open borders, and others in pots. From the latter 

 we scarcely obtained any flowers, and the bulbs when taken up were 

 fewer in number and smaller than when planted ; out-of-doors the 

 bulbs flowered freely, doubled and trebled their size, and increased in 

 quantity about 500 per cent. 



Our experience with the Thunbergianum or Elcgans group was of a 

 similar nature. 



(C.) Lilium Tigrinwn Fortunei. We have grown this Lily in pots, 

 and the bulbs were smaller when taken up than when planted, and if 

 not watered well in autumn, dried up under hot sunshine and died. 



In all these cases no liquid manure was used by us, and only by 

 experience did we learn that it was necessary to use far larger pots 

 for Lilies than those generally in use. Therefore, we conclude, that 

 to grow Lilies successfully in pets, requires deep large pots, with a 

 broad not a narrow pinched-in base, good stout loam and peat, mixed 

 together with plenty of sharp sand, and a plentiful supply of water at 

 all times,* in this way prize Lilies will be undoubtedly obtained; but 

 ordinary amateurs having little time to give to flowers, will be amply 

 repaid by planting out their bulbs in the open ground in suitable 

 spots, bestowing upon them only the ordinary amount of attention, 

 and leaving them to shift for themselves. 



If our readers will patiently bear with us for a little further, we 

 think they will prefer the latter mode, always excepting Mr. Wilson 

 and those who can follow his example. To our great surprise we 



* Liquid manure in a diluted form may be given once or twice a week when growth 

 is once fairly established, up to the flowering season, it must then be discontinued. See 

 Mr. Smith's and Mr. Sheppard's letters, chap. iv. 



