32 NOTES ON LILIES 



grounds (where before they were cleared and planted T have dug up quan- 

 tities), and even now, where a spot is neglected for two or three years,, 

 plants of it spring up, showing their nodding yellow-spotted flowers, 

 probably from scales, dormant bulbs, or seeds lying in the soil. L. Super- 

 bum, our grand Lily, might well be taken for an improved variety of 

 Canadense, as the only material variation is the size of the flowers, their 

 deeper colour, and its more reflexed petals. The bulbs are not globose, 

 nor perennial. In fact, this Lily is precisely the same as Canadense ; the 

 bulb flowers but once, and emits a runner to take its place. I have been 

 through swamps in which it grew 7 feet high, with from ten to twenty 

 flowers. I have dug up hundreds of its bulbs, and had a bed 80 feet 

 long and 5 feet wide of Superbum and Canadense for nearly ten years. 

 You will nearly always see the old dry stalk standing about 4 inches 

 from the new shoot, and anyone knowing the habits of this Lily, can dig 

 it any time after flowering, before frost, from the old dry flower-stems. 

 They grow most abundantly among thickly matted roots in peaty swamps, 

 where it is almost impossible to dig them, except with a sharp hatchet 

 and very strong spade." C. M. Hovey, Garden, vol. 7, p. 420. 



These descriptions of Lilies in their native haunts, of their climatic 

 and other surroundings, are especially valuable; the more so, as 

 coming not only from skilful and accurate observers, but from 

 horticulturists who have had considerable experience in Lily culture. 

 To them, therefore, we desire here to express our thanks for their 

 communications ; and we trust our readers will not fail to profit by 

 the many valuable suggestions therein contained. 



CHAPTER IV. 



GENERAL REMARKS ON CULTURE. 



We now include several letters and articles on Lily culture from 

 the most distinguished growers, that have appeared at various times 

 in our Horticultural Journals. 



" Lilium Auratum is without doubt the most popular of the Lily tribe, 

 and bids fair to become the most popular of plants, now that its price has 

 placed it within the reach of the humblest. Numerous distinct and 

 beautiful varieties are in cultivation, and a fair field is open to the 

 hybridist, as a most distinct and lovely variety, L. ParJcmanni, a cross 

 between L. Auratum and Speciosum, was exhibited at South Kensington 

 lately. As to the varieties of Auratum, their distinctiveness consists not 

 only in the size, colour, and shape of the flowers, but also in the number 

 of flowers borne on a spike. Some of the varieties have from three to six 

 flowers on a spike, others from thirty to forty. I obtained a number of 

 bulbs of Auratum of nearly equal size, imported from Japan, in February, 

 1867. No notes were made of their growth or flowering in that year, but 

 in the following three seasons the subjoined notes were made. The produce 

 of each bulb was each year repotted in a pot by itself. . 



