BULBOUS FLOWERS 91 



should have four inches of soil above the bulb, which is best surrounded 

 by sand. Of those named in the foregoing list L. giganteum requires a 

 deep bed rich in decayed vegetable matter ; the others will generally 

 succeed in good, porous garden soil. Lilies should be grown in a 

 sheltered spot, and partial shade is beneficial. In peat the Swamp 

 Lilies, L. canadense, pardalinum, and superbum can be grown. They 

 are exceedingly graceful and brightly coloured. Other handsome Lilies 

 are L. auratum, speciosum, and longiflorum, but, as these have a habit of 

 dying out after the first year or so in many gardens, an annual purchase 

 is often requisite to maintain a display. They should, however, be tried 

 as they sometimes become established. There are many other beautiful 

 Lilies besides the twenty here enumerated, but they are less suited to 

 general cultivation than those already named. In large gardens the 

 bulbs are planted amongst shrubs with excellent effect. The shrubs 

 protect the rising Lily stems in spring from frost, and the association of 

 the two things is quite happy. 



It will interest Lily growers to read the remarks made by Mr. 

 Wallace of Colchester, a well-known Lily specialist, in a paper published 

 in the Royal Horticultural Society's Journal for 1900 : "It is difficult 

 to lay down hard and fast rules as to the proper positions to plant Lilies, 

 as the same variety may be seen nourishing equally well under totally 

 different conditions, but I would recommend intending planters to avoid 

 positions exposed to cold sweeping winds. Never plant directly under- 

 neath trees, but if possible at some distance away the trees will then 

 give them the required shade ; nor in a hot dry corner, or in a cold, 

 wet, heavy soil, or where the soil is water- logged. If planted near a lake 

 or a large expanse of water, the young growths will need protection from 

 late spring frosts. L. Henryi, auratum, longiflorum, speciosum, are 

 specially liable to ^injury from this cause. In Rhododendron beds and 

 amongst low growing shrubs they always do well, and in no position do 

 they show up so effectively as when backed by the rich deep green leaves 

 of the shrubbery. The beds at Kew near the Palm House are excellent 

 examples of this mode of culture. Therefore in a few words, and at the 

 risk of repeating myself, the best positions for Lilies are those that afford 

 partial shade, protection from spring frosts and hot midday sun, and that 

 give coolness and moisture at the root. 



" Having found the right position for Lilies, the next thing is to see 

 that we give them the best and most suitable soil for their requirements. 

 One can generally do this, even if an ideal position is not to be found. 

 The different soils suitable for successful cultivation I have divided 

 roughly into three classes : 



" First, any good garden soil of a fair depth, well dug before plant- 

 ing, is suitable for such good growing kinds as L. Browni, candidum, chal- 

 cedonicum, croceum, excelsum, Hansoni, Henryi, Martagon (purple), 

 pyrenaicum, thunbergianum, tigrinum, and umbellatum; these will all 

 flourish in any good border soil with fair treatment. 



" Secondly, Lilies that prefer a strong soil, such as a good rich friable 

 loam, not too heavy, viz .L. auratum platypJiyllum, Batemani&, Columbi- 

 anum, Humboldti, Humboldti magnificum, Martagon album, Dalmaticum, 



