THE LILY FAMILY. 



369 



no less than ^"200,000 worth. Where bulb -culture is the 

 main object of attention, the routine is frequently as follows : 

 First year The soil is broken up and dug to a depth of five 

 or six inches, a heavy dressing of cow-dung is applied, and a 

 crop of potatoes taken. In the autumn the bulbs are planted, 

 and the beds remain covered with reeds until the month of 

 May. Second year About midsummer, the bulbs having 

 been collected, grass is sown on the paths between the beds, 

 and in the autumn Tulips, Crocuses, and occasionally different 

 kinds of Narcissus and Ranunculus, are planted on the green- 

 sward. 



Lilium (True Lilies). We have here the noblest of all 

 hardy bulbous plants, and fortunately they are readily pro- 

 pagated from seeds or by dividing the bulbs, and it is a little 

 singular to find that the Japanese gardeners have been before 

 us in the matter of cultivating and improving Lilies, just as 

 they have been with Peonies, Chrysanthemums, and many other 

 popular garden flowers. 



We have now nearly the whole of the known species of 

 Lilium, as described by Mr J. G. Baker (see ' Gardeners' 

 Chronicle,' 1874, p. 104 1651), in our gardens, and for prac- 

 tical purposes they may be divided geographically into four 

 sections, thus: 



Most of the species and varieties may be propagated more 

 quickly by scale-cuttings than by seed. The scales are either 

 pulled carefully asunder or are cut away from the bulb, begin- 

 ning at the base first, and cutting a little piece of the core or 

 heart of the bulb away also when practicable. These scales 

 are then inserted in pans or boxes of light sandy earth, 

 being just covered and no more, and are then placed in a 

 cold frame or pit for a week or two, and kept only just moist. 

 They may then be removed to a higher temperature, and soon 

 develop little bulbils at the base of each scale, as shown in our 



2 A 



