OKNAMENTAL PLANTS. 63 



ject. The netting may be removed a day or two after 

 the flower lias been operated ujDon ; then mark each one so 

 that when the seeds are ripe they may be sa\ed separately. 

 The same process and mode of operation are applicable 

 to most of our cultivated plants ; but the organs of the 

 Lily are large and prominent, as we have observed, which 

 makes it one of the best plants known for the iiovice in 

 these matters to experiment uj^on. Besides this, the Lily 

 is at the present time attracting considerable attention 

 and many of our amateurs Avill doubtless endeavor to pro- 

 duce new varieties. We have given the above directions 

 with the hope that it may aid them in their ver}^ pleasant 

 task. 



PKOPAGATIOX. 



There are but two methods generally adof)ted in propa- 

 gating the Lily, viz., by seeds and division of the bulbs. 

 Growing from seed is mainly for the purpose of pi'oducing 

 new varieties, as it is more tedious than that of dividing 

 the bulbs, as the seedlings require a longer time to become 

 large enough to bloom. Although it requires greater care 

 and more time to produce blooming jilants from seed than 

 from the divisions of the original bulbs, still the chances 

 are in favor of producing new and superior varieties by 

 the operation. Only a few of the Lilies now in cultiva- 

 tion 'are the original species, but varieties of them, conse- 

 quently we may look for greater variations in the seedlings 

 therefrom, even without artificial impregnation of the flow- 

 ers, than was obtained in the beginning. Still it is best 

 to assist nature in producing the desired result, and in 

 no way can we be more certain of doing this tlian im- 



