226 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



LIL 



well-rotted manure, and one uniform treat- 

 ment is applicable under all circumstances to 

 the whole of the species ; all may be grown 

 together in the border, and remain undis- 

 turbed a number of years, frequent removals 

 being injurious, by destroying the roots. All 

 the species thrive best when planted in partial 

 shade, the shrubbery border, or in large beds 

 in an open grove. Propagated by offsets. 

 When the old bulbs have several small ones 

 formed around them, take them up in Octo- 

 ber, divide them into single bulbs, and re- 

 plant the large flowering bulbs immediately 

 into fresh, rich earth, where they are to 

 flower. Plant the small bulbs in a bed of the 

 same kind of soil by themselves ; let them 

 remain until sufficiently large and strong for 

 flowering, which should require but two 

 years ; then take them up, select the larger 

 bulbs, and plant them where they are to 

 remain, taking care to enrich the earth with 

 well decomposed manure ; the small ones to 

 be replanted as before. L. candidum should 

 be taken up and replanted in August or first 

 part of September, as the bulbs make a 

 growth in autumn, upon which in a great 

 measure depends their flowering the coming 

 season. In selecting the situation for the 

 Lily-bed, care should be taken to have the 

 dryest spot possible, where water is not liable 

 to stand in the winter. A good mulching of 

 leaves, coarse manure, or evergreen boughs 

 will prove highly beneficial. The species are 

 pretty generally distributed throughout the 

 temperate regions of the northern hemi- 

 sphere ; a fe.w only are found in the moun- 

 tains of sub-tropical Asia. California has 

 furnished several that are among the more 

 difficult to cultivate here, because of the dif- 

 ference in the seasons of growth. Japan has 

 furnished by far the greater number of really 

 excellent species, among which are L. aura- 

 turn, or Golden-banded, of which there are 

 many beautiful varieties in cultivation ; L. 

 speciosum and its varieties ; L. Kramerii, L. 

 Leichtlinii, L. Tigrinum Jlore pleno, L. Thun- 

 bcrgianum in variety, L. longvfiorum, L. Han- 

 soni, etc. L. candidum, the oldest known 

 species, comes from the Levant. Asia fur- 

 nishes L. Chalcedonicum and L. giganteum; 

 Siberia the beautiful little L. tenuifolium, 

 which is there grown as an article of food. 

 The United States contributes L. superbum, 

 L. Canadense, L. Philadelphicum, L. Catesbcei, 

 L. Carolinianum, and L. Columbianum, to- 

 gether with L. Washingtonianum, L. Hum- 

 boldti, L. parvum, L. Califomicum, L. pardali- 

 num, L. Roezlii, L. Parryi and L. Walkerii 

 from California. Most of the other species 

 are found scattered throughout Europe. The 

 great popularity of this flower has induced 

 the growers and dealers to sub-divide the 

 species and multiply varieties to such an 

 extent as to bewilder the amateur in making 

 a selection. A prominent European house 

 offers sixty varieties of L. elegans (L. Thunber- 

 gianum), and nearly as many of L. speciosum 

 (L. lancifolium). L. candidum, the Annuncia- 

 tion, or St. Joseph's Lily, has eight varieties, 

 L. umbellatum about thirty, any one of which 

 would well represent the family. All the 

 species succeed well grown in pots, but sev- 

 eral bear what is termed forcing, or being 

 made to bloom out of their natural season. 

 The principal of these are L. candidum, L. 



LIL 



longiftorum, and L. Harrisii. The latter of 

 these, L. Harrisii, or the Bermuda Easter 

 Lily, was introduced into general cultivation 

 about 1878. There is some question whether 

 it is a " sport " from the old Lilium longi- 

 florum, or Trumpet Lily, or whether long 

 years of cultivation in the congenial climate 

 of Bermuda hiis so changed the nature of the 

 plant as to give it the wonderful free-flower- 

 ing properties it possesses. We are inclined 

 to think the variety is distinct from L. longi- 

 Jlorum, for it is not only more prolific in flow- 

 ering, but the flowers are wider and more 

 robust, a result not to be expected from any 

 temporary cultivation in a climate no matter 

 how congenial. The rules for the cultivation 

 of the Bermuda Easter Lily are almost iden- 

 tical with those in use for Roman Hyacinths, 

 or Lily-of-the- Valley (see Convallaria), except 

 that after the boxes or pots are filled with 

 roots the time for the development of the 

 flower is longer. The dry bulbs, however, 

 usually can be procured as early as the 

 first week in August, and if potted or 

 boxed up at that time, and placed outside, 

 will form roots sufficient to enable them to 

 be brought into the green-house by the first 

 of October, and if kept in a temperature of 

 sixty degrees at night, with ten or fifteen 

 degrees higher during the daytime, will give 

 a crop of flowers by Christmas. The Bermuda 

 Lily is largely used for decoration at Easter, 

 and for that season, beginning to force in 

 January will be soon enough. Lilium longi- 

 florum and L. candidum, require exactly the 

 same treatment, except that neither of these 

 can be made to flower so early as the Bermuda 

 Lily. 



It may be added here that the Californian 

 Lilies often remain a whole year in the 

 ground before growing. 



Lily. A general name for plants of the genus 

 Lilium, applied also to various other 

 plants. 



African. Agapanthus umbellatus. 



Annunciation. Lilium candidum. 



Atamasco. Zephyranthes Atamasco. 



Belladonna. Amaryllis Belladonna. 



Bermuda. Lilium Harrisii. 



Blackberry. Pardanthus Chinensis. 



Cape. Crinum Capense. 



Chequered. Frit.illaria Meleagris. 



Cuban. Scilla Peruviana. 



Easter. Lilium longiflorum and L. Harrisii. 



Golden banded. Lilium auratum. 



Guernsey. Nerine Sarniensis. 



Jacobean. Sprekelia (Amaryllis) formosissima. 



Japan. Lilium speciosum. 



Knight's Star. The genus Hippeastrum. 



Martagon. Lilium Martagon. 



Mediterranean. Pancratium maritimum. 



Of the Amazon. Eucharis Amazonica. 



Of the Nile. Richardia ^thopica. 



Of the Valley. See Convallaria majalia. 



Of the Valley, Tree. Andromeda fioribunda. 



Orange. Lilium croceum. 



St. Bruno 's. Anthericum Liliastrum. 



St. James's Cross. Sprekelia formosissima. 



St. Joseph's. Lilium candidum. 



Scarborough. Vallota purpurea. 



Scarlet Martagon. Lilium Chalcedonicum. 



Swamp. Lilium superbum. 



Sword. The genus Gladiolus. 



Tiger. Lilium tigrinum. 



