too gKar&en JFaborftcs. 177 



Turk's-cap (L. martagori), and its fine varieties, 

 album and dalmaticum ; the latter is said to re- 

 vert to the type after a few years' cultivation. 

 There are scores of varieties to choose from in 

 the Japanese species Thunbergianum or elegans, 

 nearly all of which are dwarf in habit, and vary 

 in color from pale apricot, orange, and orange- 

 red, to blood and deep red. These are among 

 the easiest of the genus to grow, and do not like 

 shade. Z,. bulbiferum, somewhat like Thunber- 

 gianum, with orange-crimson flowers, is also one 

 of the least fastidious species ; the variety umbel- 

 latum is a stronger grower than the type. Both 

 of these are valuable early species where a mass 

 of red in lilies is desired in open sun. 



Of the many species we owe to Japan, none 

 can compare with the great golden-banded lily 

 (L. auratum) and its varieties ; if, in reality, it is 

 not the finest of its tribe. But it is a coquette at 

 heart, and, unless wooed earnestly and persistent- 

 ly, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred it will 

 only smile bewitchingly the first year, to jilt you 

 the next. Of the hundreds of thousands of 

 bulbs imported annually from Japan by Europe 

 and America, very few remain after the second 

 and third year. This is not owing to its tender- 

 ness, for it is among the hardiest of the genus. 

 Neither is it a mere question of climate and cult- 



