34 ARISTOCRATS OF THE GARDEN 



build up the bulb. This Lily should have the top of 

 its bulb only just covered with soil. It prefers rather 

 stiff loam in a situation fully exposed to the sun but it 

 will grow in dry and hungry limestone soils. Bulbs 

 grown in the south of England are the best though the 

 majority of dealers still insist that French-grown 

 bulbs are superior. 



From this cursory consideration of the conditions in 

 which Lilies grow wild in various parts of the world a 

 few facts of cardinal importance to the Lily lover may 

 be deduced. In the first place, since Lilies inhabit the 

 waste places of the Northern Hemisphere it is obvious 

 that they are unaccustomed to rich food. For this 

 reason even stable manure should not be used in their 

 culture and artificial fertilizers are absolutely inimical. 

 All Lilies grow naturally in places where each autumn 

 they receive a mulch of fallen leaves. Leafsoil and 

 not manure is the requisite essential. Nearly all 

 grow in well-drained situations and good drainage 

 is absolutely necessary to ensure success. Lilies of 

 the swamp, woodland, and alpine meadow are with 

 rare exceptions difficult to cultivate. Those which 

 grow among shrubs and herbs more or less exposed to 

 the sun are less exacting and in this class is found the 

 majority of the sorts amenable to cultivation in 

 ordinary gardens. 



