WINTER FORCING THE LILY OF THE VALLEY. 85 



similar plants, a certain size or development of the crown, 

 or underground bud, is essential to produce the flower. 

 What that size should be, is not, even with the most ex- 

 perienced, always easy to determine. In the Tuberose, 

 the Japan, and some other Lilies, we find that bulbs that 

 are less than an inch in diameter, are not certain to 



Fig. 34. LILY OP THE VALLEY BUD GOOD. 



flower. The crown, or "pip," as florists sometimes call 

 it, of the Lily of the Valley, when sufficiently developed 

 to flower, should be of the size and shape shown in fig. 



34. Those too small to flower are like that shown in fig. 



35. But these rules as to size and shape are not given as 

 certain, for few have had experience enough to say with 

 accuracy at what size the crown of the Lily of the Valley 

 will not flower, although we may say with some certainty, 

 if the crown is large, that it will do so. It is the want 

 of this knowledge that, in my opinion, has made the 



