Jolt 19, 1906. 



The Weekly Rorists' Review. 



5J7 



Liliutn Loagiflorum Growing in the Azores Iilands. 



These are photographs taken in the field 

 <rrown for Ralph M. Ward & Co. The 

 Azores lilies are said by importers to be 

 absolutely sure for the earliest Easter. 

 There is very little waste because of no 

 disease. Ward & Co. say, however, that 

 some growers in the islands have already 

 developed the careless methods which a 

 few years ago so impaired the quality 

 of the Bermuda stock. At present the 

 output of the Azores bulbs is so small 

 that the stock is quickly sold and the 

 demand is left unsatisfied. 



One of the accompanying illustrations 

 shows a field of callas growing in the 

 Azores. It is a practice to grow these 

 crops behind high windbreaks, one of 

 which is seen in the picture. The callas 

 do well and produce flowers of excep- 

 tional size. Earl Bros., of Elizabeth, 

 N. J., had 8,500 of these calla bulbs last 

 season and cut from them fully 30,000 

 blooms, which sold regularly at $1 per 

 dozen in the New York market. The 

 cost of the bulbs laid down at their 

 greenhouse was less than $30 per thou 

 sand. 



The Forcer's View. 



Bassett & Washburn, Chicago, have 

 been forcing the Azores Islands lilies 

 and C. L. Washburn thus relates their 

 experience with them. 



"Three years ago we received the first 

 Azores Islands lilies we ever had seen. 

 They were two plants in bloom in pots 

 shipped us as samples by Robert Craig 

 & Son, of Philadelphia. These were from 

 '•ulbs imported by Henry & Lee. We 

 were so pleased with the appearance of 

 tliese plants that we bought 5,000 bulbs 

 of the same kind and last year we in- 

 ' reased our order to 10,000 of the Azores 

 '>ulbs. Of these we placed 5,000 in cold 

 "Storage to be retarded for summer flow- 

 • rs. 



"These bulbs are a distinct type of 



''ly. They are, you might say, abso- 



'utely free of disease so far as those 



we have handled are a sample. This is 



;> great feature in their favor. The 



' ulbs are received late in August in this 



ountry and are slow in growth. We 



otted them as soon as received and set 



•lem outdoors, well covered with straw, 



ntil along in October, by which time 



•hey were well rooted and had made a 



; r.nvlb abov«< tlic soil. AVo then put 



them ill a rather cool house, say 50 

 degrees at night, with plenty of ventila- 

 tion during the day. When they had 

 made a good start to grow we gradually 

 increased the heat, depending on just 

 when they were wanted. Our Azores 

 bulbs last winter were held back a little 

 too long, as we only wanted to bring 

 them in for Easter, so for six weeks just 

 before Easter we had to force them 

 quite hard. We had to give them a 



Azores Longiflorum with 17 Flowers. 



niglit temperature of 75 to 80 degrees 

 and ran it up to 90 degrees during the 

 day. They stood it all right, but the 

 flowers were not so large as if grown 

 in a lower temperature. 



"The one great feature of the Azores 

 Tsl.inds lilioa is th.it thoy ;irt! .•ibsulntcly 



healthy. The plants all grow to an even 

 height and grow so sturdy and strong as 

 not to need staking, though we did stake 

 ours. The flowers are not so large as 

 the Japan longiflorum or multiflorum, 

 but are of good size and of strong 

 texture. They stand a great deal 

 of rough handling without becoming 

 bruised. The flowers are all perfect; 

 not a cripple have we seen. The only 

 thing against these bulbs is that they 

 are so slow to grow. They have to be 

 pushed along to get them in by April 1. 

 They submit to cold storage almost as 

 well -as the giganteum. 



"I do not want to say anything of 

 our experience with Japan longiflorum 

 or multiflorum, as the tale is too sad 

 and expensive to recall these joyous 

 days. We can give you our experience 

 with that class of stock in November, 

 when 'the melancholy days are come, 

 the saddest of the year,' etc. Just 

 now is vacation time; fishing excur- 

 sions and picnics keep the smile busy 

 that won't come off, and we do not 

 care to think of Japan bulbs." 



LILIES IN ENGLAND. 



A great deal is being said in Eng- 

 land just now among florists as to the 

 merits of the various types of Lilium 

 longiflorum. L. longiflorum eximium, Ia 

 longiflorum multiflorum and L. longi- 

 florum giganteum are the three varieties 

 used the most extensively. Demand for 

 lily bulbs is good, as retarding for the 

 market is a new line of work. Prices 

 are correspondingly high. There is some 

 confusion among growers as to the dis- 

 tinguishing features of each variety, and 

 some doubt exists about the most profit- 

 able kind to grow. 



The giganteum, although the most 

 expensive, is the best variety for re- 

 tarding. It has a darker stem, and 

 narrow leaves set close together. It is 

 a stronger grower, and has thicker, 

 better flowers. Lilium longiflorum multi- 

 florum is probably, considering the price, 

 the most profitable for market growers. 

 Its blooms are slightly larger than 

 eximium and it produces probably three 

 times as many blooms. 



The eximium variety produces not 

 nearly so many blooms, and they are of 

 poor quality. Eximium bulbs are ranch 



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