24 BULLETIN 962, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



LAYERING. 



Old stems which have blossomed may be layered in moist sand or 

 simply laid on the surface of the ground in a moist atmosphere. 

 When this is done bulblets form readily along the lower part of the 

 stem. 



BULB DIVISION. 



A natural propagation takes place in the Easter lily, as in nearly all 

 other lilies, by the division of the bulb into two or more after it 

 reaches maturity. After such a division it is necessary to plant the 

 units out one year to round up, or they can be forced as double- 

 nosed bulbs. 



BEST METHODS OF PROPAGATION. 



The most useful methods of propagating the Easter lily are by seed 

 and bulblet formation, the latter being the most common and in 

 middle latitudes the most practicable for the production of dormant 

 bulbs. 



At present it seems advisable for growers intending to produce dor- 

 mant bulbs for sale to start their propagation from seed, because of 

 the freedom from disease and the greater vigor and general cleanli- 

 ness of such stocks when compared with abused imported bulbs. 



CONTROLLING BULBLET FORMATION. 



A very large measure of control can be exercised by the grower 

 over the amount of propagation. If the stocks are set shallow there 

 will be less propagation by far than if the planting be deeper. In 

 heavy, poorly aerated soils, however, there is a limit to the efficacy 

 of deep planting, as the formation of bulblets is mostly confined to 

 the upper 3 or 4 inches of soil. This fact is well brought out in figure 

 12, in which the bulblet formation will be seen to take place in the 

 well-aeratecl soil near the surface of the ground. 



It is also feasible to increase the propagation by the addition of 

 more mulch or by banking up around the plants with earth. 



SOIL FOR EASTER LILIES. 



Tlie Bureau of Plant Industry is not in a position to discuss the 

 subject of soil for Easter lilies very exhaustively, for the reason that 

 its stocks up to this time have been grown on only one type of soil. 

 It can be said with confidence, however, that a clay loam is well 

 adapted to the plants. 



The soil on which these stocks of Easter lilies have been 

 grown is basically a heavy, lean, bakey clay. This has been 

 ameliorated with some sand, liberal dressings of rough manure, and 

 cover crops. The response to this treatment has been all that 



