96-, MORE POT-POURRI 



to grow Lilies, and yet very few are really successful 

 with them. By far the finest I have seen in this part of 

 the world were grown in an Azalea bed, in more than 

 half shade, and copiously hosed all through the hot, dry 

 weather. They were really beautiful. A book called 

 'Notes on Lilies and their Culture,' by Dr. Wallace, of 

 Colchester, has only lately come to my knowledge, and I 

 am quite sure anyone who wishes to grow Lilies will not 

 get on well without it. It is an admirable book ; in 

 fact, its only fault is that it is so comprehensive one 

 feels, as with most of the specialist gardening books, 

 that the rest of one's life must be spent in trying to 

 understand that one plant. I think there is a good deal 

 to be said for this kind of gardening. As the amateur 

 advances in knowledge, he naturally wishes to grow with 

 extra perfection some plants with which everybody 

 cannot succeed. And I think, in the case of small 

 gardens near towns, that it would be a real interest for 

 a man to grow, let us say. Lilies from Dr. Wallace's 

 book, or Irises by the advice of Professor Foster, or 

 Cactuses according to Mr. Watson. This has been done 

 over and over again in the case of Roses ; but rarely, in 

 my experience, with other plants. 



November 27th. — My principal flower -table in sum- 

 mer is in a cool hall away from the sun. In winter, 

 now that I live here all the year round, I have it in the 

 sitting-room, close to a large south window. The sun 

 in summer quickly kills flowers that are cut and in 

 water, but in winter this is not so. On the contrary, it 

 seems to cheer them up and make them open out and 

 look happy. I will describe this flower-table as it stands 

 before me. At the back, in a pot, is a baby Araucaria 

 (Puzzle -monkey). These trees, so ugly when growing 

 on a lawn, are chai-ming in the baby stage. They can 

 be grown from seed, and they do very well in a room. 



