THE WHITE LILY. 15 
the Christian faith, for, notwithstanding the comprehensive 
meaning of the word as it comes to us in the text, it has been, 
as a matter of fact, generally restricted to a particular flower. 
This dedication of the lly to the Virgin has certainly con- 
tributed im a very material degree to the diffusion and 
popularity of the plant; and the traveller in Ireland will, in 
the season of lihes, soon learn to distinguish the houses of 
Romanists and Protestants by the lhes in the gardens, for 
while the first plant the white lily as an emblem of their 
faith, the second plant the orange lly for a similar purpose, 
although the last is in reality much more of a political than 
a religious emblem. 
The white lily will thrive in any fairly good soil, but to 
ensure a free growth and an abundance of flowers the soil 
should be rich and deep and moist. It is a good practice, 
therefore, to prepare for the plants suitable stations, and, 
having planted them, the next best thing to do with them 
is to leave them undisturbed for several years. It is often 
thought that lilies love the shade, but that is a mistake ; 
they love the sun and a free circulation of air about them. 
In cold and exposed places the white lly often fails to 
flower, owing to the destruction of the incipient flower-buds 
by frost, inthe month of May. Hence shelter from the 
keen east winds is an aid in lily culture, as is also a plentiful 
supply of water during the month of June, when the stems 
are rising. In respect of taste, the white lily should be so 
planted that its shabby stems may be concealed, for when 
wild it grows amongst tall grasses, and hence it is that. as 
the flowers expand the leaves below them usually wither. 
The dashing Tritoma and the quiet Agapanthus are good 
plants to associate with lilies, for they agree in character, 
and supply ample and elegant green leafage. 
