204 How TO Grow Cut Flowers. 



a great deal easier to hold the flowers back by shading 

 and giving plenty of air, which hardens and stiffens 

 them and enables them to bear transportation better, 

 than when you are compelled to hurry them into flower 

 by steaming the pipes, and watering them with warm 

 water. Under such treatment they are fit onlj' for the 

 rubbish heap." 



When lilies are wanted for earlier bloom, they may 

 be brought inside whenever they are well rooted in the 

 pots. They should be given a temperature of 50° for 

 the first few. days, gradually increasing it to 65° or 70°, 

 lowering it again for a week to 55° after the flowers are 

 matured in order to harden them. From 10 to 12 

 weeks will be required from the time they are brought 

 into heat before they will be in bloom. 



The greatest enemy of the lily is green fly, and 

 these must be kept at bay from' the first. 



Lilium candidum is but little grown of late years, but 

 is still called for to some extent for use in work wher- 

 ever smaller flowers than Harrisii are waijted. As 

 these bulbs loose in vitality rapidly by exposure to the 

 air, it is better to use home grown bulbs, or if imported 

 ones are received, to plant them for a year. As soon 

 as their flowering season outside is over, lift such as 

 are wanted, putting two in a 7 or 8 inch pot, using a 

 light soil for potting them. Plunge these pots to the 

 rim and leave outside until early in November, when 

 they may be brought into a temperature of 50°, gradu- 



