LILACS 



The Lilac (Syrtnga vulgaris) has been a favourite garden 

 plant in Europe since the middle of the fifteenth century, when 

 it was grown in a garden at Padua and elsewhere under the 

 name of "Lilac". In its many forms it ranks among the 

 most valuable of all shrubs for the open garden, and since it 

 has been so much improved by cross-breeding and selection 

 it has become almost as valuable as a conservatory plant. 

 The principal raiser of these large vari-coloured and double- 

 flowered forms is M. Lemoine of Nancy, who within the last 

 twenty -five years has added many lovely varieties. The 

 colours of the flowers are white, pink, rose-lilac, and red-purple, 

 almost crimson. By forcing them in a high temperature in a 

 dark place it is possible to get perfectly white flowers from the 

 purple and lilac coloured varieties, and large numbers of plants 

 are grown specially for forcing to supply flowers for the 

 European markets, Paris and London alone requiring hundreds 

 of thousands, the trade in "forced Lilac" being now a very 

 important one. Some of the best varieties are Alba-grandi- 

 flora, Marie Legray, Charles X, Philamon, De Marly, Souvenir 

 de L. Spath, Madame Lemoine, and rubra plena. 



