1 5 o 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



cially dainty when mingled with sprays 

 of dark foliage such as Prunus Pissardi, 

 lasting long and not out of place any- 

 where. 



Cultivation. — The cultivation of 

 these grand autumn plants is not diffi- 

 cult, and in most soils they do well. 

 They will flourish in chalk and in peat, 

 and are just as happy in loam or sand. 

 Stagnant moisture, however, is fatal to 

 them, and as the roots frequently run 

 several feet in all directions, it is clear 

 that the soil must be well broken by 

 deep trenching and of such a nature that 

 superfluous moisture passes quickly 

 away. As the plants produce a great 

 mass of foliage and flower in a short 

 time it must also be rich, or freely en- 

 riched by manure when poor. Unfor- 

 tunately the Torch Lilies cannot be 

 termed hardy in all parts alike. They 

 will stand a certain degree of frost with 

 impunity, but when snow and rain have 

 sunk into the hearts of the plants, sharp 

 frosts,especially if prolonged, often play 

 sad havoc with them ; in Holland, at 

 least, it is never safe to leave them unpro- 

 tected after the middle of November. 

 When dealing with many thousands of 

 plants, as in a nursery like my own in 

 which the culture of the Kniphofla is 

 made a speciality, the safe wintering of 

 so many plants is a matter of much 

 thought and expense, and it may be well 

 to describe what (after a good many 

 trials) has proved to be the best method. 

 About the middle of November when 

 the first sharp frosts threaten, the Kni- 

 phofias are cut down with a scythe to 

 within two inches of the ground and 

 the beds entirely covered with a layer 



of leaves (Beech or] Oak) several inches 

 thick. Over these leaves the cut stems 

 of the Kniphofias are thickly laid to pre- 

 vent the wind from scattering the leaves. 

 This covering is never penetrated by the 

 sharpest and longest frost, and the plants 

 pass the winter in perfect safety. It cer- 

 tainly seems drastic to attack a field of 

 Torch Lilies, often still in full beauty, 

 and bring them down before the scythe, 

 but if this be postponed until frost has 

 taken hold of the ground the covering 

 shuts in the cold and becomes useless 

 as a protection. This method is easily 

 followed in gardens where leaves are 

 collected in the autumn for leaf-soil or 

 forcing-pits, as they may be taken from 

 the Kniphofias in March and used in 

 other ways, being none the worse for 

 this temporary service. In the spring the 

 plants soon feel the influence of genial 

 weather, and when treated in this-way 

 it is wonderful with what vigour young 

 shoots are pushed up. This shows the 

 value of undisturbed roots which is lost 

 where the plants are taken up on the 

 approach ofwinterand sheltered in cold 

 frames, quite a needless precaution. Such 

 kinds, however, as K.foliosa^ caulescens, 

 Tysoni^nd Northice^ which resemble a 

 Yucca or Dracaena in growth, cannot, 

 of course, be treated in the same way, 

 and where the winters are severe should 

 always be sheltered under glass. 



Increase. — The natural and readiest 

 way of increase is to raise the plants from 

 seed, but as the flowers cross freely it is 

 difficult to maintain their purity unless 

 great care is taken. The many beautiful 

 hybrids now grown never come true 

 from seed, being themselves the outcome 



