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Arthur T. Bodding ton, 342 West 14th St.. N ew York. City 



LILIES 



"Do not plant Lilies in the open ; a partial shade is essential for successful 

 cultibation in the hot climate of America 



By ARTHUR HERRINGTON. author of "The Chrysanthemum." and 

 a practical writer on Horticultural Subjects 



The white Lily has ever been esteemed as "Flora's" emblem of purity, 

 but the Lily family, as a whole, has not been accorded that popularity and 

 prominent representation in gardens it rightly deserves. 



Consider tlie Lilies of the fields, how tiiey grow — American, European 

 and Asiatic. A cliain of Lilies encircles the Northern Hemisphere from the 

 Pacific coast eastward, across this vast continent, thence tlirough Europe 

 and Asia, and ending only in Jajian and the Philippmes. Their geographical 

 distribution is peculiar in that they are found only in northern countries, but 

 of more importance still is the fact that they are not all hothouse plants. It 

 may be because certain Lilies are largely grown in pots in greenhouses in 

 great quantities every year, that our tiioughts have been di\ erted from the 

 true possibilities of the family as a whole as garden flowers. 



A Lily garden is a glorious possibility of easy attainment, with one-half 

 of the world paying tribute of beauty thereto. Out of the abundance of tht 

 Lily family we may make selections and suitable plantings that will ensure a 

 complete succession of Lilies blooming from June until November, — a chang- 

 ing garden picture unequaled in gorgeous beauty, with the added feature 

 of permanency in succeeding vears. The cost is not prohibitive, because the 

 majority of the best garden Lmes are plentiful and cheap, when we considei 

 their permanent character ^md their subsequent increase in numbers. With 

 a few exceptions. Lilies are grown in ordinary garden soil of average depth 

 and fertility; in fact, many of them need no culture at all, only to be once 

 planted and left alone for a numiier of years, w hen they may have increased 

 to such an extent as to need lifting and replanting in reduced quantity. 

 I^ook at our native Lilies — Superbum of the swamps, and Canadense of the 



feitile meadows; " thev 



Lilium candidum 



(Annunciation, or Madonna Lily) 



The goff^eouB Lilium auratuni, or Golden- baudirl 

 Lily oi Japan 



toil not, neither do they spin," but in their season they are pictures of great 

 beauty. These, although natives, are worthy of garden cultivation, and the 

 response to garden culture is seen in greater stature and more abimdant 

 blooming. 



The Lily season in the garden opens in June, when the dwarf forms of 

 Lilium clegans and L. Thimbergianum, numbering at least a score of distinct 

 varieties, open their rich orange or crimson cups to the early summer's sun 

 Next in season comes L. bulbiferum, JL. croceuiii, L. uinbellatuvi^ and the 

 allies, in many shades from yellow to dirk crimson. As summer advances 

 new kinds vary the garden scene ; of special prominence being the old whit 

 L. candidum, L. longiflorum, L. Japbnicum Brozanii (in its several varieties 

 A. Chalcedonicuni, L. feuuifolium and L. superbum excelsum [tesfaceum) . I 

 August, we have L. Hcnryi, with its great-branched beds of orange-yello\ 

 flowers, borne aloft from 6 to lo feet high, a noble Lily, that will grow anywher 

 and increase fast. With the Tiger Lilies, and varied forms of L. speciosuin t 

 carry on the flowering till chill autumn days, it is apparent that we may hav 

 five months of Lily bloom in changing loveliness, and all easily grown kinds 

 These, too, will awaken a desire to attempt the culture of some that demand 

 extra care or special treatment, like the pretty pink Krameri, the golden Aura 

 tum, or the giant L. giganlcuni. 



Whilst Lilies are beautiful anywhere, they may be^doublyso by planting' 

 in special associations ; for example, among rhododendrons or other shrubs, not 

 too thickly pl.mted, they are actually improved, enjoying a partial shade to 

 their roots. Lilies, and pjeonies too, make an admirable combination, the one 

 succeeding the other in blooming, and both mutually helpful to each other 

 Make a great bed or border by deeply digging and niainiring the soil ; then 

 plant it with Lilies and pjeonies, and you have matle a planting that will grow 

 into a floral feature that need not be changed or disturbed for ten years. 



