1882.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



167 



THE LILY OF THE VALLEY. 



Convallaria majalis. 



Since fashion has decreed that this long 

 neglected, charming little spring flower, 

 with its snowy, fragrance-spreading bells — 

 "May-bells," as the Germans call them 

 — shall be fashionable, an enormous im- 

 petus has been given to its cultivation. 

 But this perfect emblem of purity and 

 modesty of the floral world did not require 

 the dictates of fashion to be held as a treas- 

 ure by all true lovers of flowers since time 

 immemorial, although to many a florist it 

 may have brought, according to the language 

 of flowers, a true " retour du bonheur." 



The Lily of the Valley 

 grows wild throughout Eu- ^ 

 rope, in rich, damp woods, 

 under the shade of decidu- 

 ous trees. It succeeds 

 splendidly in cultivation, if 

 conditions similar to those 

 under which it grows nat- 

 urally are provided, and its 

 roots are not disturbed for 

 several years. 



In making new beds a 

 partly - shaded situation 

 should be selected, where 

 the ground is not traversed 

 by the roots of growing 

 trees. Unless the soil is 

 naturally rich and deep, it 

 should be dug thoroughly 

 to a depth of at least 

 twelve inches, working in 

 at the same time a good 

 quantity of decomposed 

 manure, and if very heavy, 

 some sand and leaf-mold 

 should be added. If old 

 clumps are at hand, these 

 should be divided before 

 replanting; the roots sold 

 in seed stores are generally 

 already divided into single 

 crowns or " pips," which is 

 the technical name for 

 them. These are usually 

 set out in rows, about 

 twelve inches apart and six 

 inches in the rows. The 

 crowns should be about two 

 inches below the surface 

 of the ground. They may 

 be planted now or in the 

 spring, but most growers 

 are in favor of fall planting, 

 as at this season better 

 plants may be obtained. 

 When the ground freezes, a 

 light coat of decayed ma- 

 nure and some mulching material should be 

 scattered over the bed. During the first 

 summer the rows should be hoed and kept 

 free from weeds ; afterward the plants will 

 take possession of the entire ground. 



Forcing Lilies of the Valley forms an im- 

 portant branch of floriculture near our large 

 cities, and this art has reached so high a 

 state of perfection that flower-spikes are 

 now seen in florists' windows throughout the 

 entire year. The roots used for forcing are 

 nearly all imported from Germany, where 

 immense quantities are grown at small cost. 

 As soon as the "pips" arrive, which is dur- 

 ing the month of November, they are placed 

 closely together in shallow boxes, which are 



kept in cold frames, where they can be pro- 

 tected against severe freezing. After about 

 four weeks those wanted for earliest bloom- 

 ing are removed to a forcing-house with a 

 temperature of about 50 degrees, which is 

 gradually increased to 80 degrees. 



For window and parlor culture Lilies of 

 the Valley may be forced as easily as any 

 plants. The "pips" should be planted in 

 pots at any time during November, six to 

 eight to a five or six-inch pot. Ordinary 

 potting soil should be used, and pressed 

 firmly around the crowns, which should 

 stand slightly above the surface. The pots 

 have to be kept out-doors for a month or 

 more, plunged in sand, and sufficiently pro- 



THE LILY OF THE VALLEY. 



tected to prevent their breaking by- frost, 

 although the plants themselves are rather 

 benefited by being exposed to freezing 

 weather, provided their crowns are covered 

 with moss. About a month before they are 

 expected to bloom they should be brought 

 to a warm room, and gradually watered 

 more copiously, as they grow. 



The method of forcing Lilies of the Valley 

 practiced by German florists is to plant the 

 single crowns in a well-closed bed of pure 

 silver sand or finely crushed coke, in a propa- 

 gating-house which can well and easily be 

 heated. The bed should have a constant 

 bottom heat of from 60° to 95°. The roots 

 of the crowns are trimmed off to about three 



inches from the top. The pips are then 

 planted about one or one and a half inches 

 apart each way, and closer if room is limited. 

 Water is given plentiful, and never colder 

 than 85°. The bed is kept dark, and covered 

 until the buds are fairly started, after which 

 light is admitted gradually, and when two- 

 thirds of the buds are in bloom, the flowers 

 are hardened by giving still more air, and 

 finally removing the cover entirely. In order 

 to keep up a constant supply of flowers, a 

 quantity of crowns are planted every two 

 weeks. 



To preserve the pips, they are kept out 

 doors, covered with six to twelve inches of 

 soil, as it is found that they force better 

 when the ground around 

 them has been frozen. It is 

 not advisable to begin forc- 

 ing Lilies of the Valley be- 

 fore the end of November, 

 as it has been found that 

 those forced previously pro- 

 duce not over 50 to 75 per 

 cent, of blooms, while those 

 forced later give flowers from 

 every crown. 



VIOLETS. 



This is another of Flora's 

 modest children, which is 

 admired by every one, and 

 till is but seldom found 

 in private gardens. It is 

 now time to plant the clumps 

 in cold frames, and to those 

 who may desire to pick a 

 bunch of Violets occasion- 

 ally during winter, the fol- 

 lowing notes, given in the 

 Germantown Telegraph, may 

 be of value : 



" There is no more popu- 

 lar flower than the Violet, 

 and as it is one that can be 

 enjoyed by all with very lit- 

 tle labor, while the expense 

 is not to be thought of, we 

 are often surprised at its ab- 

 sence in many households. 

 It is one of the earliest to 

 bloom ; in fact, it can be en- 

 joyed almost throughout the 

 entire year ; and is so hardy 

 that it requires very little 

 protection. At most a cold 

 frame, covered in winter 

 with straw matting, which a 

 bundle of straw will supply, 

 will be sufficient to give us 

 flowers in the latter part of 

 March, when the plants, 

 which have been increasing, should be partly 

 removed and set in the open ground. A 

 portion of these may be let remain out all 

 winter, well covered with manure, to be un- 

 covered early in March. It is also one of 

 the prettiest and most welcome house-flow- 

 ers, being planted in a suitable wooden box 

 and placed in a cool part of a room, and 

 aired occasionally by being set in the sun at 

 a window in the room in which there is no 

 fire, and allow the sash to be raised for an 

 hour at mid-day when the weather is not 

 too severe. There was very little intermis- 

 sion the last fall, winter and spring, in 

 which we could not gather a little bouquet 

 of Violets for our parlor." 



