LILIES. 



899 



- well enough, may be accounted for by exhaustion of the soil. The sub- 

 soil is what locally we call " the Kag," but which, for reasons best known 

 to themselves, the geologists denominate " the Lower Greensand." I can 

 only say I wish that more of the latter ingredient were perceptible in its 

 composition. I append at the end of these notes two lists of Lilies : A, 

 those that I grow or may be growing here with more or less success ; and 

 B, those that I regard as quite hopeless. There are several others_, more 

 or less rare or obscure, which I have tried from time to time without 

 results, and which are not enumerated. 



It only remains to add a few notes on the behaviour of some of the 

 species mentioned. 



Of the Isolirions, L. croceum and L. hulhiferum do well anywhere 

 with good treatment, the latter maintaining itself by bulbils which are shed 

 about. The hybrid L. clauricum or imibellatum (for it seems doubtful 

 whether these are or are not identical) lives, but certainly does not 

 flourish as it does in some gardens. L. Thunhcrgianum always dies, a 

 result which I ascribe entirely to the coldness of the soil and aspect. 

 If I lived on " the Upper Greensand " I could keep this. (Fig. 187.) 



Of the Eulirions, L. candiditm does well in every part of the garden, 

 and I know nothing of the "disease" which seems to trouble many 

 gardeners in the cultivation of this species. L. loiigifiorum is not hardy 

 here generally, but as one bulb accidentally planted in a warmer 

 situation has survived for two or three years I could possibly make it so. 

 L. Broicnii disappeared alter flowering once or twice. This is one of the 

 most beautiful Lilies in cultivation, and I think possibly that should I 

 enlarge my garden, and give it some protection by means of walls (as I 

 contemplate doing), I may still succeed with this Lily by giving it an 

 artificial soil. 



L. Parry i — one of the most beautiful of all the American Lilies — is 

 coming up strong for the third year in succession. 1 give this what 

 moisture I can (short of planting it absolutely in an artificial bog), which 

 is not much, and it does very fairly, and certainly much better than I had 

 anticipated. (Fig. 185.) 



Of the Martagons, the common L. Martagon will no doubt do well in 

 any good soil, but the white variety and the dark L. M. dabnaticinu 

 always die out here after a year or two. I am disposed to ascribe this 

 to the coldness of the soil. A mile or two away from my garden I see 

 both varieties doing well. L. chalcedonictcm now does well here with 

 ordinary cultivation, but the scarlet L. pomponium, though I kept it for 

 many years, has disappeared, and I have never replaced it. L. Hanson i — 

 one of the most distinct Lilies we have — does well everywhere here. It 

 seems, indeed, to increase with such rapidity that the bulbs get too much 

 jammed together, and cease to flower in consequence. This necessitates 

 a somewhat frequent division, and this, like almost all Martagons, it 

 resents for the first year of replanting by not blooming. L. colchicnni 

 (or Szovitsianiim) is, in my judgment, the finest Lily in cultivation : at 

 any rate, that is fairly available for all gardens. I have grown these 

 here ever since I can remember, and have had them very fairly line, 

 but of late years they have dwindled, and though I have put in a few 

 new ones, these have not done so well. I attribute this partly to the 



