LILIES AT YALDING, IN KENT. 



403 



in the hot dry stoke-hole for a month, or perhaps six weeks. I regret 

 that no actual dates were noted down, for the subsequent history of these 

 bulbs is somewhat interesting. When at length (say a month later) the 

 gardener told me what had happened, I smiled a bitter smile and was 

 going to throw the bulbs to the pigs ; but, having a spare corner suitable 

 for them, I decided to plant them and see what became of them. They 

 actually grew stronger and flowered better than their brethren, producing 

 seven spikes of flowers between them, while the more carefully-treated 

 clumps had in no case more than two spikes each. 



This extraordinary result may give us a clue to the future treatment of 

 the disease. 



As I have just said, I only got a maximum of two spikes from the 

 sulphured clumps, each of about twelve bulbs, the following summer 

 (1900) ; but this year (1901) the thing is very different, and as I now 

 write the numerous tall spikes of chaste flowers are delightful to behold. 

 I should say the average is quite seven stems to every twelve bulbs, some 

 of the heads containing fifteen flowers, while the foliage looks healthy 

 and free from any taint. 



I hope for still better results in 1902 — that is, of course, if the snake 

 proves to be killed and not merely " scotched." 



I have striven hard to win, or rather retain, the afiections of my first 

 love, L. auratum (variety platyplnjllum), but to me she is " uncertain, 

 coy, and hard to please," like the rest of her fair sisters. At present, 

 however, I have a few bulbs planted four years ago, the survivors of 

 about double their number, which are going to flower this summer fairly 

 well. These are planted in the rich loamy soil of my garden, mixed 

 with about half its bulk of peat and sand, and they are on the warm 

 side of evergreen trees, though they get little sun till after midday. But 

 they flowered better last summer, I think, and they get smaller in 

 spite of my care, so I fear they are going back. My best two spikes, 

 under the lee of a very compact "hedgehog" holly in the same place, 

 are from bulbs planted three years ago ; these look admirably strong and 

 healthy, but I suppose they will deteriorate and prove as disappointing as 

 the others. One fact seems to hold out a hope, and that is the appear- 

 ance this summer of offsets on the four-year-olds, which are bearing a 

 few flower-buds. One of these elderly bulbs, after flowering splendidly 

 in 1899, disdained to appear at all in 1900, but this year sent up a sturdy 

 stem in defiance of all rules and regulations for the proper behaviour of 

 Lilies. I thought it had gone the usual way of auratim, and had put in a 

 variegated Tree Mallow in its place, missing the bulb by an inch or two with 

 my spade, as I found out afterwards. But up came the spike defiantly, and 

 out came the Tree Mallow in due course. The spike is a blind one, but very 

 strong withal, and I look for something extra-special next summer after 

 this long period of rest. 



Should this be my reward, and a good head of flower appear in the 

 fifth year, then, I think, my heart will begin to throb with joy, and I 

 shall buy the ring, and ask the fair platijphijllum to name the happy day. 



Meanwhile I shall not scruple to carry on violent flirtations with her 

 lovely cousins and rivals, Szovitsiauum, Broivnii, rnbcUiim, itc, just to 

 show my thorough freedom and independence. 



