414 JOUEXAL OF THE ROYAL HORTIC.ULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



If many of these bulbs were grown in suitable places in the South of 

 England or Ireland, and sent to purchasers the same day they were taken 

 up, probably they would not sufier much. 



As it is, many of them come from foreign countries — Holland, Japan, 

 and elsewhere. They have, therefore, to be dried and kept a long time 

 out of the ground. When planted they may not come up, and if they do 

 and flower they may not survive. 



I know of no other way than to try them in ditierent parts of the 

 garden and hope for luck in their future. Should any become established, 

 they should not be meddled with in any way icliatever. 



Not improbably some of my failures were due to want of proper 

 management and knowledge of their requirements ; and also to my having 

 planted them too near some large old trees, the roots of which may have 

 sucked up any moisture and nourishment available ; but, curiously enough, 



Fig. 214. — L. loxgiflorum. 



others planted in the same locality, sach as Hausoni, Martagon, _/;ft?T/(X- 

 liniim, chalcedonicum, and a few others, did not' suflt'er apparently from 

 those causes. 



The soil which I consider best suited for most Lilies is that of old 

 gardens, which has been worked and manured for years, and which has 

 had a considerable proportion of leaf-mould mixed up with it. 



Some Lilies can be easily grown and become established, others 

 require a special study in order to get an insight into their wants and the 

 places that may suit them. Even then, I think, a number of experiments 

 will have to be made to achieve success. 



Ignorance of the nature and wants of many Lilies, and of the localities 

 which would suit them, will probably account for many failures. 



For this there seems to be no remedy other than making repeated 

 experiments with new sets under different circumstances and in different 

 localities in the same garden. All this will require some expense and 



