214 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



wind. Beautiful specimens of Lilium Martagon dalmaticum I 

 have seen in Montenegro, growing under cushions of moss on the 

 sides of crater-like depressions in the chalky rocks, and in posi- 

 tions where the sun could scarcely, and no wind at all, reach 

 them. The capital success of Mr. George F. Wilson in the 

 cultivation of Lilies in his Wisley garden is mostly due to his 

 ingenious methods to supply the best possible natural conditions 

 under which to cultivate them. Individually Lilies andFritillarias, 

 after having attained to flowering size, are comparatively short- 

 lived plants ; nature has, on the other hand, provided for their 

 further existence by abundant production of seed or brood-bulbs. 

 By hindrance or suppression of seed production, we can prolong 

 the existence of the individual for several years, and analogously, 

 we can force such plants as Fvitillaria macrophylla and 

 F. Hookeri to flower prematurely by cutting off the numerous 

 brood-bulbs, when in an early state of formation. 



Fritillarias belong to the large group of lime-loving plants, 

 and in Asia Minor they are mostly found upon or next to rocks 

 of rapidly decaying gypsum ; whether lime, chalk, or gypsum 

 acts chemically or mechanically I have no means of knowing, 

 but I must say that here at Baden-Baden I grow Fritillarias tole- 

 rably well in soil entirely free from lime. The American species, 

 as well as the Himalayan, seem to do best in a somewhat shady 

 position. 



It is a most important point in the cultivation of bulbs to 

 protect the leaves, because these are the manufacturers of the 

 newly-forming bulb. 



Early Irises, producing their foliage during a warm winter, 

 must have protection, when a sharp frost suddenly set in, by mats 

 or shading material, and should be kept covered day and night 

 until warmth comes on again ; if the sun is allowed to brightly 

 shine upon the leaves of a hard frozen bulb there is always 

 damage done, more or less ; in some cases the leaves may suffer 

 to destruction ; this weakens new-formation and often causes 

 disease. 



If bulbs get diseased by manure, fungus, or by insects, it is 

 easy to restore perfect health by taking them up when ripe, 

 cleaning and washing them, and when dried off for a short time 

 replanting them in fresh virgin soil. 



What little I have been able to state in this article is neither 



