January 



1898. 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



tl 



Lily of the Valley Forcing. 



The following is the text of the paper read by Mr. T. Jannock, of Dersingham, at 

 a meeting of R.H.S., as given in the society's journal :- 



Of the thousand and one plants which submit to be forced into flower out of their 

 season it may be doubted if there is one of anything like the universal popularity 

 which the lily of the valley enjoys. Its history as a " forcer " goes back to half 

 a century ago, when clumps of lilies were grown in Berlin and Hamburg in a small 

 way to get a few blooms for Christmas and New Year. By 1856 between twenty 

 and thirty nurserymen in and around Berlin had taken up the cultivation, but in all 

 cases only on a small scale. In 1859-60 the largest quantity of flowering crowns 

 that any one nurseryman produced annually was sixty thousand ; but this gradually 

 increased until in 1870 seventy- two acres were under cultivation in lilies outside the 

 city of Berlin. At the present moment there are on the Continent and in England 

 many thousands of acres devoted solely to the production of lily of the valley 



Cr ° Tnorder to be successful in forcing lilies of the valley the culture of the crowns 

 demands the first consideration. I have seen lilies grow in almost every kind of 

 soil and situation, doing better in some than in others ; but experience has taught 

 e that the best soil for growing crowns for forcing purposes is a light sandy loam, 

 with a damp subsoil ; and the best situation is an open one to the south and west, 

 sheltered, if possible, from the east and north. In cold and heavy clay land they 

 will not do well ; they will grow, and sometimes produce very strong crowns, with 

 but few fibrous roots ; but such crowns are not fit for early forcing, as, owing to 

 the nature of the soil, they are kept growing too long, and do not ripen off early 

 enough. 



The ground must be deeply dug and well broken at the same tirr.e, working in 

 plenty of old hotbed manure, linings, rotten leaves, &c, all well decomposed and 

 crumbled to pieces. This work should be done in the autumn in dry weather, in 

 order to be ready for planting as soon as crowns can be obtained. I greatly prefer 

 autumn planting, considering that the sooner the crowns are in the ground the 

 better. Nothing is more injurious to the roots of lilies than expoure to sun and 

 wind. I have been compelled sometimes to plant in March in drying east winds 

 with bright sunshine, when it has been impossible to get the roots covered quickly 

 enough to prevent their getting dry, and the consequences have been disastrous. 



The ground having been prepared, the best and quickest method of planting 

 is in rows seven or eight inches apart, the plants being about one inch apart in the 

 rows ; paths of fifteen to eighteen inches wide may be left between every eight 

 rows for the convenience of weeding. In planting, which is done by throwing out 

 trenches about five inches deep, take care that the crowns are not set too deep ; 

 they should be only just deep enough for the tips of the crowns to be level with the 

 surface of the ground. A good mulching of cow manure, or, if this cannot be had, 

 well-rotted stable manure, completes the work, and nothing further is required but 

 keeping the beds free from weeds and giving them plenty of water in dry weather 

 during the summer. 



If one-year-old crowns have been selected for the start, they will require three 

 seasons of growth before being fit to be lifted for forcing. It must not be supposed 

 that so-called one-year-old crowns are actually twelve months old ; theyl really 

 represent only four to five months' growth, the rhizomes beginning to grow in 

 lune or July, forming the crown under ground during the summer. Thus when 

 they are fit to lift as flowering crowns their actual age is three and a half years. 

 It is true that by good cultivation many of these crowns will bloom in two "years 

 from the time of planting, and many growers have been tempted to lift them at 

 that age ; but experience has taught me that the percentage of flowering crowns is 

 smaller and the increase of planting crowns less than|when they are left a year longer 

 undisturbed It is generally understood that lilies of the valley must be three years 

 ; -Id before they flower, and that they will then flower every alternate year. This 



nrl?! n ! - • L h f. re ^ re exce P tions - % good cultivation— z.*. high feeding at the 

 proper time with liquid manure-and if special care is taken to remove the flower 

 as soon as ever it k Kir r^n;^ ,.^n. u* . ..^ _ r ^ 



forcing-house into a cooler one of genial temperature. The heat, however, must 



be always even and not too low, or else the damp will speedily ruin the flowers. 



The foregoing methods refer principally to the early period, before Christmas ; 



later in the season, and as the spring advances, forcing is an easier matter. The 



temperature need not be kept so regular, and all that is required is warmth and 



moisture, which will soon start the crowns into growth. More attention should 



at this later time be paid to the hardening off, shading from bright sunshine, and 



never allowing them to get dry at the roots ; they should also have more room by 



planting the crowns wider apart, as more leaves will now appear than before 

 Christmas. 



Finally, it should be pointed out that if temporary frames are placed over the 

 beds of flowering crowns out of doors in March their blooming will be hastened by 

 two or three weeks. For this purpose keeping chem close and watering as required 

 are the only necessary directions. 



It is quite immaterial in what soil the crowns are planted for forcing, as abso- 

 lutely no new roots are formed during this period ; anything, in fact, which retains 

 moisture will do. You cannot improve the blooms by planting the crowns in the 

 very best of soil, or by giving them manure water. All the nutriment required for 

 the development of the flowers is gathered during the previous growing season, and 

 is stored up in the roots. 



It is not generally known that forced lilies will bear almost any rough treat- 

 ment. They can b n pulled out of their boxes or pots when in full bloom for 

 making up into fancy stands, ornamental pots, and nicknacks of any description 

 without flagging or spoiling. They can be sent by post or rail hundreds of miles, 

 packed in a little damp moss, when they may be again planted, and will look as 

 fresh as if they had never been disturbed. I once sent a quantity in an hermetically- 

 sealed box to Pietermaritzburg, where they arrived after their long ocean and land 

 lourney as fresh as if they had only travelled a few miles. 



As regards the varieties or " strains " best adapted for forcing, that known as 

 the Berlin is unquestionably the best for early work. The Dutch and Hamburg 

 ones are good for late forcing, but my experience is that they do not approach the 

 Berlin strain for forcing before Christmas. These three varieties are said to be 

 seedlings, or possibly " sports," from the common or wild lily of the valley, on 

 which they are immense improvements. No amount of cultivation would ever 

 transform the wild plant into a rival of either the Hamburg, the Berlin, or the 

 Dutch forms. The Dutch variety is of more spindly growth than the Berlin, and 

 has, moreover, a weak and drawn appearance. 



In conclusion let me say one word on the subject of retarding. Dr Lardner 

 once pooh-poohed the idea of a steamship ever crossing the Atlantic, and the idea 

 of retarding lily of the valley crowns may appear just as absurd to the casual 

 observer. That it is now done, however, both extensively and successfully, is too 

 well known for me to emphasise. 



The Weather Plant. 



Abrus precatorius. (L.) 



To judge by a recent notice in no less a journal than the Times this nlUSt 

 be a very marvellous plant, since, according to the discoverer of its 

 wonderful powers it is able by its movements to indicate the weather of 

 the locality not only forty-eight hours in advance, but also the hourly 

 variation during that period. Not content with this, to judge by the 

 notice in question, and the circular issued by Mr. Nowack, it predicts, 

 or rather enables him to predict, cyclones in America three days before- 

 hand, actually naming the cities they will visit ; earthquakes in 



Jap 



and volcanic eruptions in Sicily are also foretold several 



months in advance, and warnings of colliery explosions are given long 



:urred, with precise indication of the county which was to be 

 the sufferer. In confirmation of these marvels we have a large number 



will bloom several years in succession • ard h^Vk Zn the sufferer. In confirmation ot these marvels we nave a large numoer 



. again 



January, 



e/riinS 2? ° n 6 Valle / successfuI1 y * « of the utmost importance to have 

 « pE5 tfrZ elI ' ma f tured u cr ^^ that have fully completed their growth and 



Sorftu c y ann m f ,f re th6y haVC un ? er S° ne a P e «od of rest, be it ever so 

 Mu h To deoend I™' ^ matter L what amount of heat you may give them. 



undoubtealv those tZl ^ h ° W the . cr ™ nS haVC been g rown " The best are 

 ubtedly those that have been grown m light sandy soil, heavily manured and 



than 



Novmff ff^n^ y ^? TO ^ ^ ^ ° ctober or beginning of 



and December a cl ~ n * ^ T*?* but for earl r flowers > ^ Novenfber 

 to maimamT moist and ^Sff^* 01 forcin f P k is absolutely necessary, in order 

 "owns in a L^Tnch ^tTn7hlT,f ra - tUre> If P ots are plant about twelve 



>our left hand, S j£™ nf • ° Wing manner 1 Placefo « crowns in the palm of 

 ^d then the remaining L, ° D \ h * rO0tS ' a S am four crowi » more soil, 



^nd and d^^hSeb^^' S eepU « *?? T" 5 aI1 level » close Y™ 



so as fo have them ^n i?"T h -jP 0 i' WO ?" n , g the soil wel1 in between each 

 •bove the brim of ^e not 8 y dmded and a11 crowns standin g level just 

 ] f of either moss or c^oanut ffh * g °°v ? atering L and P lun S e the P ots ln a 

 clean moss, and close STbS JSP I T ^ lth two or three inches of 



^hettuptoSodi^.^u?^ to kee P 11 Fleetly dark. 



crown 



Bring the 



increase 



*'llbedone. EZ^^^-l™?*^ <*tofiUll«Mr 8o 

 r^ary) with 25£*a2S dail y » k <*P a moist atmosphere : 



1* 



;*>"• re,:: "ve the top covering 7f growth, and are about two inches 



maintaining S^m^ gradually inure them to the light, still, 

 open remov* _ % » ni gn temperature. As soon u_ii.^..2:_ 1_ 



Anoth 



room .* '"ore usually adnnt^H u- u . . JCxniDiuon in rooo uucs uui *r\ 



** «— - KnT^^T^l^"' !"? k would have been reproduced. 



careful not to commit themselves ; and a variety of press cuttings, most 

 of which are of that delightfully vague and unscientific character which 

 results from a paragraph going the round of the press and being 

 paraphrased by the various writers according to their fancy, in the 

 absence of any actual personal knowledge of the matter in hand. 



Abrus precatorius (L.), or the wild liquorice, derives its generic 

 name from the softness and delicacy of its foliage (abros), and its specific 

 name (precatorius^ from the fact that its seeds are used for rosaries. 

 Its illustrious sponsor, Linnaeus, was, therefore obviously unaware of its 

 astounding sagacity as a weather and earthquake prophet, or its implied 

 sympathy with the sun in its spotted condition, and it is only in its 

 affinity with the sensitive plant as one of the mimosa? that we get any 

 suggestion of its extraordinary powers. Unfortunately for the curious 

 in such matters, neither the Times notice nor .Mr. Xowack's circular 

 affords the least information as to "how it is done; "and although the 

 modest sum of £10,000 is called for to build an observatory for the 

 proper exploitation of these wonders for the benefit of mankind, no idea is 

 given why so much is required for so apparently simple an object as 

 watching the gifted plant and interpreting its signals according to the 

 code which, presumably, the discoverer has managed to decipher. Most 

 epoch-making discoveries are in the air as it were some time before they 

 are crystallised into utilisable facts ; scientists have been on the border- 

 land long before, numerous papers very near the mark have been 

 written, read, and published, and the world is therefore more or less 

 prepared to accept them when eventually defined and clearly established.. 

 Here, however, although the said discoveries and experiments extend, 

 over a decade, not a quotation appears from a single truly scientific 

 journal, and a certificate of accuracy to the extent of 96 per cent ot the 

 predictions which was promised by the committee of the (Vienna) Jubilee 

 Exhibition in 1888 does not appear to have been given, or presumably 



^ the bZZTXSL i at ^ flowering can 



grown 



being 



Mr. Nowack, who is an Austrian, and does not apparently claim* 

 connection with any scientific society, is now in London with a view to 

 establishing the weather-plant observatory in question ; but we certainly 

 think he will have to adopt some far more scientific and convincing 

 fashion of bringing his discoveries forward before he will obtain any/ 

 adequate support for the exploitation of his plant. C. T. D. 



