IP** rt 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



369 



|LlES AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS. 



f Fastern and Western lilies has entirely transformed 

 TfU production ot ^ fa espeaally expre ssive of the influence 



thc aspect of our gar ^ g ^ ^ candid L . auratum, 



exercised by sucn tQ k of L . chalcedonicum, L. pardalinum, 

 L specosum, lsum all of which an d many others of equal 



• - ;,1nn,nl - ana ■ as L. giganteum and L. szovitzi- 



L ^T'such, for example, 



endowment, sue , themselyes capable G f producing splendid artistic 



juium, h f% pr flowers as anemones, irises, violas, and aquileg.as are 

 effects. , huC V^ P heres ; most of them are at once richly odorous and 

 admirable in their sp ^ ^ the majestic e i e vation and dignity 



^hly ornamental , . ai whoge onJy serious rlval 1S the rose. I 



of the altogemer f ^ ^ vgs itg cultivator> whe n once it has been 

 do not hesitate w ^ than any of these A great many 



tablished, inn" QY capric i OUS) an d require constant attention, 



flowers are ei nc summer, if they are even to have the 



especially i n . laie bp 6 ~ J <- — — -1- -~ » ^ 



pnvilege °f hardening influence upon the soil, 



weakenea oy fl £ wer j ng season arrives they make no effort in this 

 ^niste 'direction, but merely send up foliage without 

 e lf ihprs such as the phloxes and montbretias, are 

 ttred in a single night by the sudden advent of the frost. 



Rnt the lilies which give grace and distinction to our gardens are of a 

 j-ir Int constitution from this. Three years ago the tropical form of one 

 (Z tenderest of Japanese liliums, L. longiflorum Harrisi, triumphantly 

 ved the hardest winter I have ever experienced ; though it should 

 wTadded that the effect of that crucial period on vegetation of every 

 Hrscriotion was greatly mitigated by an unprecedentedly heavy fall of 

 clow which, by reason of a strong drift, was in my garden eight feet 

 Seep' and lay there for two months ere it was entirely melted by the sun. 



Only a few lilies, mostly of Indian origin, require the conservatory ; 

 wnonff these are L. Wallichianum, somewhat akin to the longiflorum 

 familw but of less vigorous nature (this variety must not be confounded 

 ■ h 'Wallichianum superbum, now commonly called " sulphureum "), 

 I ilium Lowi, and L. nepalense, which require bottom heat to start them 

 ito activity, and are not more beautiful than their stronger contempo- 

 iries, which, if only assigned an adequately sheltered and congenial 

 situation, luxuriate in our gardens. Of the latter, which constitute, most 

 fortunately, the vast majority, one of the grandest is Lilium giganteum, a 

 native of the Himalayas, which must be grown from an offset 

 )r several years to ensure its full capability of abnormal growth 

 and bloom. Some of the finest specimens of this imposing lily I have 

 ever seen I saw some years ago at the Royal Exotic Nurseries, 

 King's Road, Chelsea, but I have no doubt that they had been in 

 the first place grown in the open air. The strongest lilies 

 are as a rule marvellously accommodating. I have often thus transferred 

 splendid specimens of auratum, longiflorum, and speciosum from their 

 place in the open garden to the staircase window of this house when 

 the plants were just coming into bloom, with gratifying facility and 

 perfect success. In such instances, however, it is very advisable to 

 keep them shaded as much as possible for several days, till they have 

 become harmonised to their altered environment ; otherwise some con- 

 siderable extent deterioration may result. If not sufficiently supplied 

 with water they will also inevitably suffer much. Lilies, as a general rule, 

 are not very exacting in the matter of soil, provided it is not defective in 

 drainage— a consideration of the greatest importance, especially during 

 the winter months— or too cold and adhesive to satisfy their requirements. 

 A large number of them are partial to a loamy soil, or one which 

 is considerably impregnated with peat, which is perhaps of all 

 substances the most favourable to fibrous production and root-formation. 

 They are also much benefited by a considerable application of sea sand, 

 which ensures moisture in summer when the ground is parched and dry, 

 and during the floods of winter preserves the bulbs and tender roots from 

 deterioration and possible decay. During the latter exacting season I 

 once lost the finest Lilium giganteum I ever possessed by planting it too 

 near the surface, and not giving it an adequate amount of preservative 

 sand. I find that in my own garden the so-called Persian Lily (L. 

 monadelphum szovitzianum) which is really, as Mr. Baker can tell us, a 

 Iartagonian native of Turkey in Asia, is a striking exception to the 

 general rule, and did not realize my sanguine anticipations regarding its 



Some of them, such as the tulips, are so 



any bloom ; 

 sometimes 



of this as Dr. 

 naturalised, one 



Wallace has described it as being, when thoroughly 

 of the finest existing lilies ~ 



and Humboldti. 



wr^u 4-u c , - . 0 *° r g ai *den cultivation. 



With other famous species from various regions of the world, such as 



Chalcedonicum (the Scarlet Martagon % Dalmaticum, Monadelphum, 



I had at first a similarly tantalising experience ; now 

 they are among the grandest ornaments of my herbaceous borders, Lilium 

 dalmaticum reaching a height of eight feet and bearing upwards of fifty 

 flowers. I should think that this species and the beautiful white Martagon 

 would present a striking contrast if grown side by side. Lilium chalce- 

 donicum, by reason of its brilliant complexion, would also associate 

 admirably with these. 



The most interesting longiflorums of recent introduction are L. Take- 

 sima grandiflorum and L. formosanum, the latter having been intro- 

 duced, as its name sufficiently indicates, from the island of Formosa. 

 Each of them possesses what may be termed individuality or distinctive 

 characteristics ; but they have not the vigour of Wilsoni or Giganteum. 



David R. Williamson. 



Narcissus triandrus and Allied Forms. 



Of wild narcissi at present known and cultivated here and on the Con- 

 tinent, this small group contains undoubtedly the most interesting and 

 pretty species. Unfortunately they will, I am afraid, be never very 

 popular, on account of their difficult culture, rarity, and slowness of 

 propagation. N. triandrus and N. cyclamineus are good seed bearers, and 

 can also still be procured from their native habitat ; but N. calathinus and 

 the form N. concolor are very rare, and the supply is very uncertain, while 

 I doubt whether N. triandrus pulchellus has been found wild during 

 the last twenty years. The best way of growing these forms is to plant 

 them in sheltered spots on the rockery or in borders in clumps. When once 

 doing well, do not disturb them for several years, and then immediately 

 replant them early in summer. All are well adapted for pot culture. 



N. triandrus reflexus has small globular bulbs about half an inch in 

 diameter ; the leaves are slender, channelled, linear, and deep green; 

 peduncle about eighteen inches high, bearing from one to twelve flowers ; 

 the flowers are drooping ; perianth about one and a quarter inch long ; 

 segments lanceolate, reflexed ; corona cup-shaped, the colour being 

 pure white. The anthers are variable in length, and usually three shorter 

 ones and three longer ones, and style exserted ; hence, by some oversight, 

 Linnseus thought it had only three anthers, and named it erroneously N. 

 triandrus, but the more appropriate name is N. reflexus. When well 

 grown it is certainly a very desirable plant, but few seem to succeed with 

 this species. Here, at the Hale Farm Nurseries, we grow it in a good 

 loamy soil, planted about six inches deep, and leave the bulbs without 

 disturbance for three or four years. The position is sheltered and half 

 shady : also does well in purely peaty soil. It is a native of Spain and 



Portugal. 



N. triandrus concolor is a Portuguese form, with pale yellow flowers ; 

 it is, however, a very rare plant in English gardens. N. triandrus pul- 

 chellus has flowers very much smaller than the preceding, and it seems 

 to be now almost extinct, judging by the few specimens one meets now 

 only in a few collections, and I have no knowledge of its having been 

 found recently as a wild plant. The peduncle of this species is unusually 

 stout, about eighteen inches high, pedicels rather long segments yellow 

 and the corona whitish or pale sulphur. N. t riandry s calath 1 n us, ^escr 1 bed 

 in "Redonte's Liliace*," is a very local plant of the Isle of Glennaus, 

 where it is found growing round the coast among grass. It differs from 

 N triandrus in the broader leaves and the much larger and somewha 

 hell-shaoed flowers, the colour being almost pure white. As it grows 

 ea y, TiSiabtetobe injured by froft, and should therefore be planted 

 fn sheltered spots, or grown as a pot plant and kept in a cool frame. It 

 s a ver^handsome and uncommon plant, rarely met with and then 

 L\l small numbers This is a fine subject for cross-fertilisation. 



a« ai ^S^smBSl number of white hybrid trumpet narcissi 

 J^Tm th^tinent, the product of this and Ajax forms, which, 

 whLmo^lta^ will be eagerly secured by lovers of narcissi. 



potentialities, until it was transferred from its original position in ordinary once doing well in any pan «- * . ^ t seeds . N . Johnstoni is 



team, of a somewhat light description and planted in clay. This especially as it increase a but s ^° y lamin€us and a yellow Ajax 



e perience of one of the stateliest and most commanding in its aspect of probably a natural n?J" d ^ el * ee the t ' especially as in the pretty 



jBb&s, entirely corresponds with the opinion of Mr. Nicholson, of the form, being '"^mediate twe ™ are slightly reflexed, though 



Royal Gardens, Kew. form Queen of SmM^S or N. cyclamineus. The typical 



Dr. Wallace, of Colchester, whom I have always regarded as one of ^SSSS^SSS^^ flowers ' and Quee " ° f ?*T % 



^ greatest hvmg authorities upon this special subject has told us that N \I ohM S" flo^ is > however ' a rare p i an J? fiS 



U'um auratum, whose decorative value can hardly be over-estimated, Koldcn-yellow flowers , G. REU1 HE. 



a wnose adequate culture is, therefore, a matter of primary importance, 

 umMW t0 P; dressm g of dry clay broken very small." If so, it must have 

 is r fit ♦ ? nature of Lilium szovitzianum. The latter stately lily 

 preside, t ¥ Rochester Deanery with remarkable success by the gifted 

 obtained f v Natl0nal Rose Societ y ' and lt was m y intention to have 



golden-yellow 

 latter is fairly plentiful 



The wonderful and beautiful flowers seen 



XT*? SlSSva « S ti.u,y that canno. « U* ..me o ^ y«< be 



reS ' r0m him ere this . fOT «l« sake ' of comparison, his opinion of its °on, prove ttot J ta non-fruiters, that bloom freely al», and 



SvSrL J here » »* difficulty connected with the cultivation of ""SSTS <° Vfe^^^^KS^ 



division ^ s , member s of the great Martagon family (or sub-genus, as each 

 arduous t S bota ™. call y called). Lilium pardalinum, indeed, is somewhat 

 of this iu^i eSt ^ accor( ^ n & t0 m Y experience, for some of my plants 

 not vetV h-' j ired Californian lily, though planted two years ago, have 

 tion of 21 ? y ed an ything worthy of being recorded, either in the direc- 

 Patience u 1? • bloom 5 but I have some hope that my long-enduring 

 m *ybe am 1 ani Ply sustained by other and greater consolations), 



aT ^piy rewarded by this time next year. I am the more hopeful 



them in their seasons 

 cherries. I have see 



in positions not been the double-blossomed 



" *— — * of these, Urge-P-ading examples too ^ rally rna3ses 



3535 whiteness, such as no g£ ££ J£ ff 



tinted cherry, Cerasus Wate 5 e "£ n ^ S v ° el y. en h ow pure and beautiful, too, have 

 tions a pendulous ^S^tbJL, ? and coloured thorns are rich 



been some °V h tKrsechesmuts, the robinias, and the high-colou red Judas 

 ^^ ? «2^^S« ^ings merit wider planting.-.^ D. 



