100 
NAT. ORDER. LILIACE^. 
time so much disposed to increase, would of course soon be found 
very general in ornamental gardens. Of the White Lily there are 
three principal varieties : first, the ivhite douhle Jhwers ; second, the 
flowers purple blocked ; third, the striped leaves, or leaves edged with 
yellow. The first two of these are mostly esteemed as curiosities ; 
in the third, the plant acquires an accession of beauty, which it 
has not originally. 
The Lily increases most abundantly by offsets : hence it be- 
comes necessary that the bulbs should be taken up, and reduced, 
every second or third year ; but the striped-leaved variety, in- 
creasing much more slowly, should remain unmolested for a gi'eater 
length of time. There is scarcely a soil or situation in the whole 
civilized world, in which the Lily will not grow. It thrives best 
in a soil moderately stiff and moist. Though a native of a warm 
climate, no severity of weather affects it with us. We may learn 
from this, not to regulate the culture of plants invariably by the 
climate in which they grow spontaneously. The best time for 
removing the bulbs of this plant is about the middle of August, 
before they shoot forth their leaves ; but they may be transplanted 
at any time from September until spring. 
Medical Properties and Uses. The flower of this plant is the 
only part which was formerly used as medicinal. They have a 
sweet, fragrant smell ; and a watery distillation of them was em- 
ployed as a cosmetic. The oil, olemn liliorum, is said to possess 
both anodyne and nervine properties ; but the odorous matter be- 
ing of such an extremely volatile nature, that it is usually carried 
off by evaporation, either by rectified spirit, or water. The roots 
are the part used at present, and are sometimes substituted for 
garlic. They answer well for poultices, or draffs on the feet. 
