174 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
[ February 26, 1885. 
the enemy obtain a foothold several applications of a weak 
solution of softsoap and sulphur will hold them in check, if not 
entirely dislodge them. I grow them amongst miscellaneous 
stove and greenhouse plants without any trouble beyond an¬ 
ticipating their requirements.—J. U. S. 
(To be continued.) 
ROSE APHIS AND MILDEW. 
I HAVE never had so little annoyance from aphis or mildew among my 
flowers as last year. This I attribute to the use of Fir tree oil. I applied 
it first through Hughes’ spray-distributor to destroy green fly that made 
their appearance on Tea Roses in pots in a frame. This it did most 
satisfactorily, and I subsequently applied it to all my Roses in the garden, 
using there a fine-rosed watering can. There was no appearance of green 
fly for a very considerable time, and as soon as they were observed a 
similar application destroyed them. I did not afterwards wait till they 
returned, but anticipated their attack. In all seasons, wet or dry, my 
Roses used to be more or less severely mildewed, but while gardens 
Dear, that usually suffered less than mine, were severely scourged, my 
plants remained clean. On returning home, indeed, after a fortnight’s 
absence in September I found the enemy had seized the opportunity, and 
mildew was for the first time rampant. Some of the more prickly 
varieties especially were badly attacked. I immediately resorted to the 
oil with more gratifying results than I had ever obtained from sulphur or 
other applications. I hope another season will confirm the idea that I 
have now the means of coping with what has always been a dreaded 
enemy by the use of a cleaner, more easily prepared, and cheaper mixture 
than any other I had used. I have a high opinion of it as a preventive. 
To an occasional bedewing with it at about the strength prescribed I am 
convinced it was owing that, while a hedge quite close by was for a time 
white with mildew, not a trace was at any time in the year visible on the 
Teas in the frame.— A Northern Amateur. 
THE BEST NORTH AMERICAN LILIES. 
In the following notes reference will only be made to such 
varieties as thrive best in this country. I would rather have 
included some others, but am unable to recommend them for 
general cultivation, as they ai’e what are termed “ miffy.” 
Happily, however, there are numbers of species and varieties 
which are highly ornamental and easily grown, without any 
elaborate preparation of soil or unusual accommodation. The 
bulk of those mentioned below are found under natural con¬ 
ditions in well-drained sheltered positions, such as at the foot 
of hills or on the slopes of larger mountains, usually in nooks on 
the margins of woods ; but the chief shelter they receive is from 
grass and other herbage or small shrubs, the latter being a cha¬ 
racteristic feature of the floras of their habitats. This knowledge 
should be of some value to us in determining a position for them 
in the garden. There are, however, two or three exceptions ; for 
example, L. Parryi, a species I should advise all lovers of Lilies 
to grow, occurs in wet marshes. L. canadense and superbum 
also are found in damp and at times swampy places; conse¬ 
quently they require, or at least I have found they thrive better 
in a damp position, especially if that position can be kept mode¬ 
rately dry during winter. The failure with L. Parryi is, I be¬ 
lieve, frequently due to superfluous moisture in winter, although 
it is absolutely necessary to supply it by some means with abun¬ 
dance of moisture during summer. Natural conditions cannot 
be effectively imitated with our precarious climate, so we must 
do the best possible under the circumstances. 
As to the soil best suited to these handsome Lilies I am not 
sure whether any rigid rule can be laid down, as I have tried 
them in various composts with almost similar results. One 
batch was planted in peat, leaf soil, and sand; another in light 
sandy loam well enriched with manure. Both have done well, 
but I think they grew tallest in the peaty compost, but 
perhaps this was due to the retentive character of that soil as 
regards moisture. With the exception of L. Parryi and L. cana¬ 
dense (typical), I believe all those desci-ibed will thrive in ordi¬ 
nary soil, providing plenty of decayed manure is arranged beneath 
the bulbs, not necessarily in immediate contact with them, but 
within reach of the roots. Perhaps I had better qualify this 
statement, having regard to stiff clay soils ; in such they are not 
happy, but a good stiff loam is especially suited to some. I was 
very much struck with the luxuriant growth of some, especially 
the variety known ascarolinianum or Michauxii, in a soil of this 
character in Derbyshire, where the stems grew 6 feet high and 
were very floriferous. Writing from memory, I do not think 
they produce roots from the base of the stems like several other 
Lilies, hence top-dressing is not very beneficial. It is far pre¬ 
ferable to well enrich the ground with manure at the time of 
planting, and when the ground is exhausted lift and replant 
again. I usually plant the bulbs 6 inches deep; it does not 
matter if they are 8 inches below the surface, particularly the 
strong-growing ones. L. Parryi and canadense i find do best in 
a shady very sheltered position with a mixture of loam, peat, leaf 
soil, and sand in equal parts, and if the season is at all dry give 
copious supplies of water, but from the time that the stems 
die withhold the supply, and during very wet times cover them 
with a handlight or something to prevent the effects of excessive 
moisture. L. Washingtonianum and Humboldtii like a deep 
rich loam, with a warm well drained position, when they are 
really charming species and withal so distinct. The following I 
consider the best of the North American Lilies, and in describing 
them I have adopted the arrangement advoeated by Sereno 
Watson, which in my opinion is the nearest approach to perfec¬ 
tion 
L. canadense. —This usually grows about 2 feet high, pro¬ 
ducing slender stems, clothed, lanceolate leaves arranged in 
whorls, and terminated by a few pendant flowers; the perianth 
is bell-shaped, yellow, spotted inside, especially below the seg- 
Fig. 30.—Lilium canad use. 
men's, slightly recurved (fig. 30). It is a very distinct, and, to my 
mind, pretty species, andean easily be distinguished by the bulbs, 
which are often supported on almost naked runners. It was one 
of the first of the introduced Lilies from America, having been 
figured by Parkinson (Parad. 32, t. 2), where also a good descrip¬ 
tion is given. It is very variable in character, mainly in the floral 
colour, as distributed over the continent of North America, pass¬ 
ing from yellow to deep orange red. 
L. columbianum. —A charming species, growing from 2£ to 
3 feet high, the slender stems scantily furnished with more or 
less lanceolate acute, in whorls below, more or less scattered 
towards the top. Flowers produced in a racemose umbel, of a 
rich yellow orange colour, the perianth segments being 1J to 
2 inches long, and very sharply reflexed, the inner surface thickly 
dotted. It was considered at one time synonymous with a variety 
of L. canadense called parviflorum, which it closely resembles 
in habit and flower, but the bulb is very different, being erect 
and not rhizome-like. It is found from British Columbia to 
Northern California, perhaps more abundant on the foot hills of 
Sierra Nevada than anywhere. 
L. Humboldti. —One of the best of ail hardy Lilies, prowing 
from 3 to 5 feet high, with numerous whoxfls of bluish-green 
leaves, oblanceolate in form, acute, with undulated margins 
