56 
THE HOME GARDEN. 
which grows low* with very broad, light-green leaves, will 
generally blossom from July till September. 
The pet among lilies, the pearly, fragrant little lily-of- 
the-valley, is very evanescent in its beauty, a week or so in 
May being the only time when its dainty bells are seen 
among its capacious sheltering leaves. A large bed of 
this plant is necessary to produce much in the way of 
bloom, and any sheltered, out-of-the-way place, where the 
soil is rich and moist, will suit it admirably. No care is re¬ 
quired—only plenty of room for the long, tuberous roots. 
Pond-lilies, loveliest of a lovely family, are becoming 
naturalized as garden flowers, although it is necessary to 
grow them in their native element. Good garden soil may 
be used with it, although the black mud in which they 
originate (when it is possible to get it) is of course better. 
A tub of some kind is also required ; part of an ordinary 
cask, sunk in the ground to be more out of sight, will an¬ 
swer the purpose admirably. To fill this, a quarter full of 
earth will be sufficient, and the plant only requires to have 
the stem pressed well into it. 
“The big affair which passes for the root is really the 
stem, which lies along the bottom of the pond. One side 
of this produces roots which take a strong hold of the 
soil, as every one who has tried to get one up knows, while 
buds producing the leaves and flowers are on the upper 
side. When the tub is filled with water no further care is re¬ 
quired during the summer, except to supply water as it may 
be needed, as it is not likely that the rains will make up 
the loss by evaporation. Unless the tub can be so protected 
that it will not freeze solid, it should be moved to the cel¬ 
lar at the approach of cold weather. Only as much water 
need be left in the tub when it is moved as will be needed 
to keep the soil moist.” 
An account is given of a gentleman who discovered a 
rare lot of white pond-lilies at Block Island, and secured a 
