1866 .] 
361 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
an old pasture, in equal parts, well mixed. 
__Then, a few words as to watering, temperature, 
etc. It is a good rule to give water only when 
the ground is dry, and then to give it thorough¬ 
ly, so that it will run through the ball of earth. 
No universal rule can be given, however. . The 
African Lily, for example, needs water to satura¬ 
tion, while the Cactus family need but little. 
Watch the foliage, and never allow it to flag. 
Examine the soil, and never allow it to become 
diy. Experience will teach one when to water, 
by noting the sound of the pot when rapped 
with the knuckles, or by its weight when lift¬ 
ing it. Of course, the 
leaves should be sprink¬ 
led as well as the soil. 
There is ordinarily 
more danger to our 
plants from heat than 
cold. As a general rule, 
60° to 70° by day, and 
45° to 50° by night, is 
high enough. The ex¬ 
ceptions to this must be 
learned by experience. 
About Lilies, Native 
and Foreign. 
Plants that are read¬ 
ily obtainable by every 
one, are perfectly har¬ 
dy, and are not particu¬ 
lar about soil, commend 
themselves to popular 
favor. Most of the lilies 
possess these qualities, 
and we And them every¬ 
where among the com¬ 
mon plants. They are 
among the few flowers 
mentioned in the Bible, 
and one of them is the 
chosen emblem of pu¬ 
rity. Every old garden 
has its clump of White, 
Tiger, and Martagon li¬ 
lies—one or all of them; 
and though old and neg¬ 
lected varieties, they 
are not on that account 
to be despised. Indeed, 
for purity of whiteness 
and delicacy of fra¬ 
grance, the old White 
lily may hold up its 
head among the more 
showy and costly new 
comers. We have three 
native species common 
at the North, which, 
though seldom seen in 
our gardens, are highly prized in those of 
Europe. All of these, when introduced into 
the favorable soil of the garden, bloom much 
more finely than they do in their wild state, 
and they are moreover so common and read¬ 
ily obtained that even the poorest can have 
them. The Wild Orange-red Lily, Lilium 
PMladelpldcum, is found in dry fields, etc. It 
produces only a few upright flowers, which are 
orange, with blackish spots. The Wild Yellow 
Lily, L. Canadense^ grows in moister places 
than the foregoing. It has more flowers, which 
are nodding, and of various shades of yellow 
and orange, with brown spots. But the finest 
of our native lilies is the Turk’s-Cap, or Superb, 
L, superium. This will in cultivation often at¬ 
tain a bight of 6 or 8 feet, and produce a gor¬ 
geous pyramid of thirty or forty flowers, which 
have reflexed orange or scarlet petals, with dark 
purple spots. Any of our native sorts may be 
marked when in flower, and taken up when the 
foliage commences to wither. They bloom in 
July and August, and are all valuable, either by 
themselves, or in making up a collection. We 
have often mentioned the varieties of Lilium 
speciosim —or Japan Lily. This species, usually 
called by florists L. lancifolium^ presents several 
varieties, all beautiful. The new and splendid 
Golden-banded Lily, L. auratum^ was figured in 
THE LONG-FLOWEKED LILT— Lilium lourjijlormn. 
September, i 860 , and though yet among our ex¬ 
pensive bulbs, is one that we hope to see be¬ 
come as popular as the others. A rather old 
and neglected Japanese species is the Long- 
flowered Lily, L. longijlorum. This is seldom 
seen in gardens, probably for the reason that it 
was first introduced as a green-house plant. It 
is perfectly hardy, and throws up a strong stem, 
one or two feet high, which bears at its summit 
from one to three large and long flowers, of a 
pure wdiiteness and a delicious fragrance. In 
order to make this fine species better known, 
we give an engraving (of about half size,) from a 
specimen sent us by Mr. Isaac Buchanan, of 
Astoria. We have also had specimens of this 
beautiful lily from Messrs. Peter Henderson and 
A. S. Fuller. This year a set of Japanese varie- 
ties,with such names as Iden Soto, Iska Wojarna 
and other Japanese names applied to them, 
have been introduced. We have flowered the 
most of these novelties, and can find no other 
quality than their earliness to recommend them. 
They are well enough in their way, but lack 
positive character. Lilies may be planted in 
autumn or in spring. They will do something 
in poor soil, but much better in one that has a 
plenty of old manure forked in to a good depth. 
We have said these lilies are hardy, and so they 
are about New York City, but even here, like 
other herbaceous plants, 
they flower all the bet¬ 
ter if they are covered 
with littery manure dur¬ 
ing the winter. Lily 
bulbs should never be 
long out of the ground, 
as they can not, like 
Tulips and Hyacinths, 
lose their proper roots 
without inj ury,although 
they will remain for 
some weeks in good con¬ 
dition, if packed in moss. 
Bulbs — Plant Now 
for Spring Flowers. 
Every one enjoys the 
spring flowers that come 
from the hardy bulbs, 
and yet we seldom see 
these in gardens, for the 
reason that they are for¬ 
gotten in autumn—the 
proper season for plant¬ 
ing them. As a remind¬ 
er we will say, that the 
sooner, after the middle 
of October, the bulbs 
can be got into the 
ground, the better. If 
the bulbs are to be 
bought, purchase early, 
before the stock of the 
dealers becomes reduc¬ 
ed. If the soil is not 
in good condition, it 
should be manured with 
old cow manure, and if 
disposed to be heavy, 
some sand may be work¬ 
ed in. The best success 
Avill be had if the old 
soil be dug out to the 
depth of twenty inches, 
and the space filled with 
fresh iiasture loam and 
decayed cow manure. 
When the bed is prepared, let it settle, and 
then plant the bulbs. It is a good practice 
to put a little sand under each bulb. Hyacinths 
should be eight inches apart each way, and four 
inches deep. Tulips six or seven inches apart, 
and about three and a half deep. Crocuses may 
be nearer; three inches distant and two deep. 
Snow-drops, about the same as crocuses. Lilies 
are to be at least a foot apart each ivay, and five 
inches deep, and the same distance for the 
Crown Imperial. In making up the beds, it is 
well to leave them a few inches above the gen¬ 
eral level, as they will settle during the winter. 
Though the bulbs mentioned here are all per¬ 
fectly hardy, yet they will come out all the 
stronger in spring, if covered when cold weather 
