March 10, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
177 
LILY CULTURE. 
Since the advent of Lilium auratum there has been quite a 
demand for Lilies, and many new species and distinct varieties 
have been introduced from Japan, California, and the Philippine 
Islands. All of them may be cultivated in pots, and nearly the 
whole of them in the open ground in EnglanL When the bulbs 
are planted out of doors they should be in a position where the 
plants will not be exposed to the fury of south-west gales. Not 
only the flowers, but the leaves also are much injured by wind. 
The culture in pots is very simple, and may be briefly described. 
When the flower stalks become yellow it is a sign that they may 
be cut down near the surface of the ground, and as soon as con¬ 
venient after this the roots may be repotted. There is some 
difference of opinion amongst Lily growers as to the best way this 
is to be done. Some hold that it is injurious to the bulbs to shake 
them out of the soil and separate them, and would repot year after 
year, increasing annually the size of the pots. If the roots are 
potted before they start into growth I believe it is the best practice 
to shake out all the old soil, and saving as many as possible of 
the fibrous roots at the base of the bulb. There will also be a 
larger proportion of fibrous roots at the 
base of the old stalks, and these will 
have grown all round the bulb. The 
best way is to twist this stalk with all 
the roots out from the bulb. 
I have tried to grow them in various 
composts, and they do well in loam, leaf 
mould, and decayed manure. They do 
equally well in a compost of turfy loam 
and turfy peat in equal proportions, the 
leaf mould to be omitted, but adding 
the same proportion of manure and 
sand ; one-fifth part of the compost 
ought to be well decayed manure. I 
have always found that the roots are 
in better health when peat has been 
used in the compost. Good peat can¬ 
not be obtained in all districts, but 
when it can I advise its use ; but it is 
as well to state that very fine Lilies can 
be grown without peat in the soil. 
I believe in carefully draining all 
pots intended to grow plants during a 
whole season. The crocks should be 
placed in carefully, one large piece over 
the hole, a few similar bits of crock 
should be placed over it, and some 
smaller drainage over all ; the finer 
portion of the compost must be pre¬ 
vented from mixing with this by placing 
fibrous turf over the crocks. In potting 
press the mould in firmly by the hand, 
but not hard. The pots used may be 
of various sizes, one bulb in the centre of 
a 5 or 6-inch pot, or a dozen or a score 
of roots may be potted in a 13 or 15-inch. 
I have also potted three or four roots in a 9-inch pot; the top of the 
bulb should be an inch or more below the surface. After potting 
plunge the pots out of doors in some light material—I found 
cocoanut fibre refuse very useful for this purpose ; the surface of 
the pots should be at least 6 inches covered. Early in February they 
must be taken out of the plunging material and be put into a cold 
frame. By this time plenty of new roots will have formed, and 
some of the earlier sorts be throwing up the flower stems. Abun¬ 
dant ventilation is necessary, and in fine weather the lights may be 
removed. When all danger of frost is over the plants may be 
removed to a sheltered position out of doors, or they may be kept 
through the season under glass ; if the latter the plants should be 
close to the glass, the house to be well ventilated, and the ventilators 
open night as well as day. I have had L. auratum and L. Humbolti 
runup to 8 or 10 feet under such circumstances, and be well furnished 
with leaves from the base. The flower stems require to be supported 
by sticks, and when in flower they must be shaded from the sun. 
As to sorts, L. auratum must stand at the top of the list. 
Amongst the importations from Japan are many inferior varieties, 
but the best selections are truly noble flowers. L. Krameri and 
L. Krameri album are very much like auratum in style of growth 
and formation of flower ; the petals of the former are suffused with 
pink. L. Leichtlini is a very beautiful flower of slender growth ; 
the petals gracefully recurve. They are clear yellow, spotted with 
brownish purple. There is also a major form which is scarce. 
L. speciosum, of which there are at least six distinct and very 
beautiful varieties, is, perhaps, the most useful of all for pot 1 
culture. L. Humboldti is a very showy species, the flowers are 
orange yellow densely spotted with brown ; the petals are recurved, 
and the whole flower resembles L. tigrinum splendens. L. califor- 
nicum and L. pardalinum are nearly allied species. L. longiflorum 
with its elegant trumpet shaped, clear white flowers, should be in 
the most select collection. L. Washingtonianum is a handsome 
species, but it is not such a fine flower in cultivation as it was 
expected to be from the glowing accounts received with it. 
L. umbellatum and its varieties L. Thunbergianum and numerous 
forms thereof are all worthy of culture. L. giganteum is a grand 
species and likes a shady sheltered position in which to develope its 
magnificent spike of flowers. L. tigrinum splendens is the best of the 
Tiger Lilies. L. tigrinum fl.-pl. is also a very flne variety. L. tenui- 
folium is a gem, the stem is a foot high furnished with narrow leaves, 
and the flowers are orange scarlet, the petals elegantly recurved. 
L. parvum is also a small dwarf species worthy of culture.—J. 
AJRALIA SIEBOLDI. 
It would not be easy to imagine a more effective plant for a 
pedestal, or indeed any other prominent position in which its bold and 
FIG. 26. —ABALIA [SIEBOLDI. 
ornamental leafage could be well displayed, than Aralia Sieboldi. It 
is essentially a plant that requires space. Crowded up in a greenhouse 
amongst a host of other plants its well-marked individuality is obscured, 
and it is impossible to describe it as other than mis-applied and out of 
place when cultivated under such conditions. Many plants are often 
marred by their surroundings, and the remark forcibly applies to this. 
It is not suggested that it is always out of character when grown under 
glass. Examples to the contrary are often seen. If allowed plenty of 
room, not only for development, but also for its habit and foliage 
being well displayed, it is a greenhouse and conservatory plant of 
much value. 
There are other uses to which it may be put. The plant repre¬ 
sented in fig. 26 was grown in a large bowl that had been bored 
for drainage, and was a beautiful and admired occupant of a room 
window. 
Even more ornamental than the type in the estimation of many 
persons are the gold and silver variegated forms, A. S. aurea variegata 
and A. S. argentea variegata. These are remarkable for the beauty of 
their foliage, and it is desirable that they should be more extensively 
grown than they are at present. To all the uses that have been sug¬ 
gested for A. Sieboldi they are equally adapted, and the distinctness of 
the tints imparts a special interest and attractiveness to them. They 
are best grown in a compost of loam and sand in preference to 
very rich material, which would be likely to encourage too luxuriant 
growth,—P. 
