August 6, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
105 
grow by themselves. I think no one with a moderately light soil 
need fear to grow the Alstroemerias provided deep planting is 
practised. 
Some of the Spiraeas are at present attractive, and none is 
more so than S. Aruncus, which, when in full flower, is most beau¬ 
tiful and effective with its feathery plumes of flowers and bright 
foliage. There seems to be some slight variation in this Spiraea. 
In a good garden the other day I saw plants which were nearly 
past, and which the gardener assured me always flowered about 
a fortnight earlier than the others, which were in a similar position. 
There was also a larger Spiraea, which seems like a form of 
S. Aruncus, but not so white nor so feathery. This had come from 
an old garden in the same neighbourhood, where it had been for 
many years, and where I saw it the same day. Can these be the 
two named in the “Cottage Gardeners’ Dictionary ” as S. Aruncus, 
introduced from Siberia in 1633, and S. a. americana, introduced 
from North America ? 
But I must now draw to a close, not through lack of flowers to 
treat of, but lest the Eai f or should deem these notes too long, for 
Shirley Poppies of lovely colours, golden CEnotheras, stately Ver- 
bascums, and many others, withstand the drought, delight the eye 
with their beauty, and tempt me to write in their praise. Through 
a printer’s error the last word of the first line of the quotation 
from Thomson’s “ Seasons,” on page 16, was printed “ swells ” 
instead of “ smells.”— S. Arnott. 
GOLDEN SHRUBS. 
Tiie present is the “ golden prime ” of the shrubbery now 
that its colouring is at its brightest, and the delicate contrast 
between the old and new growth most apparent. It is therefore 
a good time to look around and make notes for the next planting 
season. My remarks were first inspired by the sight of a gloi’ious 
mass of Golden Yews lighted up by a gleam of bright sunshine, and 
backed by the rich dark green of the common Yews growing behind 
them ; the sight confirmed an opinion which has been growing for 
years, that our old friend is still the finest Golden Conifer we 
possess, in spite of the numerous introductions of recent years. 
Some of our golden novelties are, no doubt, very beautiful, 
especially in the young state, but the tendency of Cupressus, Reti- 
nosporas, and others is to grow scraggy as they become older, and 
instead of improving, to become blemishes in the garden and require 
replacement. Then, again, in point of hardiness our native is far 
more dependable than the delicate foreigners, which, though they 
may stand a moderately low winter temperature fairly well, show 
unmistakeable signs after a bad spring that they do not agree with 
Kingsley in his affection for a north-easter. Another point in 
favour of the Yew is the impunity with which it may be trans¬ 
planted up to almost any size, in which respect it has a great 
advantage over many other Conifers, notably Cupressus Law- 
soniana lutea, which, though splendid in other ways, is a “terror” 
to move, and unless well prepared is almost sure to resent it by 
dying. I grant our old favourite is sometimes formal in shape, and 
owing to its slow growth in the earlier stages, somewhat expensive 
to buy. The first fault, however, lies with those most misused of 
all gardening implements, the shears ; as because the tree will bear it 
without remonstrance all its beauty is in many places shorn oft 
annually ; while as to the second, wed, all things go by comparison, 
and a good specimen Golden Yew, which is an ornament to any 
garden, and will perhaps go on improving a hundred years after the 
purchaser has left the scene, is a better investment than many rare 
plants costing perhaps ten times the money, requiring costly houses 
and men to grow them, and which the least error in treatment may 
cause to disappear altogether.—C has. E. Pearson, Ghilwell Nurseries , 
Notts. 
LILIES. 
An ordinary meeting of the Dewsbury and District Paxton 
Society took place on Wednesday evening, July 8tb, Mr. Thomas, 
Overthorpe, in the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting 
having been confirmed, Mr. Hepworth, gardener to E. T. Ingham, 
Esq., Blake Hall, read the following essay on “ Liliums and their 
Culture.” 
“Fair as a Lily,” “pure as a Lily,” “ beautiful as a Lily.” Who 
has not often heard or used terms such as these to express their 
admiration for some beautiful objects? and who amongst us can 
gaze upon the newly opened flowers of many varieties of Lilies 
without confessing them both fair, pure, and beautiful? The Lily has 
been the theme of poets and historians from time immemorial, and 
if there has been one flower to compare with the Rose in popular 
favour it has surely b^en the Lily. It has long been associated 
with both the joys and sorrows of h rmanity, and at no period more 
so than the present, when its chaste and fragrant flowers are eagerly 
sought for. Of exquisite beauty, delicious fragrance, stately babif, 
the colours ranging from the purest white through many shades to 
the most brilliant scarlet, crimson, orange, and purple, banded with 
gold or with ruby-like spots, in height from 1 to 10 feet, with flowers 
from 2 to 12 inches across, and in ssason from spring till late in 
the autumn, such is the flower, the merits of which we have to dis¬ 
cuss, and on the culture of which it is my privilege to offer a few 
hints. 
Lilies prevail throughout central and southern Europe, in the 
Alpine districts, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, through Siberia to 
FIG. 16. —LILIUM WASHINGTONIANUM. 
Northern China and Japan. A few fine species come from the 
mountains of India, whilst the United States, east and west, also 
contribute handsomely to the list. Botanists divide them into 
three groups—viz , the Archelirion, which includes all those with 
hoiizontal or drooping flowers, such as L. auratum and L. speciosum ; 
the Eulirion, those with trumpet-shaped flowers, such as L. longi- 
florum ; and the Isolhion, those with erect bell-shaped flowers, such 
as L. croceum, the old Orange Lily. For the purpose of this paper 
I propose to treat them under the two heads of hardy and half- 
hardy.—those adapted for outdoor cultivation, and those best grown 
in pots, because although the majority are said to be hardy, and 
may be so in well sheltered places in the south and west of England, 
yet we can scarcely expect to grow many of the best varieties out 
of doors in this district. 
Lilies Out of Doors. 
The hardy Lilies are pre-eminent amongst herbaceous perennials, 
and when planted under proper conCitions none gives less trouble 
to the grower. The best possible place for most cf them is in the 
