106 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August C, 1891. 
borders amongst shrubs where these are not too thick. The shrubs 
being mostly surface-rooting afford just the shade and shelter 
needful for the Lilies, without exhausting the soil beneath them, 
and their noble flowers are seen to grand advantage against the 
dark green leaves of the shrubs. They can also be grown in any 
ordinary flower border, and almost in any position if the soil is 
good, and if arranged according to their height—dwarf ones in 
front, tall ones behind—are very effective. Although the Lily 
naturally likes the shade yet it must not be planted under the 
drip of trees, and wherever they are planted they require good soil, so 
that their flowers may attain due size and substance. A cool, moist, 
and shaded soil in summer is highly beneficial, and it should be well 
prepared to the depth of at least 2 feet. Most garden soils if 
dug to this depth, and given a liberal dressing of good manure from 
an old Cucumber or Mushroom bed, along with well decayed leaves 
—real leaf mould—will suit nearly all the hardy Lilies. Good 
preparation of the ground in the first instance is essential, and 
should on no account be neglected, because most Lilies are im¬ 
patient of being often disturbed, and do far better when left alone 
for years together. The bulbs must be planted three or more 
together, and 6 or 8 inches deep, and if the early part of the season 
is dry supply them occasionally with water. 
All Lilies may bo propagated by seed ; some seed freely, others 
scantily, and the seedlings retain their specific characters, though 
they may differ in variety. Hybrid Lilies are almost unknown. 
Many persons have endeavoured to secure new Lilies by hybridisa¬ 
tion, but nearly all have failed ; in fact, the Lilium most stubbornly 
insists the intermixing of us species. To two Boston cultivators— 
Mr. Francis Parkman and Mr. P. Brown Hovey—belongs the 
honour of having raised the two finest hybrid Lilies extant, which 
they have named after themselves. Both are hybrids between 
L. auratum and L. speciosum ; the first is like a deep red L. auratum, 
and the second like a deep red-banded L. auratum, and each one 
when expanded measures 1 foot across. I have not yet seen either 
of these Lilies in any English catalogue. 
As it takes from five to eight years to grow a flowering bulb 
from seed it is not very much practised. The mode practised by 
Dutch growers, and also by our own nurserymen, is to take a large 
bulb and strip off a few of the outer scales ; these are planted 
separately in small pots in good light soil, and the pots are plunged 
in slight bottom heat. They are sparingly supplied with water, and 
in the course of time small bulbs form round the base of each scale 
or clove. When these are about the size of peas they are carefully 
removed, potted separately in small pots, and commence life on 
their own account. This is only necessary with some sorts, as many 
of the varieties form small bulbs at the base of the stems, whilst in 
others, such as the Tiger Lily and L. bulbiferum they form in 
the axils of their leaves. 
The hardiest for outdoor cultivation is L. candidum, the 
Madonna Lily ; this is an evergreen, and likes a rather heavier soil 
than most of the others, and not to be often disturbed. Another 
good one is L. croceum—the old Orange Lily. This is well known 
to everyone, and there are few plants which bear such a wealth of 
bloom as this with the same amount of trouble. L. elegans, or 
Thunbergianum, and its many varieties of scarlet, crimson, orange, 
and yellow ; L. davuricum and its varieties ; L. chalcedonicum or 
T urk s Cap, and its varieties ; and above all L. tigrinum—the 
Tiger Lilies—these are amongst the most showy of the family. 
L. tigrinum splendens, when well grown, is a gorgeous flower, and 
seen at a distance looks almost like a ball of fire. There are other 
suitable varieties which can be had from any catalogue, and which 
I need not stop to specify here ; in fact, the varieties are so 
numerous that an interesting and beautiful border may be formed 
of Lilies alone. 
Culture in Pots. 
The requirements of Lilies growing in pots are neither numerous 
nor costly ; in fact, there are few, if any, plants with flowers of 
equal value to these that can be grown so easily. Nevertheless, 
I am of opinion that they are not so generally, nor, on the whole, 
so well grown as they used to be years ago. It was almost impos¬ 
sible at one time to enter an autumn flower show and not find some 
well grown pots of the three or four varieties of L. speciosum, and 
sometimes of one or two other species. An old gardener of my 
acquaintance, nearing threescore years and ten, tells me that we do 
not know flow to grow Lilies as they were grown in his young 
days. After making allowance for what they did in “ the good 
old times,” I think we must confess that Lilies have been neglected 
and pushed on one side of late years, with the exception of perhaps 
one or two varieties. If this is so, I am sure the fact only needs 
bringing under the notice of this and kindred societies, to have 
justice done to such a noble flower. 
The most successful way of growing the majority of Lilies 
in pots is to treat them in as hardy a manner as possible in a cool 
greenhouse or cold frame, merely keeping them at all times free 
from frost. The growth will be stronger, sturdier, and the flowers 
more lasting than if grown in heat, and the bulbs wiU suffer less 
deterioration. Some Lilies have a tendency to split, notably the 
new L. Harrisi, and where this is the case growing them in too 
much heat helps to aggravate the evil. 
Amongst the best for pot culture are L. auratum, well knowm to 
all ; L. giganteum, the king of Lilies ; L. longiflorum, and 
its varieties eximium and Harrisi. Three or four varieties of 
L. speciosum are old pot favourites, and amongst newer varieties is 
L. Browni, white inside, striped purple outside ; and L. Wallichi- 
anum, with white trumpet-shaped flowers, called the prince of 
the L. longiflorum section ; L. Humboldti (reddish orange) and 
L. pardalinum (orange red), two splendid Californian Lilies, and 
many others to be found in any good list. Take great care in the 
selection of the bulbs when purchasing, and particularly if they are 
imported ones. It used to be said that not more than one in six of 
imported auratums ever came to anything after arriving in this 
country, the reason given being that the Japanese growers, in their 
haste to catch the first sale in our markets, sent over immature and 
unripened bulbs. Whether this is still so I cannot say, but it would 
be well in the first place to buy from a reliable source ; and in the 
second place not to buy too early in the season, as the later ship¬ 
ments will probably contain better and more matured bulbs. 
Having obtained the bulbs they must be potted forthwith, and 
must on no account be left exposed to the drying influence of the 
air in drawers or cupboards. They are scale bulbs of a soft and 
spongy nature, not solid like Hyacinths and Tulips, and suffer 
very much by exposure to the air. 
They may be potted one, or three or six bulbs in 6, 9, or 
12-inch pots respectively, according to fancy or accommodation. 
The month of January is a good time for potting them, and they 
should not be delayed later if it can be avoided. The time here 
stated for potting is for summer and autumn blooming. Those 
who want earlier flowers, say from spring onwards, must pot propor¬ 
tionally earlier, and grow the plants through the winter. The soil 
should consist principally of well decayed turf two parts, leaf mould 
one part, thoroughly decomposed horse manure one part, with a 
little rough sand and charcoal. For L. auratum and a few other 
species which require a lighter soil, two parts of peat to one part 
loam, or two parts thoroughly decayed leaf soil with a larger 
quantity of sand is generally recommended. The pots must be 
well drained, then cover the crocks with some of the roughest 
lumps of turf, following with finer soil, filling the pot about half 
full. On this place the bulbs, covering them slightly. When finished 
the soil should be left far enough below the top of the pot to allow 
for a good top-dressing later on. The pots may then be placed in any 
cool position under a stage, or plunged in ashes or tan or leaves in a 
cold frame, being careful to exclude frost. No water must be given 
them till the points of the shoots are seen pushing through the soil. 
Many Lilies are ruined by inattention to this matter, for if the soil 
becomes too wet before the bulbs have started growing they will 
most certainly decay, and time, money, and labour will be thrown 
away. On the other hand, when they have begun growing they 
must not be allowed to suffer for want of water, and must have 
plenty of light and ventilation. When the stems are a foot high 
the pots must be filled nearly to the rim with some good rich soil. 
This will cover the bulbs to a proper depth, and will also serve as a 
top-dressing, and for the roots which are emitted at the base of the 
stems to work in. It is a peculiarity of some Lilies that besides 
the fleshy roots which the bulbs send downwards in the pots, roots 
are also sent out by the stems just over the top of the bulbs ; hence 
the reason why room should be left when first potting for the 
addition of more soil later on. 
The system I have just sketched will be suitable to the majority 
of pot-grown Lilies, and most of them will start without further 
trouble ; but L. auratum is sometimes difficult to start, particularly 
imported bulbs, and for them I should recommend a little differ¬ 
ent treatment. Plant the bulbs singly in 5 or 6-inch pots, using 
sandy peat or leaf mould, leaving the apex of the bulb slightly 
bare so that it can be easily seen when growth commences. They 
may be placed in a shady corner of the greenhouse or frame, giving 
them a gentle dewing with the syringe when absolutely necessary 
to prevent dryness, but on no account allow them to become wet. 
What there is to fear most is a species of fungus, which forms 
between the scales, causing them to decay; if the bulb is left slightly 
bare when potting this can be looked after and exterminated. A 
good preventive is a little powdered charcoal placed beneath the 
base of the bulbs, and also scattered amongst the scales when 
potting. When the shoots have grown a few inches they must be 
transferred to larger pots either singly or otherwise, and the roots 
buried in the same way as the others. 
The more tender varieties may be grown and flowered under 
glass if required, but the hardier kinds may be hardened and stood 
