13G 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ Juke, 
abundant. I must, however, raise my voice against planting the borders, when¬ 
ever it can be avoided. Eather than that, I would prefer to see them covered 
with rough gravel. Still, I am aware of the many shifts one has to make in 
order to keep up supplies of early crops, and thus I consider that anything 
short of the borders being paved with stones will not be proof against the 
temptation to use them only for small-growing vegetables. 
I may here advert to the healthy condition in which trees on walls in paved 
courts, where the roots are not disturbed nor manured, except by what is washed 
in between the stones, are generally found. Trees in such situations seem to 
thrive better in severe droughts than those in pampered borders, because their 
roots or fibres are kept more equally moist under the stones. Illustrations of 
this may be readily seen by merely turning over “ surface stones ” on a hot day, 
when the under sides will be found to be damp. This curious fact may have 
given rise to the complaint that poor land is rendered poorer still by the removal 
of the stones. And though this may not savour of “ good farming,” yet in 
some seasons, and in some kinds of soil, it may still be true.”—J. Wighton, 
Cossey Park, Norwich. 
HAEDINESS OF LILIUM AUEATUM. 
8 0]\IE plants of this fine Lily were turned out last June into the flower 
garden here, in a mixed bed of sub-tropical plants ; and instead of lifting 
them, they were mulched over with rank litter, to preserve them from 
^ frost. Early in April last, while the beds were being manured and dug 
over, I was astonished, upon examining their condition, to find that one of them 
had quite grown up through the covering, while the others were making their 
appearance beneath. 
The winter here has been remarkable for the long continuance of frost, 
consequently the ground around these lilies could not have been free from frost 
till about the middle of March, so that they were evidently making growth 
during the time the ground outside the mulching, was frozen. I am fully aware 
that outside culture is not new; but that the bulbs should break away into early 
growth, with so low a ground temperature, and so far north, is worthy of notice. 
I have no doubt that if potted bulbs were sunk in the ground so that the bulbs 
would be 5 in. or 6 in. below the surface, and were covered over with the same 
depth of dry litter, they would be found quite safe in the spring. 
We grow a number of these Lilies in pots, so as to have them flower long in 
succession. Our method is to repot them as soon as the stems are fairly ripened, 
when they are placed in a dry room clear of frost. They receive no water until the 
stem appears above the surface, at which stage they are taken to where they are 
to be grown. We have them now (April 26) in different stages, some 5ft. high, 
others not yet out of the soil; several which have lately made their appearance 
Lave their stems fully three-fourths of an inch in diameter. 
