JANUARY. 
7 
lifted had not a single fibre, only two or three prongs—such plants it was 
almost an impossibility to keep alive during dry, hot springs. These, I admit, 
are extreme instances of both systems. I have nothing to say against trees 
grown in the open ground when properly transplanted annually, so as to 
get them to move with a good mass of fibres—I like such plants. I have 
no objection to those grown in pots, if they are regularly shifted before they 
become pot-bound. People too generally run from one extreme to another. 
I know well what kind of things Conifers were in former days, when kept 
cramped up in pots for years, without being shifted. The carriage of plants 
was then a serious consideration, before railway communication became so 
complete all over the kingdom; and to add to the evil of being cramped in 
small pots, many of the plants in those days were grafted ones, and in 
some instances worked on very bad stocks. It was very little wonder that 
such trees when planted out should, instead of starting into vigorous growth, 
languish for a brief period and then die, to the disappointment of the 
planter. Surely, to attribute their failure to being grown in pots is very 
wrong. It was the abuse of the system, and not the system itself, which, if 
properly carried out, would have ensured most satisfactory results. I 
believe myself that plants grown in pots (of course I mean small plants, 
not exceeding 3 feet high), when properly managed, to be as good as those 
grown in the open ground; and they have this advantage over the latter, that 
they can be planted out at any season of the year without requiring a 
fourth part the attention afterwards that late spring-planted trees from 
the open ground do. Those who have had any experience in planted Coni¬ 
fers well know how trying the hot sun and drying winds are to late spring- 
planted Conifers from the open ground. When grown in pots they can be 
safely planted out in the early part of June, after all danger from frost and 
cold winds is past. If they get a good soaking of water then, they will need 
little attention afterwards. As I have already said, I like plants grown in 
the open ground if they have been well managed, and are lifted carefully ; 
and I like plants in pots (small plants) if they have been properly managed. 
All nursery land is not suited to the growth of Conifers. When this is 
the case it is much better to grow them in pots than in the open ground. 
Whether grown in the open ground or in pots, I would strongly recommend 
young healthy plants, not exceeding 3 feet high, as preferable to larger plants, 
when well-grown handsome specimens are required, the ground being in 
all cases well prepared. 
Stourton. tm i .• M. Saul. 
[To be continued .) 
RAISING SEEDLING LILIUMS. 
Last year (1865), I crossed Lilium speciosum with the pollen of two 
distinct varieties of L. auratum, both marked with dull crimson bands 
instead of yellow, and some fine pods of seeds were ripened on L. speciosum. 
The two varieties of L. auratum were crossed with pollen from L. specio¬ 
sum, and they likewise ripened good seed to look at. All the seeds of the 
two sorts were kept separate, and sown in pans in a warm pit in March last. 
I was surprised to see no signs of any young plants appearing till it was 
far advanced in summer, and then only about seventeen showed their tiny 
leaves in the pans of the auratum varieties. Lately a few of the speciosum 
seedlings have appeared above ground, and on scratching down into the soil 
