LILIES 
121 
the ideal soil for Lilies. However, if the beds are prepared prop¬ 
erly, the Lily will be grateful. My experience has been in sandy 
soil. Yet, I dig out my bed eighteen inches deep, put in about 
three inches of well-decayed compost of leaf-mold, cover this 
about six inches with natural (sandy) soil. The trench is then nine 
inches deep. 
To plant large bulbs, cover the bulb with three inches of same 
soil, then three inches of well-decayed cow manure, the remaining 
three inches cover with same mixture as first. This may apply in 
tight black or clay soil, but the bulbs should be planted seven 
inches instead of nine inches deep. (With all Lilies, he SURE to 
PRESS the bulbs FIRMLY into the sand, so that there are no 
air-pockets left under them. Root-growth will begin quicker and 
be more satisfactory.) Mix the covering soil with fifty per cent 
sand or peat-moss. 
All Lily beds should be slightly above the level of the ground 
to give the proper drainage. 
Grass-clippings, or leaves, make a good mulch to hold moisture 
in our climate. (See page 8). 
DEPTH TO PLANT 
In planting, distinction must be made between what is known as 
stem-rooting and those which only send their roots from the base 
of the bulb. Some of the better known varieties which send no 
roots from the stem are Madonna, Super bum, Martigon, and others. 
These bulbs should not be covered with more than two inches 
in stiff soil, and three inches in sand or 
loam. The Regale, Superbum, Auratum, 
Speciosum and others which root both at 
base of bulb and stem above the bulb 
should be covered seven to eight inches in 
stiff soil, and nine to twelve in sand. It is 
well, before planting, to sprinkle sulphur 
generously over all Lilies whose bulbs con¬ 
sist of loose scales, as a precaution against 
disease (Candium being an example of this 
Mulch 
