28 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
richer-coloured kinds and better form. I cannot say how much is to be done 
by crossing with other species, but I hope to see some of our florists try their 
hands at improving the existing varieties of the grand old L. lancifolium. 
Great attention is paid to the culture of this Lily ill various parts of York¬ 
shire, and it is astonishing what very fine examples are to be met with re¬ 
peatedly at very small country shows in the autumn. It is no unusual thing to 
meet with pots containing from five to eight roots, with from fifteen to twenty 
superb blooms on each. 
The plan generally adopted by good growers is to pot-up the roots early in 
February, using pots about 11 or 12 inches in diameter for three or four fine 
roots, and larger-sized pots for a larger number of roots, but I think it a mistake 
to grow so many roots in a pot when good blooming roots can be had. A good 
compost may be made up of fibrous sod, well-decayed leaf mould, and well-rotted 
frame manure, all chopped and not sifted, and with some sharp sand run in with 
it, so as to make a good porous compost. A good-sized crock and about 11 inch of 
rough crocks should be used, and over these a few lumps of fibrous sod should 
be placed. Many make a mistake in potting too near the top of the pot. I 
prefer filling the pot with soil to within 5 inches of the top, on which the 
bulbs should be placed and covered, leaving fully 2 inches of space below the 
top, for this reason: Those who have given a moment’s attention to the growth 
of the Lilium must have observed the quantity of young fleshy roots sent out 
from the base of the flower-stem, and to the full development of these roots 
especial attention should be directed. As soon as the shoots are of a moderate 
height, and have become pretty firm, fill up the pot to the rim with similar 
compost to that used for potting, adding a little more manure. This will give 
them an efficient top-dressing, and the stem-roots will speedily become matted 
into it, and the flowers will consequently become large and plentiful. The main 
point in the culture of the Lilium is to develope the stem-roots, a point too 
often lost sight of. 
After potting they should be placed in a cool shed or frame, or under a stage 
where light is attainable ; and as soon as the soil gets dry and cracks from the 
side of the pot, give sufficient -water to moisten the soil without saturating it. 
Many allow the young growth to be started too early and become drawn, which 
should be avoided. The pots should rather be kept quite cool and exposed to 
the light, for the Lilium is a perfectly hardy plant, and should be grown hardy. 
The best plan is to treat it as an out-door plant as far as possible, by standing 
the pots out of doors after the winter is over, taking care to shelter them from 
spring frosts and blistering winds. Of course, at the blooming time they should 
be under cover in bad weather. When they have done flowering, the pots can 
be placed on their sides, and as soon as frosty weather sets in, removed to a dry 
shed, and be kept quite dormant, dry, and undisturbed until potting-time. 
Everybody knows what a glorious plant it is for autumn decoration. 
Shipley , Yorkshire. V/. Dean, in Gardeners ’ Chronicle. 
CONCERNING PETUNIAS. 
I devoutly trust that I am right in assuming that horticulture can now be 
credited with a desire to throw off the allegiance to those large and ungainly 
single flowers of the Petunia grandiflora section, and also those uncouth and 
uninviting double flowers which had their day, and with thankfulness be it said, 
a very short one too. It was simply a liking for mere novelty that made 
these double flowers popular—if such a transient career can by anjr license be 
translated into popularity. To beauty they could make but little claim. What 
