September 11, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
21 
of great importance. Coarseness reduced tlie value, 
whilst good condition showed tenderness, succulence, 
and firmness. Collections of plants were judged by 
their general appearance and healthy condition, their 
quality measured by their commercial value combined 
with the labour and skill bestowed upon them, variety 
in bloom and foliage, and by their natural and graceful 
appearance. 
The reading of the paper was succeeded by a discus¬ 
sion, in which Messrs. Swan, Koberts, Frisby, and 
others took part. The difficulty of the task allotted to 
judges at floral exhibitions was referred to, and it was 
pointed out that anyone who undertook such a position 
should have a thorough knowledge of plant and vege¬ 
table life, should know the commercial value of the 
varied products, and should be able, providing his 
decisions were questioned, to give a good reason why 
he had awarded the prize to a particular plant or collec¬ 
tion of plants, to a certain dish of fruit, or to a specific 
tray of vegetables. They should know the qualities of 
the respective descriptions of fruits, flowers, and vege¬ 
tables, and above all should possess the characteristic 
of firmness. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to 
Mr. Heaton for his paper. 
--r- 
NOTES ON LILIUMS. —IV. 
My last chapter was brought to a close with a 
promise to refer further to the remainder of the long- 
flowered section, L. longiflorum, for though the two 
kinds there cited may be regarded as the most useful 
for general purposes, yet some gems remain, and seeing 
that with a little care they may be grown to perfection, 
1 have deemed it prudent to give them here with brief 
cultural details. Before giving those for which special 
culture is the best, it may be well to include 
Lilium longiflorum takesima (Jama-Jura),and Liu- 
Kiu, both fine forms, for which the ordinary treatment 
of the type does very well. The former grows about 
20 ins. high and is distinguished by its purplish 
stems and also a purplish tinge on the outside of the 
trumpets ; the last named variety has flowers larger 
than the type and more reflexed, it also is an excellent 
kind, and all delight in a rich loamy soil. For one of 
the finest, if not the best of the group, we will look at 
Lilium longiflorum Wilsoni, a truly magnificent 
Lily, growing when well established from 3 ft. to 4 ft. 
high, it is easily distinguished from the other members 
of the long-flowered section by its flowers, which are 
situate at right angles with the stem, and by their 
great length, which is from 8 ins. to 10 ins.; in point 
of purity and fragrance it is not surpassed by any of 
its allies, it is one of the desirous, and all should 
embrace it, not only on account of its giant proportions, 
but because it is the last in flower of the longiflorum 
varieties. Another rare gem is 
Lilium longiflorum Neilgheriense, a most 
lovely form from the Neilgherry Hills, at a great 
elevation, and such being the case, it is not so ex¬ 
tremely hardy and frost resisting as the rest. It succeeds 
well in equal parts of sandy loam and peat, and grows 
2 ft. to 3 ft. high, the long handsome trumpets, 
which are produced several on a stem, varying in 
colour from pure white to soft sulphur-yellow ; it is an 
exquisite form and most admirably suited for cool 
greenhouse culture, from which frost may be excluded. 
But while speaking of those needing a little more care 
than the majority, who will blame me if I mention 
what Mr. Baker has justly designated “ The Prince of 
the longiflorum section,” viz., 
Lilium 'VVallichianum (for, be it remembered, I 
had only intended giving such as may be grown with 
any ordinary care). It comes from the Himalayas, and 
though not perfectly hardy may be grown in pots with 
comparative ease ; it delights in very sandy peat, and 
should be potted moderately firm, and at no time 
(except when sending up the flower stem) should it 
receive more water than will keep the soil fairly moist; 
a free and abundant drainage is also very essential to 
its well being. It grows 2 ft. or 3 ft. high and has 
elegant pure white trumpet-shaped flowers. Then, 
for a moment, to turn from this lovely gem and gaze 
on the magnificent 
Lilium japonicum, also called Brownii, we have 
another veritable Prince among our hardiest Lilies, for 
in this species we find all that can be desired in respect 
to hardiness, easiness of culture, with bold vigorous 
habit and sound constitution, and given a good sound 
generous loam or loam and peat (of the latter about one- 
third) making all rather sandy, its flowers will equal 
those of longiflorum Wilsoni for size, and are about 
10 ins. long, growing 2J ft. high ; the immense flowers 
are pure white internally with chocolate-coloured 
anthers ; externally, the flowers assume a rusty 
purplish hue, with the points of the petals slightly 
recurved. I know of no Lily that can equal, much 
less surpass, this noble Japanese species for its massive 
bearing. Passing on we find a most lovely though 
somewhat delicate and fragile species next in 
Lilium Krameiii ; its slender bearing at first sight 
reminds one of a delicate form of L. auratum, and, 
indeed, its foliage bears a strong resemblance to some 
of the forms of that truly noble and somewhat varying 
species. In other respects, Kramer’s Lily stands unique 
Lilium Wallichianum. 
in colour ; it is a soft rosy blush, and unspotted, attains 
2 ft. and even 3 ft. high when well suited, and has 
flowers some 6 ins. in length, and gracefully recurved. 
In short, this is one of the most beautiful and chaste of 
all known Lilies, and need I add that such a remark is 
not duly considered ere it was penned, for, though the 
genus is extensive, and the species and forms multi¬ 
tudinous, Krameri has still the above named charac¬ 
teristic, which makes it SO'distinct from any other in 
cultivation. Plant it in very sandy and fibrous peat, 
and select a shady sheltered nook ; in winter time place 
a handful of short litter or fibre over the bulbs, and 
thus secure them from excessive rain or frost. There is 
a variety of this species with pure white flowers—a 
purity not often met—and such as may be found so freely 
in the longiflorum exists in this, thus forming the 
most exquisite companion for the type which could 
possibly be selected, in habit and general require¬ 
ments it is similar. At present this is very scarce, and 
I may add must not be confounded with 
Lilium Krameri albidum, which is usually sold for 
the true pure white variety. Albidum is white inside 
with a faint suffusion of rose ; externally, the last 
named colour predominates, and while a most beautiful 
and pleasing Lily, I regard its varietal name as a 
misnomer, and calculated to mislead and disappoint 
those who may not be intimately acquainted with its 
actual colour. Another variety called roseum has soft 
rose-coloured flowers, which fully bears out its dis¬ 
tinctive name. 
Lilium longiflorum Harrisii. —The next Lily to 
which I shall briefly refer, and whose time of flowering 
wholly depends on circumstances, is L. longiflorum 
Harrisii, also called “floribundum ” and the “Easter 
Bermuda Lily.” This, from a floriferous standpoint, 
surpasses all other Lilies, and is, in fact, the nearest 
approach at present to what may be called perpetual 
flowering. I doubt not there are many like myself who 
have been somewhat puzzled about it, and certainly I 
was to such an extent when Harrisii made its debut in 
this country, that I pronounced it as a myth. I have 
for years been acquainted with the forms of L. longi¬ 
florum, and was amused when a certain representative 
of a London firm failed in his endeavours either to sell 
me, or make me believe in the so called “ new species.” 
Flowering specimens were before us, and I pronounced 
them “ L. longiflorum eximium, and below the average 
height of that,” and eventually my verdict proved the 
correct one. There is, however, no occasion to fear 
that L. Harrisii is a very fine Lily, and most distinct. 
It grows 3 ft. high, and produces numerous pure white 
flowers as in typical longiflorum, and as soon as the old 
flower stem shows signs of decay, another flower stem 
will be pushing forth. 
Those of your readers who know but little of the 
free-flowering properties of this Lily, should refer to 
The Gardening World for the 12th of June of the 
present year. In that issue is contained a figure of L. 
Harrisii with 145 blooms on a single stem, and though 
this may only be a most extraordinary record, and an 
isolated example after all, yet it shows the extreme 
freedom of flowering. I have, at present, some good 
bulbs of this handsome Lily which have already flowered 
twice this season, and that within four months. The 
first flowering took place in April, and the second early 
in August, and I doubt not but that these will flower 
again later on. The bulbs are planted singly in pots in 
rich loam, and as soon as the flower stem reaches 1 ft. 
high I begin to encourage it with weak liquid cow 
manure. If this Lily could be worked in for Christmas 
time, what a grand addition it would prove, and what 
a sensation a few hundreds of its flowers would create 
in Covent Garden about the 20th of December. Ac¬ 
cording to my present experience of it, you cannot give 
it a too liberal treatment, and this liberality must not 
be abandoned when the first flowering is complete, for 
it is at this time that the second, and consequently the 
weaker spike, is pushing forth and needing extra 
nourishment. I have also observed this same character 
in typical longiflorum, i.e., of pushing forth new 
growths after the collapse of the old ones ; the lapse of 
time, however, is much greater in the case of the type 
than in the variety Harrisii.— J. 
-- 
FEEDING AND DISBUDDING 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 
(Concluded from £>■ 7). 
Having done so much for the plants, the work is 
not completed. Every cultivator] knows that as long 
as the Chrysanthemum is growing it is a plant which 
requires attention, and unless this is given great loss 
will follow. The next and most important work of 
all is 
Disbudding, 
It is, without doubt, the leading feature, or the 
most important item in their cultivation ; the 
feeding, although it takes the lead of this, is of 
actually secondary importance, but both are so closely 
connected, that we cannot get on with one without the 
other, that is where high cultivation is desired. First 
we feed in order to secure a strong and vigorous plant 
which will produce a largely developed bud. Next you 
select the proper bud according to the variety, and then 
the bud has to be supplied with the necessary nourish¬ 
ment to cause it to swell and develop itself into a 
perfect flower. I shall not presume to lay down any 
exact rule to go by in disbudding ; this can only be at¬ 
tained by careful examination and long experience. 
Chrysanthemums that are grown for the quality of their 
flowers, are furnished with from one to three stems, ac¬ 
cording to circumstances. If the plants were struck 
early, and have not been pinched or stopped at any 
time during their growth, they will branch into three 
stems during July or August, some later than others 
according to the variety, and will show a bud on the 
main point of the stem. This bud should be removed, 
unless an early bloom is required, or, if allowed to re¬ 
main, the stem will throw out three shoots just the 
same. Generally speaking, most of the finest varieties 
of the incurved section will do best on the next bud 
