794 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 12, 1899. 
or frequent use of tobacco powder will destroy this 
pest, if the latter is used the points of the stems 
should be syringed out a day or so after its applica¬ 
tion. 
The plants should be taken into the greenhouse as 
soon as you can see the flower buds appearing ; but 
I find, as regards my own experience, the less fire 
heat, or anything in the shape of coddling, yields the 
best results. L. longiflorum Harrisii from Bermuda 
is certainly an improvement on the type that reaches 
us from Japan, but we are told that the tropical 
climate of Bermuda has this beneficial effect upon it. 
There are three or four other varieties, but I have 
only had to do with Takesima. This has a slight 
purplish tint outside the blossoms, and is not nearly 
so early. It does very well outside with us ; but none 
of them are so satisfactory out-of-doors, as some I 
shall mention presently, as they are so easily spoilt 
by the wind and rain. I find, too, this kind soon 
deteriorates under pot culture, so advise a fresh 
stock every year or so. The flowers are trumpet¬ 
shaped, and of the purest whiteness with yellow 
stamens. 
We will now consider the claims of " Lilium 
auratum,” the golden-rayed Lily of Japan, the 
grandest of all, I consider, whether for pot culture 
or in the open ground, and whose flowers are so 
varied in form and markings according to variety, 
while its delicious fragrance fills a large-sized house 
if only one plant is therein. Some of the flowers 
measure from 8 in. to 12 in. across. Unfortunately, 
this grand variety deteriorates, after a few years 
under pot culture ; in fact, I do not consider they 
are ever so good as the first season when imported. 
Those who wish to keep up a good show of this 
would do well to purchase a few bulbs each autumn. 
The cost is very moderate, and large quantities are 
imported every year. The same compost as advo¬ 
cated for L. longiflorum, with an addition of a little 
fibrous peat, grows them well. I prefer 10 in. or 
12 in. pots for these, putting three bulbs in a pot; 
and the same remarks apply to the L. speciosum 
group, often called lancifolium, whose flowers are 
very handsome, and usually bloom from the end of 
July to the end of September—a time when they are 
of the utmost value. There are half a dozen or 
more varieties of this, ranging from pure white to 
rose, crimson, and ruby, the last three having spotted 
flowers. As a rule, these do remarkably well under 
pot culture, and what is more are not so liable to 
dwindle away as the varieties before mentioned. 
Cold pits or frames are the best place to grow the 
varieties of L. auratum and L. speciosum, until they 
get too tall, when they should be removed to a cold 
house, and kept near the glass roof; or if you wish 
to retard them, they can be placed outside, and 
should receive similar treatment as L. longiflorum 
as to water, insects, etc. 
Now a word or two as to their requirements after 
passing out of flower. Very often the pots are placed 
outside in some out of the way corner because they 
appear a bit untidy and probably get no water for 
days, or it may be weeks, should the weather set in 
dry. This should not be. Such a sudden withholding 
of water is detrimental to the bulbs, and those that 
flower in the early spring months, say up to the 
middle of May, should be given frame treatment for 
a time or until warmer nights set in. 
I ought to have given precautions anent the stak¬ 
ing of these tall varieties, care being taken that the 
stakes do not come into contact with the bulb. These 
varieties should be shaken out and repotted towards 
the end of October or early in November, before root 
action again begins. 
Some authorities recommend good old Lilium 
cmdidum (which has several aliases, such as •'the 
Cottage Lily ” " the Madonna Lily ” '• the Bourbon 
Lily '' and one or two others), as suitable for growing 
in pots; but I must confess that I have never reaped 
any very good results with this variety. In fact, it 
has caused nothing but disappointment, and it had 
the coolest treatment possible. 
L.giganteum, another noble Lily, is sometimes met 
with under glass ; but far better results are obtain¬ 
able out of doors with these varieties, whose merits 
I shall dwell upon presently. I have only spoken of 
those varieties that I have had experience with ; but 
I believe most of the Liliums can be grown in pots, 
and we have a large collection of them now to choose 
from. 
We will now turn our attention to Liliums out in 
the open; for nothing is more suitable for the 
embellishment of the flower garden, and nearly all 
of the family are hardy, provided the soil is well 
drained. Given a fairly good loam the majority of 
them will thrive and the cultivator can add peat 
and well decayed manure, which I find the greater 
number of Liliums revel in underneath, as well as a 
top-dressing. In choosing a position for L. auratum 
and other tall growing kinds, preference should be 
given where they can be slightly shaded from the 
mid-day sun, and from south-westerly gales, which 
I find knocks them about dreadfully. Generally 
speaking the finest examples are to be found growing 
among beds of Rhododendrons and Azaleas, for 
which compost has usually been prepared ; while 
the foliage of these plants acts as a screen or shelter 
or the tender young growths when coming through 
the soil in early spriDg. 
We have L. auratum, L. speciosum Melpomene, 
L. tigrinum giganteum, L. elegans, L. umbellatum 
grandiflorum, L. pyrenajcum, L. testaceum excelsum, 
L. chalcedonicum old scarlet, L. Martagon, still one 
of the best; and L. longiflorum Takesima, planted 
amongst Bamboos,flowering evergreen and deciduous 
shrubs or bushes of great variety, a position in which 
they thrive and flower admirably; while we have 
also large beds entirely devoted to L. speciosum 
album, and L. s. rubrum, which give a good display 
in late summer and early autumn ; and are most ser¬ 
viceable just then for cuttingpurposes.theunexpanded 
buds opening well when the spike is placed in water. 
In preparing a bed for these, the soil should be 
taken out 18 in. or 2 ft. deep; and if of a 
heavy texture, or likely to become sodden after 
a heavy rainfall, especially in the winter months, 
some sort of drainage should be provided in the way 
of old broken bricks, or suchlike, to a depth of four 
or six inches, placing over this freshly cut turves 
grass side downwards. Before placing the soil back 
again a good percentage of lumpy peat, leaf soih 
coarse river sand, and old mortar rubble should be 
thoroughly incorporated with it. 
Of course, a lighter soil or a naturally drained 
one would not require this drastic treatment. The 
soil at Bicton being of a light, sandy nature, and 
resting on the old red sandstone, and sloping to the 
south, required very little preparation, merely a little 
peat with a fair good dressing of well decayed manure. 
Nothing is as good as that from the cow-yard, 
worked in, and the site dug two spits deep. 
Now as to planting the bulbs. The earlier in the 
autumn the better for the majority of Liliums, as 
well as for the display the first season. I say again, 
if they are imported bulbs, do not fail to examine 
them, looking well in among the scales, especially of 
L. auratum, for it is here where the decay is usually 
found. Dust the same with dry sand and powdered 
charcoal. The bulbs should be planted 3 in. to 
6 in. deep, and from 6 in. to 12 in. apart, according 
to variety and size of bulb, putting a little sand 
under each one if the soil is heavy. 
Beds that are entirely devoted to Liliums should 
have a carpeting of some plant or other during the 
summer months, which tends to preserve the moisture. 
Mesembryanthtmum cordifolium variegatum does 
well for this. 
The grandest show of L. speciosum album and L, 
s. rubrum that I ever saw was at Pentillie Castle, 
East Cornwall, where a border on the terrace facing 
south and east respectively, each border 40 yds. in 
length, and 2 ft. wide, which contained a mass of 
bulbs, and evidently had not been disturbed for 
some years. 
I spoke of Lilium giganteum just now, which is 
quite different in growth from all I am acquainted 
with. It forms extra large, conical-shaped bulbs, 
which carry large, glossy foliage. The flower spike 
reaches 8 ft. to 12 ft. high, having as many as sixteen 
or more funnel-shaped, fragrant white flowers, with 
a purplish hue inside the petals. 
This Lily enjoys a shaded position. We have it 
on a north-east border, where it was planted in 1893, 
and flowered twice, the first time in 1895, and again 
in 1897. I am looking forward to again seeing its 
stately blossoms this year. It delights in plenty of 
manure, and I have deluged ours with farmyard 
drainings when pushing up its flower spike, which 
have had no ill effects as far as I have been able to 
see. I believe the bulb of this Lily decays after 
once flowering, but throws out one or more offsets 
before this. Perhaps someone present can say 
whether this is correct or not. 
(To be continued.) 
ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS, 
MANCHESTER. 
Epidendrum falcatum.— A capital plant of this 
singular Orchid was flowering very freely recently at 
the Botanical Gardens, Manchester. The growth is 
so different to that cf many others of this genus, 
since it makes long woody rhizomes with thick leaves 
1 ft. long, with a curiously-tapered narrow point. 
The blooms generally appear in couples. The 
sepals and petals, which are 2 in. or more in length, 
are of a pale yellowish-green, tinted with a shade of 
browD. The three-lobed lip is pure white, the outer 
lobes large, nearly round, the centre lobe narrow 
and pointed. This is grown best in a basket or 
block suspended from the roof, and though it enjoys 
a fair share of heat during the growing seasm, it is 
very essential that at no time should there be such 
an excess of moisture about it as will cause the roots 
to decay, or the leaves to turn yellow and fall off. 
Very near to this plant were three healthy specimens 
of Cymbidium hookerianum. This strong species is 
doubtless known to many growers by name; some 
others may have cultivated it, but I imagine few 
have succeeded in producing flowers. The blooms 
are of good size, 3 in. to 4 in. across, the sepals and 
petals being of a shining yellowish-brown. The lip 
is of a deeper yellow, and on the crested front lobe 
are rich purple spots. This is well worih securing 
and growing. 
Besides these, Mr. Weathers called my attention 
to a capital plant of Cattleya Loddigesii albens, a 
chaste and beautiful thiDg, and Epidendrum 
o’brienianum with its orange-scarlet trusses of 
flowers. I have against this in my notes, " Always 
in flower,” for so the remark was tpade. Its bright 
blooms are very attractive. Of Cattleya Mossiae, 
there were many in flower; the same may be said of 
C. Mendelii; and Laelia purpurata, dark and light- 
coloured varieties. Cattleya Rex was making good 
growth in a basket. Among Cypripediums, which 
have always been a feature here, there were many 
of the species in flower, such as C. rothschildianum, 
with blooms of large size and deep co’our; C. 
Schroderii, C. Stonei, C. mastersianum, C. Parishii, 
etc. Here, too, are to be seen many plants of Vanda 
suavis tricolor in variety, as well as forms of Aerides, 
which it is much to be hoped will come to the front 
again. Here are Ae. Lobbi, Ae. Fieldingii, Ae. 
affine roseum, Ae. Dayii, and Ae. odoratum. Sacco- 
labiums in grand forms have been exhibited in the 
show tents here; and the interest they excited in 
past days will of a certainty be shown again when 
similar specimens are grown and staged. And they 
can be done as easily as Cattleyas, when the con¬ 
ditions and surroundings are adapted to them. 
Passing through the many houses one sees 
numerous plants of botanical interest, some having 
a very old-time look about them. I noticed 
Araucaria Rulei, a strong and noble-lookmg 
species; the quaint Strelitzia zebrina, with its yellow 
and blue flowers ; and Alpinianutans bearing a lot of 
blossoms, reminding one somewhat of an imperfect 
Phaius. The Fernery, which is a large structure, is 
now full, many of the Tree Ferns and Palms reach¬ 
ing nearly up to the glass roof. The Woodwardia 
radicans and Nephrolepis, planted on high projecting 
rocks, hang down in a perfectly natural manner, and 
display their beauty to their fullest measure. 
Drynarias, in similar spots, are growing very freely. 
Bamboos, Palms, and Dracaenas, are numerous ; 
while Dicksonia fibrosa, a very noble and distinct 
species, with longer and straighter fronds than D. 
antarctica and much finer pinnae, towers above all, 
and is most imposing. D. squarrosa is always good, 
and being a neat and more compact grower, can be 
used in many places where the larger species would 
soon be too big. A wonderful plant of Medinilla 
magnifica was in flower; this plant has stems and 
branches like a veritable bush, is 8 ft. through, and a 
most surprising object as one enters the house. Its 
heavy, pendulous clusters of rosy-pink flowers are 
produced in abundance over the whole of the plant. 
Theobroma Cacao was carrying a quanty of small 
yellowish-brown flowers on the stems which roust 
have been two and three years old. Dion edule was 
a fine plant now pushing up some thirty new leaves. 
Many other interesting things including Guavas 
Rudgf a macrophylla, Ficus macrophylla, Acrophyl- 
lum, Boronias, Cacti, &c., are occuping their various 
spots; but more important for the time just when I 
called was the bedding out which was sharply in 
progress. From the terrace by the side of the exhibition 
