1052 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 24, 1904. 
A Fine Lilium Harrisii. 
For some ''ears past various names have been given to 
forms of Lilium longiflorurn eximium, better known as 
L. Harrisii; but it is doubtful if such forms are permanent, or 
merely examples of good cultivation. At any rate, when placed 
alongside each other in the open in this country they seem all 
very much alike. Cultivated in pots under glass, the bulbs 
usually give much better results than in the open. A photo¬ 
graphic illustration was recently given in “ The American 
Florist,” showing a specimen in a C-in. pot,-and the s L em stood 
6ft. 4in. high, carrying sixteen well-developed flowers. r l he 
illustration was accompanied by the following note :— 
“ This was one of a batch of 100 plants grown by Paul 
Riis at Highland Park, Ill. Mr. Riis. who is now located at 
Helavan, Wis., states that the other ninety-nine plants were 
exceptionally fine, producing from eight to twelve flowers 
each, but that they were in every way inferior to the subject 
of the illustration. The bulbs were of the largest size, and 
were potted the first week of August, flowering about 
January 1. 
“ The soil was prepared some weeks previous and consisted 
of two parts of good loam, one part leaf mould, with a 
moderate quantity of well rotted cow manure and sufficient 
ground bone to be p’ainly visible when the ingredients were 
thoroughly mixed. Particular attention was given to 
drainage, the material of which was fully one inch in depth. 
The bulbs were given a thorough covering of sulphur before 
potting. The potting was firm and left only the extreme top 
of the bulb exposed. Thorough watering and placing the 
pots under an empty propagating bench concluded the work 
to August 15th. • 
“ In using a dark cellar or artificially shaded space beneath 
the bench, watering should be given sufficient attention to 
prevent the soil from drying out. Growth will begin iu from 
four to six weeks under these conditions. When the plants 
show unmistakable signs of good root action they should be 
placed in a temperature of 45 deg. with a light shading on 
the glass. Ventilation and the application of tobacco dust 
will require careful attention, and the temperature should be 
gradually raised to 50 deg. About November 1 the plants 
should be six inches high, and moved to a warmer and 
brighter house and fumigated. November 15, with the 
temperature at 58 deg., some buds will appear. 
“ In this particular batch of plants the most forward were 
given the first application of liquid sheep manure Novem¬ 
ber 15, alternating once a week with cow manure. The 
plants were moved again to still warmer quarters, Decem¬ 
ber 15, but this was too long delayed to secure blooms for 
Christmas. Weekly fumigation was observed up to this time, 
aphis or no aphis. Liquid sheep manure with one pound of 
nitrate of soda to fifty gallons was applied every five days 
from December 15. 
“ There was only about 10 per cent, of the plants that 
showed any sign of disease, and that of such a mild form 
that the stricken specimens produced fairly good blooms. 
When the plants are grown in such small pots they require 
ample watering and feeding.” 
Starlings ix New South Wales.— The Government Entom¬ 
ologist of New South Wales, reporting to the Ministry of Agri¬ 
culture, refers to the rapid increase in the number of starlings, 
and the injury they do. First imported from the Mother 
Counti'y rot so very many years ago, starlings swarm in Victoria, 
and are gradually spreading northwards. Flocks of them have 
recently appeared in Sydney orchards and gardens. They are 
the greatest enemy of the fruit-growers, who have to cover their 
trees with nets while the fruit is yet green, to keejj the birds 
off. They are also claiming the attention of squatters, who say 
they perch on the back of sheep and pluck out, tufts of wool, 
nresumably for nest-lining,, thus damaging the best part of the 
fleece. 
Society & Association Notes. 
The Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. —The 
Duke of Westminster will preside at the sixty-sixth anniversary 
festival dinner of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution, 
at the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Metropole, on June 16th next. 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society.— 
The usual monthly committee meeting of this society was hell 
at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi Terrace, Strand, on Monday 
evening last, Mr. Thomas Winter in the chair. Four new 
members were elected, making a total of 95 for the year. Nine¬ 
teen members have received sick pay during the past month, 
eight being on the sick fund at the present time. The amount 
of sick pay for the month was £34 10s. 
* * * 
Edinburgh Seed Trade Assistants. —The menu card and 
toast list in connection with the recent dinner of the Edinburgh 
Seed Trade Assistants was a neatly got up affair. The front cover 
gave a coloured illustration of the Tea Rose Muriel Grahame. 
while the hybrid Tea Mildred Grant was similarly represented 
on the back cover. Inside was a view of Sir Walter Scott’s 
monument, and also another Edinburgh view. The bill of fare 
consisted essentially of Scotch dishes, but, followung the modern 
fashion, most of the names of the same were jiartly in French, 
the rest being in English, with a few Scotch versions, such as 
“ Haggis and a wee drappie o’t.” The grace after dessert had 
been served was essentially Scotch. 
* * * 
The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association. —Open 
Spaces : At the monthly meeting of the Metropolitan Public 
Gardens Association, held at 83, Lancaster Gate, W., on the 7th 
inst., Sir William Vincent, Bart, (vice-chairman), presiding, 
a vote of sympathy was passed in connection with the death of 
the late Lord Hobhouse, who, with Lady Hobhouse, has been 
a warm supporter of the work of the association, and had acted 
as chairman of the committees formed for the acquisition of 
Victoria Diamond Jubilee open spaces and for the preservation 
of Dollis Hill, of which enterprises the association -was one of 
the promoters. The secretary stated that the amended plan 
for the laying out of All Saints’, Poplar, had been agreed to 
by the rector, and that it now awaited the assent of the Poplar 
Borough Council. Various letters were read from institutions 
in Bermondsey, Southwark, Clerkenwell, Walworth, and else¬ 
where, agreeing to’ organise next summer outdoor window- 
garden competitions in poor localities in connection with prizes 
offered by the association for the best results, the object of the 
association being to relieve the monotony of the streets by 
eniouraging a display of floral decoration outside windows adja¬ 
cent thereto. Communications were also read in regard to the 
Shadwell Market site, about eight acres in extent, which the 
association considers, as the attempt to create a fish market has 
failed, might be in whole or in part preserved as a riverside 
open space for East London, and it was stated that the associa¬ 
tion’s letter to the Corporation on the subject had been referred 
to the Markets Committee. The proposal to build upon por¬ 
tions of a number of forecourts in the Euston Road was further 
considered, and it was stated that the London County Council 
had been asked to refuse its assent thereto, as any curtailment 
of the present wide channel for sunlight and air would be de¬ 
trimental to the welfare of the community, and would afford 
a dangerous precedent, affecting the whole length of the Maryle- 
bone, Euston, and Pentonville Roads. Attention was drawn 
to London Squares and Enclosures (Preservation) Bill, of which 
notice had been given by the London County Council, for pre¬ 
venting over 400 enclosures of this character from being eligible 
as building sites, and it was hoped that a way would be found 
for accomplishing this most desirable object in the interests of 
London as a whole, combining therewith due regard for the 
rights of private owners. It was reported that the attention of 
the Metropolitan Borough Councils had been drawn to the new 
7 iowers conferred upon them for planting and maintaining trees 
in highways, and that the trees granted by the association had 
been planted in the Lifford Street, New Cut, recreation ground. 
It was stated that the London County Council was seeking a 
general power to exchange lands forming part of any common 
or public space in their possession for other land, and it was 
thought that such a power was far too wide in character, and 
that representations should be made to secure the withdrawal 
of the clause. 
