August io, 1907* 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
53 1 
The Japan Lily 
(Lilium japonicum.) 
- _ _ __ ■ S 
Delphinium Mrs. G. Ferguson. 
The flowers of this variety are very 
arge, double, creamy white, and pro¬ 
duced in a dense spike. Award of Merit 
';>y the R.H.S. on July 23rd, when shown 
5 y Q. Ferguson, Esq. (gardener Mr. F. 
.vV. Smith), The Hollies, Weybridge. 
dose Hugo Roller. 
The flowers of this new Tea Rose are 
)f medium-to large size, deep crimson-red 
m the outer recurved petals, with a 
reamy white, conical and firm centre, 
t is very distinct and handsome. Award 
.f Merit by the R.H.S. on 23rd July, 
,-hen shown by Messrs. William Paul and 
ion, Waltham Cross. 
Dahlias For 
_ Exhibition. 
Bl: 
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR. 
Sir, — I n a recent article on “Dahlias’ 
or Exhibition ” the writer makes several 
tatements which I think are ojien to cri- 
icism. In the first place, he says that 
uttings taken in the spring often come 
00 late unless wanted for September 
hows. I say that is wrong. The majority 
if trade growers cut their show blooms 
rom plants grown from cuttings struck in 
he spring. Of course it depends chiefly on 
vhat sort of a plant you make of your 
utting before it is planted out. If you 
trike it in a thumb pot and keep it so un- 
il planted out I will not answer for re¬ 
sults. The plan which is generally fol- 
owed by trade exhibitors, and one which 
; have followed myself for years, is to 
ake cuttings off about the end of Feb- 
uary, striking each, cutting singly in 
humb pots, and when well rooted pot 
nto large sixty pots, and then when estab- 
ished in these, pot into 5m. pots, gra- 
lually hardening them off at the same 
ime. By this method you will get some 
jood plants ready for putting out at the 
leginning of June. For years I have 
planted my Dahlias out, grown by this 
nethod, in the first week of June, and 
I lave cut and shown blooms early in Au¬ 
gust, and have taken first prizes with 
them. If watered well and planted in 
some good stuff they will not suffer much 
rom making “foliage and tubers at the 
same time,” as mentioned. I hope none 
of your readers will grow their pompons 
"in the poorest soil possible,” as the 
writer advises; that is going a little too 
far. Of course they do not require the 
I rich compost or the feeding the other sec¬ 
tions want, but to say have the poorest 
soil is going to the e'xtreme. There is one 
other matter I should like to mention, ana 
one which I think must be a misprint, 
when he says that “the colour of the 
Cactus tribe should be visible six weeks 
before required.” Surely it does not take 
six weeks for a Cactus bloom to develop 
itself. Why I always thought eight to ten 
days ample time, especially if the weather 
was favourable. Trusting you will insert 
these lines in your next issue, I must 
apologise for taking up so much space in 
your valuable paper, which I read with in¬ 
terest every week, and which must be of 
great benefit to all who take an interest 
in gardening. 
Kingsley. A. Cox. 
In most gardens where the above is 
grown it is named Lilium Krameri, al¬ 
though it was known at least as early 
as 1873 that it bore a close resemblance 
to the plant which Thunberg described 
under the name of L. japonicum. Cer¬ 
tainly the description would also indi¬ 
cate that this is the ordinary or typical 
form of japonicum as seen by that botan¬ 
ist in Japan, and who described it as 
being indigenous to that country. The 
plants grow about 2 ft. high, and pro¬ 
duce widely expanded, drooping, rather 
one-sided, and soft pink flowers. They 
are also sweetly scented, though not so 
disagreeably powerful as in the case of 
L. auratum or L. pyrenaicum. 
It may be grown under the same con¬ 
ditions as L. croceum, L. tigrinum, and 
other garden species of those classes. 
While Lilies are making their growth 
they delight in a plentiful supply of mois¬ 
ture, but at the same time they require 
shelter from cold east winds, and also 
from the direct rays of the sun in bright, 
warm summers. This, of course, can 
readily be effected by planting the bulbs 
amongst shrubs where the ground will 
be kept shaded and cool. A bed or 
plantation of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, or 
some of the American peat-loving plants 
should be selected, as it holds the mois¬ 
ture better than soils of the nature of 
clay, which become very hard in sum¬ 
mer, and prove unsuitable for Lilies. It 
can be grown with equal ease in pots, 
treated in much the same way as the 
hardier species which thrive under such 
conditions. The relation of heat and 
moisture, as well as exposure to sunshine, 
can then be regulated to a nicety. 
