THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
30 
the full development of the flower, but for the growth 
of the bulb, the plants’ storehouse of food, with which 
it commences operations the coming season. For this 
purpose we should advise the use of some low-growing 
plant, the Verbena, Dwarf Petunia, or any other plant 
that will not offend the eye, and cover the ground 
quickly, continuing in flower the whole season. Last 
season we tried several rows of Longiflorums, mulched 
with Pansies, with excellent effect; for field culture, 
however, salt hay is on many accounts preferable. 
That or any other dry mulch would be unsightly in the 
flower garden, for which reason we recommend the 
low-growing plant. 
The second precaution is to have the Lily-bed partially 
shaded, or to protect the plants from the mid-day sun 
by a light lattice covering, say six feet above the plant, 
or to arrange a frame for a light canvas covering, to be 
used in excessively hot weather. This will not only 
prolong the season of flowering, but the individual 
flowers will bo much larger, the colors and markings 
better defined, and the whole plant will be stronger and 
more healthy. 
What soils do Lilies require, or in what kind do they 
succeed best? are questions we hear from every quarter. 
To many these seem vital points; to me the character of 
the soil is a secondary consideration; the condition of 
the soil is what causes success or failure to a great de¬ 
gree. We have grown Lilies in all kinds of soil, from 
the heaviest clay to the lightest sand, and have met 
with success and failure in either case. Our preference 
is for a light loam; failing in that, we take whatever is 
the most convenient, knowing full well the soil that 
will yield an abundant crop of garden vegetables or 
field crops, will also produce Lilies and other flowers as 
well. It is a great mistake to suppose that each and 
every plant must have a soil with certain specific charac¬ 
ters for its perfect development. It is true that any 
given plant will do better in a soil congenial to it, and it 
is equally true that the same plant will do well in a great 
variety of soils. The soil contains certain elements 
essential to plant life, the atmosphere the others: the 
two acting in harmony in the production of the plant. 
So, whether you have a clayey or a sandy soil, you will 
have an atmosphere that will act in harmony with 
it, in either case the results will be the same; in the 
one you will have to use more manure, in the other 
more labor to reach the same end. 
But can all the species be grown in the one soil? is a 
common and pertinent question, to which we answer, 
Yes, as nearly as any other genera of plants with which 
we are acquainted. Make your heavy soil rich, and pro¬ 
vide good drainage, and you will get an abundance of 
beautiful Lilies. Make your light soil rich, and care¬ 
fully protect from the bui'ning sun by some suitable 
mulch or screen, and you will get the same. 
The next important consideration is, how to plant, and 
upon this much depends ; it is also a part of the work 
but little understood, and generally neglected. To pre¬ 
pare a bed properly the soil should be thrown out to the 
depth of two feet; in the bottom there should be at 
least six inches of well-rotted manure firmly packed 
down, upon this eight inches of good garden soil, then 
one inch of clean sand, upon this place the bulbs and 
cover them with sand, then fill up with the same soil as 
below the bulb; no manure should ever come in con¬ 
tact with the bulb, as it only tends to produce fungus 
and rot. The mission of the bulb is to sustain the plant 
until there is root and leaf development sufficient to 
carry on the work : it is simply a storehouse of food laid 
up by the plant this year, for the commencement of its 
labors the next. The plant derives its sustenance far 
away from the bulb, and will increase in size and 
strength in proportion to the amount of food in store 
for it, until it has reached its maximum growth. It is 
quite as important to have the soil above the bulb rich, 
as it is below, as most species feed near the surface, 
through their thousands of roots thrown out from the 
stem just under the surface of the ground. 
The size and number of the bulbs formed this year- 
for the perpetuation of the species will depend upon the 
plant’s resources. If you have made liberal deposits 
you can draw upon nature in the same proportion, and 
every draft will be duly honored. 
Our next consideration will be when to plant. This is 
also an important one, the neglect of which is one of 
the many causes of failure. There is but a short period 
of the year when Lily bulbs are at rest, and it is during 
that period they should be removed ; then they may be 
kept out of the ground until Spring if properly cared 
for, and replanted with better chances of success than if 
planted late in Autumn. The Lilium Candidum should 
be removed in August, and not kept out of the earth 
but three or four weeks. The Excelsum, which be¬ 
longs to the same class, does not ripen quite so early ; 
we find the better time to move the bulb is in Septem¬ 
ber. This rule will also apply to the Martagon and its 
varieties. All the other species can be taken up in 
October, replanted at once, or packed away in leaf 
mold until the ground is in proper condition for plant¬ 
ing in Spring. Bulbs should not remain dry but for a 
very short period ; in importing new varieties, and for 
purposes of sale, it is necessary to keep them dry longer 
than they should be; every day they are out of the 
ground materially weakens them, often beyond their 
power of recuperation. We do not marvel that growers 
get discouraged in their efforts to get a Lily-bed estab¬ 
lished, when we see them go to a seed-store and get 
bulbs that have been kept in dry saw-dust, or exposed 
in the dry atmosphere of the seed-room from September 
until May. Such bulbs will not recover until long after 
the hopes of the amateur have blasted, and he has be¬ 
stowed his blighted affections on some other plant. 
When Lilies have become established, frequent re¬ 
movals are not desirable, they should remain undis¬ 
turbed as long as they flower satisfactorily. It is well 
to remove the small bulbs that form at the base of the 
stem in early Spring, and transfer them to the reserve 
ground to complete their growth, and be ready for 
future use. 
SELECTION 
is the last consideration, and which is an individual 
work, depending upon the taste, the amount of room to 
be devoted to their culture, and the amount of money 
to be invested, all of which is to be determined by the 
grower. If I could have but one of the species it would 
be the Candidum, because of its graceful habit, and the 
stainless purity of its noble white flowers. If my means 
were not limited, I should have every species well repre¬ 
sented in the garden, excepting the Giganteum, Cordi- 
folium and Thompsonianum, which should be included 
in a separate class, requiring, as they do, greenhouse 
culture. 
