38 
TIIE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
when there is not a particle of snow on the ground for 
its protection. Here the frost penetrates the earth to a 
great depth one week, and is entirely out the next. 
These constant changes from freezing to thaw¬ 
ing causes the earth to contract and expand to such 
a degree as to frequently tear the bulbs in pieces. We 
have had whole fields destroyed in this manner. But 
let us be more specific. Take the beautiful little Lilium 
Tenuifolium, a native of Siberia, and, where it is largely 
grown as an article of food, in its native habitat it is 
perfectly hardy; here it is not. Why? Simply because 
in its Siberian home the first indication of AVinter is a 
snow-storm that c .vers the ground so deeply that frost 
rarely, if ever, penetrates it at all: while here the earth is 
frozen to a depth -entirely unknown there, notwith¬ 
standing their climate is much the colder of the two. 
The same is true of the Lilium Martagon, the bulbs of 
which are largely used by the Cossacks as an article of 
food: with them, it is perfectly hardy: with us, in a 
much milder climate, it will rarely survive but a single 
season unless protected: and with that precaution, it 
grows with more vigor here than in its native heme. 
The AVliite Turk's Cap Lily (Lilium Martagon Album) 
in the northern parts of New York, in the Eastern 
States, and in Lower Canada, thrives with all the vigor 
of a native plant; so common is it in one locality, in 
St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., that last season a lady friend 
sent me a specimen for name, saying it was a common 
wild Lily, but she could not fiud it described in Gray's 
botany. Here we cannot grow it, or do not at least, 
excepting in a cold frame: there, as in Germany, its 
native home, the'snow affords ample protection. 
In Vermont, where the ground is nearly always cov¬ 
ered with snow during the Winter season, all kinds of 
Lilies grow to the greatest perfection. AA T e have seen 
finer bulbs of the Auratum, Brownii, Chalcedonicum. 
Martagon, and other species grown in that State, with¬ 
out the slightest artificial protection, than we have ever 
known produced in any other country. There the 
Auratum is always healthy, and increases as rapidly as 
any of our native species. 
There are many other plants protected by the snow 
in a similar manner. We notice cn the Alps, at an 
elevation that permits of only four months of Spring. 
Summer, and Autumn, the Primula Auricula grows in 
the greatest luxuriance and profusion. It is there con¬ 
stantly covered with snow during then- long periods 
of freezing weather. 
In the valleys below, where there is no snow and but 
light frost, the same plant will not live through the 
winter unless carefully protected. 
It is not so much the cold that injures and destroys 
the bulbs, as the effect of the cold, which disintegrates 
them, by alternate freezing and thawing. We have 
often had bulbs of the Tigrinum, Umbellatmn, and 
Speciosum remain on the surface during the Winter 
without their bring injured in the slightest degree, 
while those in the ground were completely destroyed. 
The question may be asked. • and it is a pertinent 
one, “Do not our native Lilies have the same elements 
to contend against as those not indigenous to our soil, 
and having them, escape uninjured? ” Certainly, yes; 
but nature always protects her own, and in collecting 
our native species, we see how wisely and beautifully 
it is done. The Superbum is rarely found excepting in 
woods or marshy grounds; the low-growing trees or 
shrubs form a complete net-work of roots above and 
beneath the bulbs, affording the most ample protection 
against the action of the frost, should it penetrate tho 
heavy mulching of leaves, that Nature has provided for 
their protection. Tho Canadense, or common Lily of our 
meadows, forms its bulbs very deep, usually beyond tho 
reach of frost, and has for a covering a heavy turf, than 
which there can be no better protection. This Lily, 
in our cultivated fields, is by no means hardy. 
JEsop told the gardener of his master, Xanthus, that 
*• the earth was stepmother to those plants which were 
incorporated into her soil, but a mother to those which aro 
her own free production. 1 ’ This may be tho reason why 
our own species are capable of withstanding the 
severity of our Winters, while the foreign sorts are not. 
AYhatever may he the cause of failure, we are certain 
from our own experience and observation, that, where 
Lilies are protected so that frost cannot reach them, 
they will invariably succeed, and thrive in proportion 
as the other conditions of growth are more or less 
favorable: while those left unprotected, if in exposed 
situations, are quite as sure to die. 
The protection of a bed of I.ilies is a simple and inex¬ 
pensive operation. The best and most natural mulching 
we have ever used is a covering, say six inches in depth, 
of newly fallen leaves: these kept in their places by a 
few brush, or pieces of board. Salt or marsh hay is 
also an excellent protection: corn-stalks answer a good 
purpose: in short, whatever material is the most con¬ 
venient that will accomplish the purpose is the best 
to use. 
The next cause of failure of any great importance in 
Lily culture, is in planting in wet situations; too much 
water around the bulbs in AVinter is about as injurious 
to the plant as too many degrees of frost. In situa¬ 
tions where water covers the ground for any great 
length of time when the bulbs are at rest, they 
will not be likely to succeed ; in fact, they will be 
very liable to perish. There arc many gardens that are 
noted for their productiveness, which cannot be planted 
before the first of May, because of too much moisture; 
such an one is not the congenial home of the Lily. If 
such an one you have, your remedy is in a raised bed; 
this should be at least eighteen inches above the level, 
and is best made in the following manner: Cover a 
space of the required size with stone, which should be 
about a foot high, and placed irregularly, leaving the 
spaces between not more than ten inches in any direc¬ 
tion. Between the stones, fill in with good, strong, rich 
soil, even with the tops; on this soil plant tho bulbs in 
the manner we shall soon describe, covering to the 
depth of six inches. The bulbs should not be placed 
nearer than one foot of the edge of the bed, which 
should be nicely sodded and kept neatly trimmed dur¬ 
ing Summer. This bed will require mulching during the 
Winter the same as if the bulbs were planted in the 
ordinary border. With these precautions, Lilies of all 
denominations, excepting one or two that we shall 
mention in our selection for the garden, can be grown 
in the greatest perfection, and reward the grower most 
liberally for all the care and attention given. 
For the perfect development of the flower, a few 
other precautions are necessary, although good flowers 
can be produced without them. The first is to cover 
the bed with some neat mulching in order to keep the 
ground cool and moist; this is not only necessary for 
