cloth is good. Baskets eight or ten inches deepare easily 
formed from it and if half-inch mesh is used there is no 
interference with root action. 
Plant lilies with a spade--not a trowel. Dig up the 
ground at least eighteen inches deep, turning the top-soil 
down where the roots will be. In "trenching" for any plant 
| like to put sods at the bottom of the bed. This is humus 
in its best form. Many lilies make roots on the flower 
stem above the bulb, in addition to those on the base of 
the bulb. These are commonly called "stem-rooting" lilies. 
Deeper planting is advised for these than for those that 
make roots on the bulb only. The latter are called "base- 
rooting". 
Perhaps the safest rule is, "Cover the bulb to a depth 
equal to three times the diameter of the adult bulb". As 
L. pumilum grows to only a little over an inch in diam- 
eter it should be covered about three inches deep; while 
auratum or Henryi may be covered with about eight inches 
of soil so it can make plenty of stem roots to support the 
heavy flower stalk. Bulbs should be planted a little deep- 
er in light soil than if the soil is heavy. An exception 
to this rule is L. candidum which should be covered only 
two inches deep and may thrive with the top of the bulb 
exposed to the air. 
Lily bulbs when shipped should have live roots, pro- 
tected like any other perennial. Lilies are more accom- 
odating than most perennials as they try to grow new roots 
if the old ones are destroyed. Even so, they should not be 
given such a handicap to existence. Perhaps the greatest 
disservice ever given to the genus Lilium was calling it 
a bulb. Too many people confuse its treatment with that 
of the tunicated bulbs (tulip, narcissus etc.) or corms 
(gladiolus, crocus). It pains me to see them get such 
treatment in garden stores and | sometimes wonder that 
so many lilies live after such treatment. If you must de- 
pend on a local merchant for lily bulbs, you should order 
early and get delivery as soon as he receives stock from 
the growers. 
It is much better practice to order from a grower who 
will send you freshly dug bulbs. There are several such in 
Various parts of U.S. and Canada. Some of us are not en- 
tirely dependable, but in general you will get better bulbs. 
if your lily bulbs have live roots--as they should have 
--give them the same care that you would give tree roots. 
A hole having been made a little deeper than the bulb is 
to be planted, place an inch of sand in the bottom, set the 
bulb on this and surround it with sand. Mark its position 
with a stake and fill the hole with loam, labeling it prop- 
erly. In the spring,work the ground carefully so the 
