CULTURAL NOTES 
When lilies are healthy and find a place in the garden that they like, 
they thrive. 
Most lilies like partial shade at some point during the day. A very 
few of them actually prefer full sun and an even smaller number like 
heavy shade. These are noted in the text. Almost all like a ground cover 
of some sort that will shade the ground in which they are growing but 
will leave the stems free to rise up into the sun. 
Good locations are various. The perennial border offers excellent 
growing conditions for most species. Lilies are happy when interplanted 
with peonies, iris and other plants. Almost all of them are effective and 
do exceptionally well when planted in isolated groups against the shrub- 
bery. The taller ones are happy and effective within light shrubbery. A 
rather large group lend themselves to naturalization and the woodland 
garden. All are happy with ferns. 
A good friable loam with plenty of humus is the best soil. Do not be 
afraid to feed. Bonemeal, well rotted manure or compost can be worked 
into the beds. A mulch of manure and commercial fertilizer is excellent 
if applied in fall so that the food will work down into the ground during 
the winter. Manure can also be applied as a summer mulch if desired and 
is best if used either at or after the time of flowering. Manure should 
not be used on those varieties of lilies labeled capricious or those highly 
subject to basal rot. 
The majority of species are best If fail planted, so we strongly urge 
purchasing at that time. Bulbs are lifted and shipped as soon as they are 
ready. Some mature early in August, others not till mid-November. If the 
bulbs arrive late in the season and there is danger that the ground might 
be frozen at the time, it is recommended that it be mulched with leaves, 
straw or boughs to keep it open. After the bulbs are planted the mulch 
at be replaced so the ground temperature will reach freezing gradu- 
ally. 
The site where lilies are to be planted should be well worked over 
to a depth of 15 or 18 inches with compost or well-rotted manure incor- 
porated generously. Bulbs should be planted approximately 5 to 6 inches 
deep in light soil or 4 to 5 inches deep in heavy soil except where noted. 
If the soil is well prepared the bulbs will then find their proper depth. 
GOOD DRAINAGE IS ESSENTIAL. Do not attempt to plant lilies 
where they must stand in water for any length of time as this will almost 
guarantee rot. 
There are certain problems connected with the growing of all gar- 
den plants and lilies naturally have their share. The following discussion 
deals with these and with the means by which they «an be controlled. 
SPRING FROSTS 
Occasionally late spring frosts raise havoc, especially when they follow 
an early warm growing period. Those lilies that tend to start into growth 
very early as do L. regale, L. Hansonii, and the Martagon-Hansonii hybrids 
are naturally most liable to injury. On this account we recommend a good 
winter mulch over these lilies in areas liable to late frosts. The mulch 
tends to keep the bulbs dormant in spring so that when they emerge and 
the buds show, danger of frost injury is pretty well past. If manure, peat 
moss, leaves, straw or pine needles are used this material may be left on 
through the summer, thus working into the soil and adding humus con- 
tent. If boughs or similar material is used it should be left on as late as 
possible. Lilies planted through perennials or light shrubbery are fairly 
well protected by the foliage of the surrounding plants. 
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