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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  3,  1901. 
Liliuins  for  Pots. 
Speaking  broadly,  the  chief  requirements  to  successful  pot  culture 
in  almost  all  cases,  and  with  almost  all  species  are — 1,  Sweet,  fresh, 
clean  soil  ;  2,  Liberal  watering ;  3,  Plenty  of  pot  room  ;  4,  Good 
drainage;  and  5,  Broken  sunshine  without  obscuring  light. 
Lilium  lancifolium. — This  estimable  species  has  given  us  many 
good  forms,  all  of  which  very  easily  adapt  themselves  to  pot  culture, 
and  are  consequently  grown  by  the  thousand,  both  for  supplying  the 
market  with  cut  flowers  and  for  room  and  conservatory  decoration. 
The  forms  vary  from  the  purest  white  of  Ivraetzeri  to’deep  crimson  of 
Melpomene,  and  although  I  do  not  think  the  yellow  Henryi  strictly  a 
form,  yet  it  is  so  nearly  allied  as  to  be  cultivated  in  the  same  manner, 
and  for  this  purpose  may,  I  think,  be  called  a  yellow  lancifolium, 
giving  thus  a  new  colour  to  this  group. 
The  soil  most  suited  to  their  culture  is  good  maiden  loam  mixed 
with  a  little  leaf  mould  and  a  sprinkling  of  sharp  silver  sand.  The 
pots  should  be  well  crocked  to  insure  perfect  drainage,  over  these  a 
layer  of  quite  decayed  manure  may  be  laid,  with  a  piece  or  two  of 
charcoal.  For  single  bulbs  use  7-inch  pots,  fill  with  mould  up  to  a 
third  of  the  depth,  place  the  bulb  on  this,  having  shaken  a  handful  of 
coarse  silver  sand  immediately  round  it,  and  fill  up  until  the  v<  ry  points 
of  the  scales  can  just  be  seen,  when  no  more  should  be  added  until 
the  plant  requires  it — that  is  after  having  made  surface  roots  and  a 
sufficient  growth  of  stem  to  be  well  out  of  the  pot.  Three  bulbs  may 
be  used  for  10-inch  or  12-inch  pots.  Immediately  they  are  so  potted 
stand  in  a  cool  frame  or  similar  situation,  taking  care  the  sun’s  rays 
do  not  heat  the  pets,  cover  deeply  with  cocoa-nut  fibre  or  similar 
material,  and  if  the  soil  was  rather  dry,  and  the  pots  new. 
give  one  good  watering,  and  no  more  until  growth  is  established^  If 
the  soil  was  fairly  moisr,  and  the  pots  older,  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  water  until  the  bulbs  have  well  started. 
When  the  young  shoots  are  found  to  be  pushing  through  their 
covering,  take  them  out  as  they  require,  and  stand  in  some  open 
light  place,  being  partially  screened  from  the  hottest  of  the  bun's 
rays  ;  fill  up  the  pots  with  a  similar  compost  as  used  in  potting,  to 
which  might  be  added  a  very  little  well-decayed  manure — from  the 
dairy  farmyard  preferred — leaving  space  for  watering  of  course,  and 
increase  the  water  as  the  plants  require  it.  Weak  liquid  manure  may 
be  added,  if  carefully  done,  when  the  flower  buds  have  appeared,  to 
give  the  final  touch  as  it  were  ;  this  last  adds  greatly  to  the  brilliancy 
of  colour  and  glossiness  of  foliage.  L.  longiflorum  in  several  forms  also 
forms  a  good  pot  subject ;  they  all  enjoy  eoil  of  firm  texture,  and  may 
be  made  somewhat  richer  than  the  above,  otherwise  the  same  compost 
is  admirable  When  the  pots  are  quite  filled  with  roofs  L.  longiflorum 
may  be  brought  into  a  greenhouse,  or  if  during  cold  weather  may  be 
forced  in  a  temperature  of  70°  to  80°  if  required. 
No  Lily  pays  better  for  liberal  treatment  than  the  forms  of  longi¬ 
florum.  The  well  known  L.  Harrisi  is  a  variety  evolved  by  selection 
and  careful  cultivation  in  Bermuda  as  to  become  distinct,  inasmuch 
as  it  more  easily  adapts  itself  to  forcing  and  pot  culture  generally, 
and  produces  a  greater  abundance  of  flowers.  For  florists  it  is 
particularly  valuable,  flowering  at  a  different  time  from  the  type 
imported  from  Japan  or  China.  Where  effect  is  required,  as,  for 
instance,  in  a  large  conservatory,  the  variety  giganteum  would  be  the 
best  for  the  purpose ;  attaining  the  height  of  5  feet,  and  clothed  to  the 
pot  with  foliage  of  great  texture  and  of  a  rich  dark  green,  their  spotless 
trumpet  shaped  flowers  are,  indeed,  imposing. 
L.  auratum. — Good  forms  of  this — probably  the  noblest  of  all  the 
family — are,  perhaps,  the  greatest  favourites  for  pot  culture.  They, 
however,  require  a  little  more  careful  watching — a  few  more  of  those 
little  nameless  attentions,  which  in  themselves  are  next  to  nothing,  but 
in  the  aggregate  make  all  the  difference  between  first  rate  and  second 
rate. 
A  good  system  of  culture  would  be  very  similar  to  that  recom¬ 
mended  for  L.  lancifolium,  with  a  few  additions,  and  above  all  closer 
touch  with  the  plants.  The  soil  should  be  composed  of  three  parts 
fat  fibrous  loam  and  two  parts  sweet  fibrous  peat,  with  a  handful  of 
decayed  leaf  mould  and  good  sprinkling  of  sand.  Arrange  drainage, 
charcoal,  &c.,  as  recommended  for  previous  species;  give  plenty  of 
pot  room  and  be  very  carelul  in  filling  up  to  cover  the  surface  roots  ; 
afford  plenty  of  water  when  in  full  growth,  but  avoid  most  carefully 
any  appearance  of  stagnation,  and  never  allow  the  points,  the  feeding 
parts,  of  the  roots  to  be  injured  oy  too  hot  sunshine  or  drought. 
When  placed  outside,  after  coming  out  of  the  frame,,  carefully  stake 
and  secure  from  wind,  and  avoid  as  far  as  possible  their  being 
swamped  by  storms.  When  the  buds  are  well  developed,  bring  into 
the  conservatory  and  avoid  as  far  as  possible  moving  them  afterwards. 
A  little  weak  liquid  manure  may  then  be  afforded,  little  and  often 
rather  than  an  overdose  to  commence.  After  they  have  finished 
flowering  and  are  no  longer  ornamental  in  the  conservatory,  have  them 
carefully  stood  out  in  some  out-of-the-way  part,  where,  however,  they 
still  can  receive  moderate  quantities  of  water,  which  should  be 
diminished  as  the  plant  ripens  its  foliage. 
When  quite  dormant  still  never  allow  the  soil  to  become  parched, 
if  it  does  it  will  be  at  the  expense  of  next  season’s  flowering.  Where 
it  is  proposed  to  grow  Lilies  in  any  quantities  a  space  should  always 
be  held  in  reserve  for  dormant  roots  stored  away  in  the  pots  and  soil 
in  which  they  have  been  grown.  When  the  time  comes  for  starting 
them  again  they  should  be  carefully  shaken  out,  keeping  intact  all  the 
fibrous  roots  which  still  remain  alive,  take  out  any  deciyed  or  injured 
scales,  and  dress  the  space  and  wound  with  charcoal  dust,  or  if  fungus 
is  observed  with  sulphur.  When  imported  bulbs  are  used  for  the  first 
time  after  arrival  carefully  look  them  over,  trim  and  dress  as  described, 
and  if  large  made-up  pots  are  required,  say  three  or  four,  according  to 
size  of  bulb,  in  a  12-inch  pot,  start  them  in  damp  cocoa-nut  fibre, 
placing  all  of  one  degree  of  growth  together,  care  being  used  not  to 
injure  the  rootlets,  which  are  then  about  an  inch  long.  Do  not  press 
the  soil  down  too  firmly,  and  fill  up  as  recommended  above  as  the 
surface  roots  require  it,  never  allowing  these  to  be  exposed  to  the 
sun’s  rays. 
The  best  forms  of  L.  auratum  are  p’atyphyllum  Crimson  King, 
virginale,  rubro-vittatum,  and  cruentum.  Imported  bulbs  are  very 
variable,  some  flowers  being  composed  of  mere  shreds,  whilst  others 
are  broad  and  nearly  flat.  Some  are  nearly  pure  white,  whilst  others 
have  a  very  broad  rich  bind  in  the  centre  of  each  segment,  or, 
as  in  cruentum  and  rubro-vittatum,  crimson  bands  and  spots. — 
E.  Ladhams. 
(To  be  concluded.) 
Carries  under  Glass. 
A  structure  devoted  to  Cherries  is  not  common,  but  no  fruit  is 
more  useful  in  the  spring.  The  house  should  be  light,  well  ventilated 
top  and  bottom,  and  efficiently  heated ;  no  other  is  suitable  for 
Cherries.  A  lean-t'o  or  three-quarter  span,  facing  south,  is  most  suitable 
for  early  forcing  to  afford  ripe  fruit  in  April,  and  a  span-roof  with  the 
ends  north  and  south  for  affording  Cherries  in  May  and  June.  The 
trees  may  be  trained  to  a  trellis  fixed  12  inches  from  the  glass,  border 
inside,  and  not  made  all  at  once.  A  4  to  6  feet  width  of  border, 
according  to  the  size  of  trees,  is  sufficient  to  commence  with,  draining 
it  with  rubble  9  inohes  deep,  and  on  that  a  3-inch  thickness  of  old 
mortar  rubbish. 
From  20  to  24  inches  depth  of  soil  is  ample,  allowance  being  made 
for  Betting.  Good  turfy  loam,  preferably  rather  strong,  with  one-fifth 
of  lime  rubbish  from  an  old  building,  and  a  sixth  of  road  scrapings, 
form  a  suitable  compost.  The  trees  may  be  planted  as  soon  as  the 
leaves  fall.  Those  trained  to  walls  four  to  six  years,  and  in  a  fruitful 
healthy  state,  also  recently  lifted  so  as  to  bear  removal  safely  and 
without  check,  are  the  most  suitable.  The  border  being  put  together 
compactly,  and  the  trees  firmly  planted,  following  with  a  good  watering, 
and  mulching  with  a  little  short  stable  manure,  will  give  a  fair  crop  the 
first  season.  The  most  suitable  varieties  are  Belle  d’Orleans,  Early 
Rivers,  Governor  Wood,  and  Black  Tartarian.  The  roof-lights  should 
be  taken  eff,  and  remain  so  till  the  beginning  of  next  year. 
Cherries  in  Pots  :  Varieties. 
Cherries  are  readily  forced  in  pots,  and  give  a  long  succession  of 
fruit.  The  house  must  be  heated  for  forcing,  or  it  may  be  a  cool  one, 
in  each  case  well  ventilated,  and  as  the  trees  ripen  their  crops  and  are 
cleared  of  them  they  may  be  placed  outdoors.  The  trees  should  be 
secured  at  once,  and  if  they  require  a  shift  into  larger  pots  attend  to  it 
without  delay,  disentangling  the  roots  at  the  sideB  of  the  ball,  and 
cutting  back  any  straggling  and  thick  ones.  Provide  good  drainage, 
and  ram  the  soil  firmly.  Trees  that  are  in  as  large  pots  as  desired 
need  only  have  the  drainage  rectified  and  the  surface  dressed;  or  the 
drainage  may  be  cleared  away,  a  few  inches  from  the  base  removed,  the 
roots  shortened  back,  and  fresh  soil  given  as  advised  for  borders,  with  a 
fifth  of  well. decayed  manure,  removing  also  the  loose  surface  material, 
and  supplying  rich  compost. 
For  forcing  in  pots,  Belle  d’Orleans,  Early  Rivers,  Empress  Eugenie 
Bigarreau  de  Schreken,  May  Duke,  Black  Eagle,  Governor  Wood,  Black 
Tartarian,  Elton,  and  Mammoth  are  good.  For  a  cool  house,  Belle 
d’Orleans,  Early  Rivers,  Early  Red  Bigarreau,  Empress  Eugenie, 
Bigarreau  de  Schreken,  Governor  Wood,  May  Duke,  Black  Eagle, 
Archduke,  Nouvelle  Royale,  Florence,  and  Lite  Duke.  Those  are 
oompact  growers,  and  the  following  are  large  growers  : — Early  Jaboulay, 
Black  Tartarian,  Bohemian,  Black  Bigarreau,  Elton,  Reine  Hortense, 
Bigarreau,  Bigarreau  de  Mezel,  Mammoth,  Duohesse  de  Palluau, 
Bigarreau  Napoleon,  Belle  Magnifique,  and  Tradescant’s  Heart. — Herts. 
