MADONNA AND CHRISTMAS LILIES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 16, 30 December 1932, Page 10

MADONNA AND CHRISTMAS LILIES

At the festive season this beautiful lily is in great demand, and rightly so, a? it is certainly a thing of beauty. Although many liliums hail from Japan, this special variety originally •omes from South Europe and Syria. Nothing can equal the Christmas or Madonna lily for altar and church decoration. These hardy bulbs are easily grown under normal conditions, if the following instructions are obServed; —

Plant the bulbs during the months •f July and August in a partially shaded position. They require some sun, but do better if shaded from the hot rays during mid-day. One cannot lay down fast rules as to their planting situation, as the same lily may flourish equally well under totally differ! nt aspects, but in their native state they are always growing within the shades of trees and on wooded hillside s. Any good garden soil will suit L. Candidum provided it is well dug and has good drainage. Place the bulb in about three times its own depth in a mixture of leafy soil and sand. The sand often prevents the attack of worms and insects. Once the bulbs begin to show above the ground continual hoeing of the surface will prevent the soil from becoming hard and set. Sometimes canker disease attacks the bulbs. This ig'generally caused from too much wet. As soon as they begin to throw up the flower spikes, care should be taken to protect them from severe winds, and occasional staking may be required. The flowers may be picked when in bud and will ■ open up in water. Tfe beds open from lhe bettvm and the stem may be kept fcr w'eeks by repeatedly changing the waiter and picking off the withered blpbms. thus allowing the buds to MHre fully.