GARDEN TOPICS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1009, 10 March 1909, Page 1

GARDEN TOPICS.

I (Hy .lames Gebbie.) | -'CKXSIOKU Till- I-lUKS." j Lilies are considered to be the ne plus ultra of Moral beauty, and certain it is that no class of plants cultivated out of doors possess so many charm,-. From the earliest times lilies have been looked upon as the noblest of plants. In some ancient pictures of the Virgin .Mary tiie artist shows her holding: in her right hand a spike of Christmas lily (Lilium caudidum), emblematic of purity, "and no better Jily in the whole family could have been chosen: i its flowers are imro white, of refined form, ! and possessing a rich fragrance. 'The lilies I stand out prominently from all other liardv plants, and no" garden should be without a. few of the best sorts, and as the various species flower at different times, with a well-selected collection bloom may ive had from Xovember to April. A fcv." species were on view at the flower show last week. Lilium auratam shown by Mr Jas. Mitchell has ivory white flowers spotted with crimson, and a yellow stripe down the centre of each petal, and delightfully fragrant. Cn Mr Edwards' stand were blooms of rubro-vittatum, a variety of Auratmn. J laving been open for it considerable time .the color was somewhat faded, but when at its best the color is pure white with a crimson hand down the centre of each petal, and b a magniliient variety. The finest varieties of the u'eiius liliuni are without doubt Liliuni Auratam and its varieties. The blooms of these lilies are frequently one foot across. Those lilies are natives of Japan, and there a large export trade is done in sending them to all parts of the world, as many as live million being shipped annually i'rom Yokohama. The bulbs are collected in their native wilds and sent to the growers, who -size, the bulbs and cultivate them for one to three years before of Auratuni.--. Liliuni .q.e.iosam or luncifolium as it was then called, was the finest of a!l__the gems. Introduced from Japan J in 1860 it at once came into repute, being j considered too tender for outdoor euitiva- ! tiou. Thev are beginning to bloom now in i the open border, and some beautiful speci- ! ir.ns mav be set n in the garden of Mr !W. J. M:!!. T'inmrs street. There are several varieties of Liliuni snecieoim. and ! all are b. a.uiii'e.l, bet only n few varie- ' lies ais obtainable, t'l' tie se L-iitun niel- ! ponienc is one of the 1 est: the flowers ! nee white spotted and clouded with crim- ! sou and very tare-. Spceiosiun krnrl/.cn. |-. : arge pure white, aud speeiosum | rabium white with crimson spots are distinct. Pr.-sing along K.e-d street my ai- ; tei'.tioii v.n- attracted to a magnificent I i-lumu of Liliuni tig-rinium in the garden j of Mr i\ Williams.' There are 20 or more ! flower stems about four feet high, each i .dcm bearing a large number oi dowers, 1 these l-.eireg dark orange with black spots. ' ■ When .-,.. i: in clumps" like this the clbct ' ;-. grand. 'I here is a double form of this i lii/whi h produces immense [lowers nearly I to U eMpUo--" '"' MeW are " nianV 'other : .lapam -:•.■ liihs. and they are generally of 1 great !-•■;:lit \- and easy culture, but the ■ n on. v thev can "make from the sale of . j hulls'or as'an article of diet, the majority ' of illy bulbs King used -.is food by the ■ j Japanese. There are about 1(0 opeics of ' Ihiiims from the four quarters of the g'obe. Tills is idr-ut the number of species at present known, and a few hybrids. Japan gives us about 56 varieties of lilies, China a! out 25. and it is expected thai. ! now China is being opened up there will i I e manv more important species added. i India, 'Utiriiiah, and Xepaul contribute I about 17 .species of great 1 eauty. America I eoiitribut ■-, 53 species. Kuiopo rim hiding the l'inira-.i;s and Siberia) upwards of 40 J species, and a few have come from other I .-oiii-i-cs. Kxperts have been hybridising to i get new- varieties for the last hundred ' v-ar.s. but with little suoecs;. In consider j nig the lilici and how they grow a little ; consideration must- be given to their trcati meut. The majority will grow and flower I in am- good garden soil, a few require ; ..|-i.--l : bcp loam, and two or three specie.; I c.oighi in deep moist peat. In whatever ■■■oil 'thev may be planted, it is a good : thin- to' have the roots shaded bv other 1 plants, as this keeps the soil cool. Shads from the midday sun, shelter from seveio : winds, and a fair amount of moisture are I tssemiai to sit cress in lily culture. The I bulls for planting should not remain long ! out of the ground or the scabs become j flabbv. and this means a loss of vitality • and often the cause of failure. The j depth at which tiie bulb is planted should | range from three inches to ten inches, i according to the size and height of the ! variety. " Many lilies make stem roots as . ! well as from 'the base of the bulb, and ! this peculiarity suggests that an annual 1 ton dressing of leaf mould or a light j rich compost will assist the plants. I I would like to say something more about 1 the iili.s. but .am'afraid to make this note | of undue length, so will refrain for the j | present.