The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-04-20

play. Plant the three-year old Gowns
at o distance of three inches apart;
and place one year and a two. year
old crewn alternately between them.
Allow from four to six inches between
the rows. A bed thus planted will
not need to be disturbed for six
years, provided that good top
dressing be annually applied.
When one has the facilities for
growing ones own plants. procure a
quantity Of one and two year old
crowns. Make beds about four feet
in width, each to contain elk rows of
plants. Mark-out parallel lines for
the trenches. Press spade perpen-
dicularly into the soil about Eve
inches deep, then draw the spade
towards yon, holding one had on the
top of the handle, and the other half
way down. When the trench is of
required length, drop in the plants.
at a distance of one inch apart.
Take care that the soil Immediately
surrounding the plants be very finn.
Plant crowns Of the same age togeth-
err. When the succeeding spring and
summer are dry or hot. water the
lilies copiously and often. Apply
weekly moderately strong solution
Of liquid manure, during the sum
mer months.
Commence lifting late in October,
and end early in March. Care must
be taken in digging-np crowns to
place the fork eight inches under the
surface, Unfolding the prong in
mass of fbrous roots. Shake the
earth from the portions raised, be-
fore removing TO the house, where
cleaning and separating take place.
Clean by removing the dead leaves.
weeds. and other rotten vegetable
matter. Sorting and separating re-
quire careful discrimination, The
three-year old towering crowns are
plump, and of a livid brown color;
from the base Of the crown and near.
ly to the top, they are very thick
and comparatively hard, but sudden.
ly merge into narrow neck, with an
acute point. They are usually half
an inch in length. Two-ycar old
crowns are commonly of dirty
white color. and Of the same uniform
size all the way, very gradually
forming into point; they are also
thinner. The One-year old crowns
are similar in shape to the last, but
are much smaller and of a pure
white; they will be found attached to
the main stalk of two or three.year
old crowns, from which they must
be separated without injuring the
main stem.
OF the single flower form there are
three notable varieties, The first pos
sessihg all the attractions of the
typical species, in addition to it's
golden stripped foliage; the foliage Of
the second variety is distinctly
margined with broad silvery bands
forming a striking contrast with the
remaining portions of the leaf, and
the third variety is one that produces
flower stems one foot in height, the
flowers are large and much expand
ed, and the foliage broadly margined
with gold. The double flower form
of the lily is not recommended. In
autumn, beautiful waxy crimson
berries are seen on the lily of the
valley.
The forcing-house should consist |
of span roof, built low, to prevent
the radiation of the heat. During
frosty and windy weather and on |
cold and clondy days, fasten mats or
a canvas cover on the outside of the
roof. Boxes instead Of pots are used
for plunging lilies. Cover the bottom
of the box with sand 10 the depth OF
an inch; also pile sand against one
side of the box. The crowns are
then inserted close to the sand, in q
perpendicular position, and parallel
with the side of the box; against
these put more sand, then another
row of crowns, and so on until the
box is full. Leave a space of one
inch between each crown, while the
distance frem one row to another
should be at least one and a half
inches. To ensure success, each plant
must be upright and firmly imbedled
in the plunging material. and the
flower bud kept well above the level
of the earth.
Forcing is an important branch in
lily cultivation. For this purpose
nae hnxes ah0ut civ inohos 1aen two