Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-23
1rEllE REAL EASTER LILLY.

turning from Bermuda, brought with her
two plants of this improved stock ana
gave them to a florist OF the quaker cits
who, perceiving the great value OF the
variety, proceeded to multiply the pulos.
He introduced the lily to public NORGE
seven years later, giving small eNnlpit
of the plants. Other horticulturists were
quick to secure specimens for propagation.
and today the Lillian Harrls1, as IL 10
called, holds the market exclusively
* !:
Bermuda is the original home OF the
early variety. While Ii is still winter IN
the northern part of the United States,
fields of onions and potatoes are carpetins
the Bermudas with green and luNuriant
promise of coming wealth for the farmer
while here and there. even during March.
fields of blooming lilies spread a feast
for the eye. But to the grower of the
little archipelago the Easter lily is mere
ly an incidental crop, supplementing the
onion and potato. Culture of IL Is wholly
by hand, in pockets of rich soil among
the rocks.
In June the Easter lily bulbs are dug in
Bermuda and shipped to the United
States, packed in sawdust or excelsior
They are then planted by American idor-
lists in pots, and at the proper time many
mOntnS later, are DTOu&Al lIito inc tiot-
houses to be forced for vhe Easter mar
ket. Hitherto We have been obliged to-
depend entirely upon Bermuda for|our
Easter lilies, but there is reason TO be-
lieve that before long plentiful Supplies
OF them will be grown In southern FLOR
ida and southern California. Incidental
to experiments in this direction, a num-
Der of valuable new varieties have re-
Gently been created by the government
plant bureau.
emblem of purity and modesty- 1t Is
native of temperate latitudes In Europe
and Asia, and I'm the garden u one OF
the earliest of spring flowers Nearly all
of the lilies of this klnd grown III inns
country are raised from pips '-root
shoots-imported from Germany, Holland
and France where they are produced by
the million for export. On arriving III
the United States they are put INTO re-
frigerators or otherwise kept cold, SO as
tn suspeud their vitality-the object being
to force them into bloom as they are re-
ouired for market. In this way gardeners
are enabled to offer the blossom Tor sale
the year around.
however, is the Victoria Regia, which
was first discovered on the Rio Mamore.
a tributary of the Amazon, by botanist
named Haenke, who In 1SOl was sent oy
the Spanish government to study the
plants of Peru. During subsequent years
repeated efforts were made to send the
seeds and roots of THIS plant to Europe:
but they always died. 1t was not until
Is4g that seeds shipped in a bottle OF
water were successfully planted in the
gardens at Kew. from which the plant
has since been distributed over the world.
The first Victoria Regia that doomed
in the United States was grown in the
White House In an aquatic garden under
glass, which was destroyed by fire when
Andrew Jackson was President.
This wonderful lily has leaves six feet
in diameter, resembling huge trays float
ing on water. They have numerous air
cells on the under side, and one of them
will sustain the weight of 2oO-pound
man. The native women of South Amer
lea put their children on these great
platters while gathering the seed for
food In early spring, in cold ATTITUDES.
the plants are set In boxes, In sands
which are kept heated. The blossoms,
which have a fragrance like that OF a
are white. with a pink center
turning to rosy on the second day. They
are from fifteen to eighteen inches in
diaucte.'