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Summer (L in several distinct whorls)

l. in several distinct whorls, which are 3in. to 4in. apart in the lower part of the stem, and made up of about one dozen ascending oblanceolate leaves, which are 4in. to 5in. long. Stem 3ft. to 5ft. high, 3/8in. to 1/2in. thick towards the base, stiff, erect, terete. California, 1872. (F. d. S. 1975-6; G. C. 1871, p. 709; R. G. 170.) L. W. purpureum (purple). fl. purplish-black, spotted, umbellate. Stem 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. high. California, 1873. SYN. L. rubescens. (F. d. S. 1975-6; R. G. 170.) LILY BEETLE (Crioceris merdigera). In this beetle, the antennae are borne on the front of the head, and the joints are short; the mandibles are short, and are provided with several teeth; the palpi are slender, and the elytra rather broad. The colour is bright scarlet during life, but fades rapidly after death. The larvae live on Lilies, devouring the leaves. They form a protective coat by pushing their excrement upon their backs there to dry into a crust; they can free themselves at pleasure from this coat. They descend into the earth when the time arrives for them to become pupae. Lily Beetles are very rare; but, when troublesome, the best plan to effect a clearance is to pick them off by hand and to throw them into hot water. White Hellebore has been found a quick and good method of getting rid of these insects. It should be applied as recommended for the Gooseberry and Currant Sawfly (which see). LILY OF THE VALLEY (Convallaria majalis). The pure white, fragrant flowers, and pale green foliage of this beautiful native plant render it one of the most useful and universally admired. It succeeds outside in almost any situation, but prefers one with shade and plenty of moisture. When once planted and become established, the crowns keep increasing, and the larger ones flowering, each year without any attention, beyond the application of a top-dressing of manure of rich soil in the autumn. The plants are not particularly ornamental at any season except during spring and early summer; consequently, a place should be selected for their cultivation which is not too prominently exposed. In some parts of England, Lilies of the Valley are found, in any quantity, growing wild in woods; the shade and moisture there secured being suitable to their requirements. Where the plants are not found wild, they may readily be naturalised, if the position is not too dry, nor the herbage very thick. As grown outside, this plant is essentially a subject for supplying cut flowers, and these are always popular, and in great demand for bouquets of every description. Cultivated in pots, and forced into flower early in spring, the Lily of the Valley constitutes an invaluable subject for greenhouse and room decoration. The natural flowering season is April and May, according to the locality; by obtaining a plentiful supply of crowns, and forcing carefully, the season may commence inside early in December, and a succession of flowers be secured thenceforth until June. Lilies of the Valley may be propagated by seeds, which ripen freely if allowed, and should be sown in spring, outside. The usual method of propagation is by the numerous crowns which form at the points of creeping roots or underground stems. If clumps are allowed to grow undisturbed, the crowns become too thickly crowded, and do not produce such fine flowers as when more space is afforded. Preparation of Crowns for Forcing. Size, and, consequently, good quality, in the flowers of the Lily of the Valley (as represented in Fig. 434) depend entirely on the cultivation and attention given to the preparation of the crowns. Immense quantities of these are annually imported from Germany, to meet the demand for forcing purposes in this country. It is important to observe that those coming from Berlin are far better for early forcing than those received from Hamburg. The latter are generally much larger, but, for some reason, they cannot be depended upon to start well before January at the earliest. By adopting a system of annually preparing crowns for forcing, excellent ones, equal in every respect, if not superior, to those imported, may be obtained in this country. The following is a method which may be pursued: Select or prepare a piece of good ground in a border, with either an east or a west aspect. It should be manured and well trenched. The crowns should be lifted in autumn, or at any time before growth commences in spring, and placed together according to their sizes. In planting, a shallow trench should be cut out, the crowns placed upright in it, about 2in. apart, so that their points are just below the surface, and the soil filled in. Other trenches may then be prepared and planted in a similar way, leaving a space of about 9in. between them. Hoeing occasionally, to keep the surface open and clean, and watering in dry weather, until the leaves die away, will be all that is necessary afterwards. Crowns thus treated may be lifted for forcing the following winter, if required; but they are much stronger if allowed to remain until the second year. Young crowns being so freely produced, it is not usually difficult to obtain a supply from reserve clumps or borders where the ordinary system has been in practice. The sizes of crowns aged respectively one, two, and three years, are represented at a, b, and c, Fig. 435. The first, or small size, lifted at any time when at rest, in winter, will produce nothing beyond leaves the following year. From the second size, flowers of medium strength may be obtained. The large ones will be certain to flower, either indoors or outside, if placed under proper treatment. Clumps for forcing are prepared by planting a few crowns in a bunch, and allowing them to grow for two or three years previous to lifting. It will be seen that many of the crowns in such clumps cannot be of a similar age and size to those first planted, and, consequently, do not produce such large flowers. Forcing. Either home-grown or imported Berlin crowns should be used for early forcing. They should be placed rather thickly in pots or boxes, and a little light soil or cocoa-nut fibre lightly shaken amongst the roots, but not over the tops; they should be covered with moss. Another plan is to insert them similarly in propagating frames, and pot up as they come into flower. The roots do not grow during this period; consequently, it is immaterial which method is adopted. Plunge in a bottom heat of about 85 deg., and, if possible, maintain a surface temperature of 10deg. less. This encourages the production of leaves and flowers at the same time-conditions not readily obtained with the earlier supplies. If pots or boxes are used, empty ones of a similar size may be inverted over them, to keep the crowns in a darkened position. This is considered beneficial in assisting to start them into growth. When close frames are used, similar conditions may be secured by covering the sashes, so as to exclude light. It is important that the soil be placed as lightly as possible round the roots, in order that the heat may pass readily through it. Water, of the same temperature, should be given often enough to keep the whole well moistened. Bottom heat from an inclosed water tank, with pipes lying in it, is always more evenly distributed, and not of such a drying nature as when the pipes are amongst the plunging or draining material. The very earliest batch not unfrequently fails; but if the crowns are good, and proper attention is given in forcing, each of the later ones may generally be relied upon to produce good flowers. An excellent plan for obtaining leaves is to put in a few ordinary small crowns along with the larger ones. Clumps are forced in quantity later in the season; some of them, if well ripened, may be utilised at any season, where the purchasing or home cultivation of single crowns is impracticable. Lilies of the Valley, severely forced, are not of much further use; plants only gradually forwarded in spring, if put in the open ground after flowering, will recruit their strength again by the second year. Varieties. Besides the typical plant so largely grown under the familiar name of Lily of the Valley, there are a few varieties, not, however, possessing any particular merit. A larger-growing form is known as major, and a rose-coloured variety is sometimes termed rubra. The variety with double flowers is not worth cultivating. There is a very ornamental form with golden-variegated leaves, which are attractive when the markings are well developed.