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flowers in his garden in Peckham. It has an almost three foot high stem and
carries on each of them [always carries] a mass of beautiful flowers.
Its value
is enhanced by flowering [late i.e.] after all other varieties have
stopped.
With regard to the cold it is hardy [endures well] but must have a
light, dry
soil.
All species of the lilies as well as the Martagon can be raised from seed
and by this means one can obtain some new varieties if only one has
kept back the seeds of the best varieties.
The Turk's caps tend to undergo more changes than other lilies. The method
to grow them from seed is as follows:
One has to have several rectangular boxes which are approximately six inches
deep and have holes in the base that allow for water to run off. These
boxes have to be filled with fresh, light, sandy soil. At the beginning
of August, and soon after ripening, one sows the seed thickly and
covers it with half an inch of light, sieved soil. Following this, the
boxes are placed where they receive only morning sun. One has to take
care to water them frequently during a dry spell and to remove all
emerging weed. The boxes remain until October one places them where
they can receive as much sun as possible and are protected throughout
the winter from north- and east-winds. In spring, however, one has to
place the boxes at the beginning of April in their former position.
Because now the young plants which cannot endure too much warmth will
show above the soil. Apart from this the soil in the boxes would dry
too much during this season if they were exposed to the full mid-day
sun. During this season one must also observe that one keeps them well
free from weeds and waters them a little during dry weather. The boxes
now have to remain in this place until the beginning of August when one
can prepare some beds with the above-described fresh, light soil that
has to be levelled well. Then one takes the small bulbils together with
the soil from the boxes, distributes them evenly over the beds and
covers them half an inch thick with finely sieved soil. Should the
weather is very hot and dry it is well to protect the beds at mid-day
from the sun's heat and to water them now and then.
Furthermore, the beds have to be kept entirely free from weeds. If the
following winter was very cold one has to cover the beds with bean
straw or other light matter to keep off the cold. [The cold], if it
could penetrate deeply, would be damaging to the bulbs, particularly
when they are young. In mild weather one must never leave the cover in
place, because even this could be damaging to the plants.
In February, when the strong cold is past, one has to clean the topsoil
somewhat because it is taken over by moss during the winter. Then a
little fresh soil is sieved over the surface, and by this the roots are
strengthened. One has to beware, however, of digging too deeply into
the soil and so to damage the bulbs. With increasingly good weather
they have to be diligently cleared of weeds, and they have to be
watered during dry spells. At the end of May they will profit from some
shade.
When the leaves have wilted entirely, the soil surface of the beds has to be
slightly dug over, but not too deep. This prevents the strong growth of
weeds and is very useful to the bulbs. In September
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