The variety Wittei is a most beautiful one, but it is difficult to grow, and is moreover rather expensive.
The red varieties of L. Auratum are fine in their way, but are a little crude in colour and not altogether satisfactory.
The cultivation of L. Auratum and its varieties does not present much difficulty. A well-drained peaty soil with plenty of sand suits it well; but the soil must not be too loose. A few lumps of clay may be placed round the plants if the soil is too sandy.
No manure should be placed near the bulbs, but a good dressing of rich old manure may be applied to the plants with advantage as soon as the shoots are a foot high.
If grown in a good soil and looked after carefully, L. Auratum does not degenerate, but increases and improves year after year. Both the type and the varieties are perfectly hardy.
The varieties are not all equally easy to grow. Platyphyllum, Macranthum, and Rubro-Vittatum are as easy, if not easier, to grow than the type. Wittei and Virginale are very difficult to do well with.
The two hybrids mentioned in the table will be described later on.
All the varieties of L. Auratum make excellent pot-plants.
The lily which bears the title of Speciosum, or showy, was formerly the most admired member of the genus. Even at the present day this lily is looked upon by many as being the finest. Personally we cannot concur with this opinion. There is a certain falseness about its blossoms and a hardness in their shape which to our minds places it far below L. Auratum for beauty.
Yet there can be no question that Lilium Speciosum is a very fine plant. It has a tremendous number of points in its favour which must not be overlooked by the flower-grower.