iantly, in a neighbouring garden it is found
difficult to grow any in a satisfactory manner. Within the last few
years their culture has been much studied, and by the practical
knowledge of such great growers of the family as G. F. Wilson, H. J.
Elwes, and other kindred liliophilists, we shall probably in a few years
have many difficulties cleared up both in the botanical history and the
cultivation of this lovely tribe.

But we cannot dismiss the Lily without a few words of notice of its
sacred character. It is the flower specially dedicated to the Virgin
Mary, and which is so familiar to us in the old paintings of the
Annunciation. But it has, of course, a still higher character as a
sacred plant from the high honour placed on it by our Lord in the Sermon
on the Mount. After all that has been written on "the Lilies of the
field," critics have not yet decided whether any, and, if so, what
particular plant was meant. Each Eastern traveller seems to have
selected the flower that he most admired in Palestine, and then to
pronounce that that must be the Lily referred to. Thus, at various times
it has been decided to be the Rose, the Crown Imperial, the White Lily,
the Chalcedonian Lily, the Oleander, the Wild Artichoke, the
Sternbergia, the Tulip, and many others, but the most generally received
opinion now is, that if a true Lily at all, the evidence runs most
strongly in favour of the L. Chalcedonicum; but that Dean Stanley's view
is more probably the correct one, that the term "Lily" is generic,
alluding to the many beautiful flowers, both of the Lily family and
others, which abound in Palestine. The question, though deeply
interesting, is not one for which we need to be over-curious as to the
true answer. All of us, and gardeners especially, may be thankful for
the words which have thrown a never dying charm over our favourites, and
have effectually stopped any foolish objections that may be brought
against the deepest study of flowers, as a petty study, with no great
results. To any such silly objections (and we often hear them) the
answer is a very short and simple one--that we have been bidden by the
very highest authority to "consider the Lilies."

FOOTNOTES:

[140:1] This is a modern reading, the older and more correct reading is
"twilled."

[142:1]

"Within the garden's peaceful scene
Appeared two lovely foes,
Aspiring to the rank of Queen,
The Lily and the Rose.