have seen lilies forced by pushing the clumps in under the material
for making a hot bed for early cucumbers, the clumps being drawn out,
of course, as soon as the flowers had made a good start. They have
then to be carefully and very gradually exposed to full light, but
often, although fine heads of bloom may be produced in this way, the
leaves will be few and poor.

My method is simply this: In the kitchen garden there is the old
original bed of lilies of the valley in a corner certainly, but not a
dark corner. This is the reservoir, as were, from whence the regular
supply of heads for special cultivation is taken. This large bed is
not neglected and left alone to take care of itself, but carefully
manured with leaf mould and peat moss manure from the stable every
year. Especially the vacant places made by taking out the heads for
cultivation are thus filled up.

Then under the east wall another piece of ground is laid out and
divided into four plots. When I first began to prepare for forcing I
waited four years, and had one plot planted with divided heads each
year. Clumps are taken up from the reserve bed and then shaken out and
the heads separated, each with its little bunch of fibrous roots. They
are then carefully planted in one of the plots about 4 in. or 5 in.
apart, the ground having previously been made as light and rich as
possible with plenty of leaf mould. I think the best time for doing
this is in autumn, after the leaves have turned yellow and have rotted
away; but frequently the operation has been delayed till spring,
without much difference in the result.

Asparagus is usually transplanted in spring, and there is a wonderful
affinity between the two plants, which, of course, belong to the same