The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-05-08
Cutting and Keeping Flowers.

a great deal has been written on the
preservation Of cut flowers, but the mat
ter is still imperfectIy understood by
most people. 1t Is important to know not
only how to take care Of them after being
cut, but how 10 cut them. On this latter
point practical hint may be Of service
to our readers. Il might not occur to
them that il could make any serious
difference whether the stems were broken
off or cut with knife or scissors. a
sharp knife is the right tool for the pur-
pose, as it leaves the sap vessels Of the
stems open for the absorption Of water,
while scissors crush and compress these
vessels, so that their absorptive power is
more or less destroyed. Like injury may
be done in breaking off the stems, es-
pecially if they are tough.
If the flowers are not put into water
Immediately, the ends of the stems should
be cut off with a sharp knife, as the sap
vessels will probably have become
clogged up with coagulated matter.
1t should be remembered that evapo-
ration is going on from every pore of
flower or leaf, and that unless fresh fluid
can be taken up by the stems to make
good this loss, the blooms will sooner
wither and die. We can readily see why
the flowers of plants with hard. close
stems fade sooner than those with soft,
large-tub stems. The latter, owing
to the ease with which they suck up
moisture, will expand in water almost
as well as if left on the parent plant.
.Cuthowers often suffer from too dry
an atmosphere. 1t is difficult to avoid
this in our artihcially- rooms, but
we may at least put the blossoms IN the
coolest part of the room. Near window,
and especially IN a window, the tenn
perature is generally several degrees
lower than in other parts Of the room, as
you can see if you will test it with
thermometer The best authorities say,
moreover, that the flowers should have
the benefit Of light, and even Of sunshine
in most cases, though there Is a popular
prejudice against exposing them to the
latter On the other hand, they suffer,
as plants do, from draughts and from
sudden alteration of temperature.
Botany also furnishes Us q useful hint
for prolonging the life Of many single
flowers This may be done by removing
the anthers, for when the pollen Oh these
becomes ripe the stigma gets impregnated
and the flower, having fulfilled its natu-
raj destiny, drops its petals and withers.
In the case Of blossoms that fall to pieces,
very easily, it is a good idea to let fall a
drop of gum or nucilage into the center
which will glue the petals together at the
base. To prevent this from running out
before it hardens, the flowers should be
kept in an upright position by putting
their stems through the bottom of sieve
or sticking them in sand. With the aid
Of a camel's hair brush or pointed stick a
large number Of flowers may be gummed
in a short time.
When flowers have been carsied long
distance in close boxes or cases they fire. !
luently appear withered and worthless, |
but with proper treatment they may be |
revived and restored to their original |
beauty. Instead Of being at once put
into vases, and exposed to the hot and |
dry air Of the parlbr, they should either
be carefully spread out on wet flannel or
moss and covered with a dish cover or an |
inverted box, or else put in pans contain
ing moss and water or wet sand, in which |
they can be set upright, and then shut
up in the dark for few hours. Ii they |
do not regain their freshness under this
nursing there is no hope for them but |
in all ordinary cases their recovery is |
certain. Boston Journal of Chemistry. !