The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
Exhibition Flowers.

In reply to inquiries about the best
methods of taking flowers to fairs, VicE' S
| MOnthLY has the following:
Many years experience in carrying
cut flowers long distances to shows has
convinced us of the superiority of COM
mon market baskets for conveying
them. We have tried many ways, and
been at much expense to carry flowers
so as to present them in the best cOndi-
ton, and the market basket has proved
itself the most ser0iceable of all pack
ages. We first place layer of moss
/ (sphagnum) in the bottom of the baS-
ket; the moss is only little damp, for
too much moisture is to be feared,
causing the flowers to decay. Flowers
that can be cut with long stems are
punched together in the hand as they
are cut, and without further handling or
rearranging are set close together on
the layer of moss; thus handful after
handful are placed in until the basket is
full. Then the baskets are covered with
a firm MANILA paper that is securely
tied down. A piece is cut out on each
side of the paper so that it may pass by
the handle and tie down snugly; this
secures a moist atmosphere for the
flowers, the cracks in the baskets allow
inc sufficient air, and yet not enough to
dry off the moisture.
1t is always best to cut flowers in the
morning, or at least before noon, as
during the heat of the day they are apt
to flag some, and, if cut in this condi-
ton, they will continue to present a
wilted appearance.
Dahlias should be carefully labeled as
they are cut; q wooden label with
wire or string fastened to the stem of
each bloom, and then these are set in
the moss as thick as they will stand.
Pansies are cut and placed in little
thumb-pots, partly filed with moss, and
moss enough packed around the stems
to hold them secure, and then the little
pots placed in the moss in the basket.
Gladiolus spikes are cut by the handful
and placed in a basket, setting the cut
end of the stems in the moss; named
varieties are first correctly labeled. We
find no trouble in carrying gladiolus
spikes without covering them. Tall
spikes of Tritomas, or any other kind
of flowers, may be carried in the same
way. ClOse-headed flowers, like Zinnias
and Dahlias, require more room than
loose, open blooms, as, unless they have
plenty of air, they are apt to become too
damp and fall to pieces when too long
on the road. In the way now described
we have delivered flowers in fine con-
dition upon the exhibition tables at st.
Louis, St. Paul and Omaha. Few of
our readers will have occasion to send
flowers so far, as exhibitors at State
fairs will rarely be obliged to travel
over two hundred. or at most three
hundred miles, and by rail this is so
speedily accomplished that the flowers
will not suffer, if properly managed.
Care should be taken not to let them
stand in the sun at stations or else
where. The express companies have
become so accustomed to the carriage
of flowers that they are usually very
accommodating and careful, and basket
packages of flowers entrusted to them
will receive proper handling.
The arrangement of flowers at an
exhibition will depend somewhat upon
the rules adopted by the society for the
regulation of this matter, but in gen