The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-10
THE FLORAL KINGDOM.
Instructive and Useful Information fol
Lovers of Flowers.

Instructive ana US0fuI InIOrmatlOu AOl
Lovers of Flowers.
Florists say nothing is gained by start
ing gladioluses in the house in advance
of the outdoor planting time.
1t is the nature of the poinsettia to
drop its leaves after blooming, when
grown in the sitting-room. 1t often
drops them before, unless good deal
of water is used on it's foliage.
Lady Forester, of London is a prac-
tical philanthropist. Each week she
sends to the factory girls of London up
ward of 1000 punches of flowers gath
cred by the servants on her estates.
There is a chrysanthemum Juror in
the United States, which started ten
years ago from the smallest beginnings.
1t has increased until the November
shows have become fixed institutions,
and the displays are very magnificent.
Among the most beautiful of the late
autumnal blossoms may be mentioned
several species of blue gentian. The
gentian is one of the very few flowers
which may be described as trne blue
most of those generally called blue
being in reality more of purple order.
Cut flowers can be kept fresh for quite
length of time by putting few drops
of liquid ammonia in the water in which
they are placed. This water should be
changed daily, and at each change the
stems of the flowers should be cut off
an inch or two to present fresh sur
face to the water.
Asa florists flower the orchid will hold
far more important place in the near
future in this country than in the past,
and the day is not far distant when
prices of the different orchid blooms
will be quoted together with roses and
other flowers in the horticultural bulle-
tin, and there will be few retail florists
that can afford to do without them.
very neat and inexpensive window
box for bulbs or plants is made by nail
ing small strips of tree boughs (which
have previously been split or whitfield
Hat on one side) on common wooden
soap or small packing box obtained at
any grocery store. The strips are pointed
or rounded at the ends and tackled on
perpendicularly close together, project
ing above the top of the box so as to en-
tirely cover it.
The beautiful daisy opens at sunrise
and closes at sunset, whence it's name,
days eye" The morning-glory opens
its flour with the day. The ''John-go-
to-bed-at-noon" awakes at four o'clock
in the morning, but closes it's eyes in
the middle of the day, and the dandelion
is in full bloom only during the hours
of strong light
Chrysanthemums can be propagated by
seeds and cuttings and by separating the
old plants. The seed may be sown in
February or March in well-drained
boxes of mellow soil, in which there is
some sand. Slit thin covering of fine
dirt over the seed, press down into the
soil with a block and water gently with
a sprinkler. Keep moist and shaded
They will be up in about week. When
the little plants have three leaves set
out in a nicely prepared bed in the gar.
den, or, if the weather IS cool, they may
he put in other boxes or in jars, rather
closely, say one inch apart.
Orchids are not short-lived under care.
full treatment. The constantly increas
ing demand there now being five hun
dred cultivators where there was one
when they were first imported) has kept
the prices up, and the likelihood is that
while flowers may be somewhat cheaper,
good plants for florists stock will re-
main about the same; again, tho cost OF
collecting is constantly increasing, it
being almost impossible to underesti-
mate the trouble and hardship under
gone, especially as the plants in their
native homes become scarce, and the
collector must travel greater distances
than retofore.-Chicago Mail.