Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-28
WHERE EASTER LILIES GROW.


On IN bermuda
Bermuda Is the place beyond all Others
to consider the lilies. how they grow"
Whether they are Indigenous to the soil or
not. they are certainly acciimated, and I'M
der the sunny skies and gracious air of
that island. where falls not hail nor any
sncw," they respond to rather Indifferent
grower mad with envy.
With us one stately row of stalks is a
precious possession; they are the aristo-
Gratis of our garden. In Bermuda they are
a crop. like potatoes or onions, and whole
rs of white bloom. These fields are not,
indeed, very large, being for the most part
Mere dimples in the coral ridge of which
ire Islands are formed, averaging not more
than nall an acre in area. But in these lit
tie depressfons the thin soil becomes richer
by the washings from the slopes and the
bulDs flourish accordingly. They are plant
ed In rows and cultivated much like pota-
nes; the weeds being kept down with a
crude implement called by courtesy a hoe
II looks as IL II belonged to the stone age
IL is interesting to note with what precision
the bulbs advertise the condition OF the
son, inc plants becoming pale and shrunk-
en- as soon as they begin to climb the slope.
AT hrst the commercial value of this
crop lay entirely in the bulbs, which were
shipped to other countries in great quanti-
.ASS. iDut III THESE ldtcT years a new Indus
Try mas sprung up; the blossoms themselves
are successfully sent everywhere. The
united states gets the most of Them
thoush vast quantities are sent to England
ered by them
1t must have been American spirit which
suggested this new enterprise. OF course
the Bermudan, with characteristic English
conservatism strongly opposed it on the
gre una that 1t was a rank innovation and
would ruin the bulb trade. AS became the
descendants OF the old Saxon Witena ge-
mote, they held an assembly ard drew up
what Uncle Remus would call a "peramble
via some wharfo es in it." setting forth the
dangers of such a course and remonstrat-
ing with their errng brothers. Meanwhile
as the bulb men talked. the bud men kept
on packing. and Easter affairs all over the
country were glorified with the beauty of
BE rmuda lilies
These buds are picked while they are still
quite green. and are packed in cubeshaped
BOXES holding about two dozen stalks each
Some OF these boxes are furnished with
frames similar tothose used in packing eggs
so that each stalk is kept separate There is
nttle advantage in this. however and for
the most part the buds are snugly packed
with a sprinkling Of kind of sea weed
cicsely resembling the coarse moss of our
Dogs. This sea weed IS kept in water and
Wrung out as ii is used. and keeps the buds
camp Before packing each case is lined
win large sheet of paper, the ends of
winch are long enough to fold over the
buds after the box is full A printed slim
OF directions is invariably packed inside
each case, the first line of which strongly
reminds one of the Celtic signboard warn
ing travellers that this ford is dangerous
when this board is out of sight" For these
directions instruct the receiver to put the
Lox. before opening. into a dark cool place
Tor time. and then to open it very care
iuIiy. AS the box must be opened before
the advice is available. its value is slightly
impaired.