St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-04-11
THE LILY STILL QUEEN--WoLETS AND
ORCHIDS ALSO FAVORED.

CONSIDER the lilies OF the nelQ. Iney
toll not, neither do they spin, but say
unto you that Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these"
So the Bible in precise and inspired
language tells us of the flower which is
synonymous with our ideas of Eastertide
the lovely blossom which finds its way
at this season into all drawing rooms,
churches and even into the humblest
rooms where token Of inspiration and a
new life are desired.
These lilies certainly deserve all the
praise they get, but the people who grow
them and buy them and care to have
them about as reminder of Easter and
the resurrection have to toll and spin a
great deal.
The demand for Easter lilies has grown
to such an extent that the propagation of
these lovely spring flowers has become a
lucrative business to hundreds of green
house men and growers. The lily bulb
hourishes best in Bermuda in narrow
patches often alongside of the whole
some but unsmellSble onion and the USE
full but homely potato. The bulbs are
shipped to all the large cities in great
quantities during the autumn and winter
and placed in greenhouses to be develop
ed into the lovely plant which has be-
come symbolical of Easter.
The soil and climate of Bermuda are
especially adapted to the growth Of the
lily. Our florists have had all kinds Of
ideas Of growing this flower in California,
Georgia and Florida, but with no great
results as yet The lily, like many other of
the most beautiful flowers, improves on
its stem by age. Not until the second
year is it now thought advisable to ship
bulbs from Bermuda to the United
States. Many growers prefer to wait I'M
til the fourth year, when the bulb is
hearty and strong enough to produce
beautiful flowers even with careless
treatment. AS to the number of these
bulbs now produced in Bermuda and
shipped to the United States for Easter
purposes, it is said that between 10000
900 and 100000 bulbs were sent here
last year.
Whether it has been possible to pro-
vide such a large number of bulbs this
season depends entirely upon the condi-
ton of lily fields in Bermuda during the
last year. The Florists club of New
York has over and over again asserted
that cutting the leaf bearing stem i'm
pairs the vigor of the flower bearing bulb
and thus lessons it's value. The expert
ence of growers has been that the prac-
tice of cutting the lily flowers with long
stems and shipping them tends to weaken
the bulb. Flowers thus cut are of no
substantial value or beauty for more than
day or two, and the bulb is ruined.
Last year a combination of Bermuda lily
growers was formed for the purpose Of
preventing this threatened destruction Of
the lily trade which met with unqualified
approval of reputable dealers in the Unit
States, who had gone so far as to have an
effort made to introduce resolution into
congress prohibiting the importation of
lily bulbs from Bermuda unless guaran-
teed to be in perfectly healthy condi-
ton.
The committee Of the Florist club, to
which this matter was referred, express
ed an opinion at the time, after consulta
ton with all the lily growers in this
country, that it would be impossible to
ask for government redress, which would
naturally work its own course out in
time.
The harrisii lilies continue to be the
greatest fayorites this year. Their only
rival is the L. longiforum, but the most
sincere growers of the lily in Bermuda
do not give the preference to the latter
flower. Its cost of production as COM
pared with the harrisii has rather de-
tered growers from exporting it to this
country. 1t may be taken for granted,
therefore, that the great majority of Eas-
ter lilies shown and bought to be enjoyed
today are of the kind known as harrisii
Easter lilies, however, are not the only
flowers of Eastertide. A look through a
professional or amateur greenhouse or
our lovely flower stalls for the last few
weeks has revealed a great wealth Of
azaleas growing in profusion under the
tall and stately lily. The lily must reach
a certain height Of its own to become
beautiful, but the azalea spreads out its
wealth of blossoms in round and COM
pact form. So the clever grower entices
his lilies up into the air while he per-
suades the azaleas to spread their beauty
out under their companions. These,
though, are but few of the flowers used
in commemoration of the awakening of
new life and beauty after the dreary Pc
Rod of Lent. But while Easter is symbol
zeal of everything that is white, pure and
| fresh, one cannot deny the fragrance and
beauty Of the rose, violet, hydrangea,
genesta and lilac, which are always
crowding their way to recognition.
Such multitude of lovely flowers, kept
back and withheld in the greenhouse for
general presentation at Easter time, has
now converted our thoroughfares into
veritable bowers of blossoms. The flower
gardens of Paris, London and Berlin
have been extolled as something quite be-
yond the possibilities of a newly settled
country like this, yet year by year we
have been assimlating all the best ideas
of Horticulture to be obtained in the
world, and our florists have been spread.
ing their lovely wares before a pleased
and delighted public
| newest styles In Easter Gloves.
| The spring glove differs somewhat from
those of last season, but it is only In
trifiing points, not in general essentials.
To conform to the new sleeves the
gloves for the street are of two button
length and are fastened with large pearl