The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-04-15
THE EASTER LILY.

ful but homely potato. The bulbs are
shipped to all the large cities in great
Quantitia during the autumn and winter
and placed in greenhouses to be develop
ed into the lovely plant which has be-
come symbolicsl Of Easter.
The soil and climate of Bermuda are
especially adapted to the growth of the
lily. Oar 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 un-
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. il 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. Tie 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 its value The expert
ence OF growers has been that the prac-
hce of cutting the lily flowers with long
stems and shipping them tends to weaken
the bulb. Flowers thus cut are of no
substantial value OF beauty for more than
day or two, and the bulb is ruined.
Last year a combination of Bermuda lilv
growers was formed for the purpose of
preventing this threatened destruction of
the lily trade which met with unqualified
approV&, of reputable dealers in the Unit
States, who had gone so far as to have an
effort made 10 introduce a resolution into
congress prohibiting the importation of
lily bulbs from Bermuda unless Cuaran-
teed to Ice IN perfectly healthy condi-
tion.
The committee of the Florist club. TO
which tins matter was referred. express
cd an opinion at the time. after consulta-
tion 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 favorites this year. Their only
rival is the l.. longifiorum, but the most
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 enioved
today are of the kind known as harrisii
Easter lilies, however, are not the only
n"Wers OF Eastertide. A look through a
professional or amateur greenhouse or
our lovely flower stalls for the last few
weeks has revealed 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 a round and COM
PACT form 50 the cleFer grower entices
his lilies up into the air while he Der-
suades The azaleas TO spread their beauty
out under their companions. These.
though, are but few of the flowers used
III commemoration of the awakening of
new life and beauty after the drearv no
rod of Lent. But while Easter is SYMBOL
lcal Of everything that is white. pure and
fresh, one cannot deny the fragrance and
beauty of the rose. violet, hydrancea,
eeneSta and lilac, which are always
cIoWdlng their way to recognition
Such multitude of lovely flowers. kent
rack and withheld in the greenhouse for
general presentation at Easter time. has
now converted our thoroughfares into
bowers of blossoms. The flower
gardens of Paris, London and Berlin
have been extOiied as something quite be- I
yond the possibilities Of a newly settled
country like this, yet year by year we
have been assimilating all the best ideas I
1f Horticulture TO be obtained in the /
world, and our florists have been spread- /
NJ their lovely wares before a pleased /
aud delighted public only too willing to |