New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-10
NEWS AND IE9|s!ZZ6FWorE~
WILD FLOWERS FOR EASTER.
PLANTS FROM THE WOODS THAT WILL
BLOOM INDOORS.

PLANTS FROM THE WOODS THAT WILL
BLOOM INDOORS.
The most beautiful centrepiece for the Easter
table, when Easter comes so near the opening of
spring as it does this year. Of blue hepaticas
and spring ferns The hepatica is usually the first
flower OF spring. Close TO the russell earth in the
warm light which drifts through the bare wood
land boughs. it opens its abundant blossoms,
as blue as the wings of the bluebird the sky OF
March.
Like the sky and water Of March, the flower has
so perfect azure hue that it to have been
purified by frost. II has of the purpish color
of the violet that blossoms, later, in the green
grass of May
The hepatica. the trailing arbutus and nearly all
the early spring flowers perfect their flower buds
in the autumn wrapping them up in furry little
covers close to the earth where they rest through
the winter under the snow to await the awaken
ing suns of the vernal equinox. Sometimes ii seems
to be a race between these early flowers to
which shall open its petals first and the right
TO be called the first bloom of spring. The brave
spears of skunk cabbage" however. often push
themselves through the frozen earth before the
blue hepatca the trailing arbutus breaks its
furry sheaths
Any of these early flowers may be easily forced
in wild window garden. that they will blossom
indoors long before they appear in the forest. The
plants must be taken from the woods in the fall
or at the beginning OF March, brought into the
house and thawed out. and then planted in a sunny
window, where they will soon come into perfect
bloom. They are extremely pretty planted with
the evergreen spleenwort ferns. which are char
acterstic of the spring woods and rocks, and which
more hlmy and delicate than the most delicate
maidenhair ferns that grow in the summer forests
The maidenhair spleenwort AspIenum tricho-
mania, is an abundant fern on limestone rocks in
, shady places 1t grows in thick tufts, in pockets
in the rocks its delicate leaflets mounted thread
like ebony Stpes.
When the blossoming hepatica is massed in thick
clusters, in deep centre dish OF Delft with only
the spIeenwort fern, ii is exceedingly effective II
has no leaves until after it blossoms. The leaves
that cling to the flowers the half withered
leaves OF last yea. and they should be trimmed
away. These flowers in such clusters and
are so intense in hue that they much more at
uactlve as a table centrcpieCe than the trailing
arbutus, which is sometimes forced into bloom In
the house and used in the way.
The hepatCa comes into bloom I'm the open woods
late in March at the beginning Of April. To
force II into bloom at early date Easter
spday falls upon this year IL Will be necessary 10
sSsrt the plants a week more in advance See
that the plants selected have abundant roots and
show full cluster OF buds in their little. hairy
sheaths close the roots.
Thaw out the plants, at first with cold water. and
place them in the cellar. Do not bring them into
a room until all the frost has disappeared
from the earth around the plants. After a few
days place them in the dish n which they to
grow. in n sunny window. Water them daily. If
they develop too rapidly and are in danger Of
blossouling before Easter, put them back in the
cellar for a few days These flowers, massed with
spring ferns. make attractive piece for the
Easter altar.