New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-28
EASTER FLOWERS.
Lilies Not So abundant as Last
Year-PEemty of Other Blooms.


"An the florists in New York a generation
ago." said Henry A. siebrecht. in his talk on
Easter flowers and spring gardens. at the lecture
rooms Of the American Institute. in Berkeley
Lyceum, yesterday afternoon couldn't have
decorated one church for Easter almost all
the New York churches are dressed for that
festival to-day"
This is to a certain extent due to the fact
that there are so many more varieties Of flowers
now. but It is chiefly because the florists Of this
generation have learned so much about the art
81 forcing. Florists knew a year ago Just how
carly Easter would he this spring. and made
their plans accordingly. Most plants, it seems
with proper treatment may be made to bloom
whenever it is desirable to have them. If it is
necessary 10 retard them or let them rest, they
are simply put in cold storage and taken out
when wanted There is large cold storage
establishment for plants in Astoria.
Mr.. Siebrecht explained why he was a trihe
late in arriving at the lecture rooms He had
just been experimenting the transpanting of
the largest tree of its kind in America. Jap
anese lingo tree. at least thirty tons in weight
This was removed from an estate on the FIud-
son &c another several miles distant and as the
tWelve-ton steam rollers drew it slowly along.
Its weight crushed the two-inch and three-tincb
n
make a roadway in sandy places into kindling
wood.
Mr.. Siebrecht announced that there would be
some important arrivals on the Bermuda steam
ers expected to-day. The lilies are coming TO
town The number Of lilies this year is only
about - per cent of that Of last Easter due
TO the extreme earliness OF the festival this year
and 10 a falling of in the crop of Japanese
lilies. little deficiency like that has no effect,
however, on the food Of flowers that are avail
able to-day as compared with old times
In those times. for instance. no one ever
thought OF forcing lilacs. Now any one who
chooses may have iilacs in her living room,
blooming for Easter. or even before. There are
now about fifteen varieties of liacs developed
from the kind imported from China several CEN
turtles ago. When you wish to force lilac ex-
anime the buds. which are formed the autumn
before II they are broad and fiat you may know
the branches viii be rich in flowers; those are
flower buds. The long, sharp ones are not Ball
the roots around. put the plant in tub, keep
Il in your rooms in the ordinary living temporal
ture and you Will have all the early lilacs you
want
Mr. siebrecht described the many hybrid
azaleas that have been bred from the few orig
inal kinds, the almost countless new japonicas
and roses. One vivid scarlet azalea which he
displayed he called a mule. because it is bred
from hybrid and plant bred from a hybrid
Is no longer a hybrid. but a mule
I'VE never used to dream OF forcing hydran-
geas Now any one may do it. You may even
change the color OF the blossoms. II you want
blue blossoms put plenty Of iron filings in the
soil If YOU desire pink plant the hydrangea IN
poor foam with plenty Of sand in it, and the
pink tint viii slowly return
Many persons complain that their hydrangeas
Will not blossom. That is because the buds are
winter-kiiIed. They can't stand the New York
winter Therefore when fall comes take up your
hydrangeas, keel them right over and bury them
in the earth. and the sleeping buds formed in
the autumn viii be kept safe till the spring"
one interesting fact Mr. Siebrecht stated Is
that legUninous plants which have rough leaves
such as the clover and the locust tree grow
faster and better than others because their
leaves catch and absorb the moisture so much
more easily. Tulips are legion now and so are
Fnododendrons Varieties Of that beautiful tree
u roses Mhicn are recommended as specially
hardy and satisfactory are the Abraham Lin
CON- the General Grant and the BERTHE Par
sons. All these and many others are bred from,
that Fhododendrun maximum which NAV he seao
gl1Mlhg Oy millions in the mountains of Penn
Lily bulbs are largely imported. many from
Japan, he said If we tried to grow bulbs
mere We wouldn't be in il. But some varieties
would sea the best Of their stock whereas in
it s ot uTe as in farming. the best should be
kept Tor seed
one plant the speaker recommended for house
III, future rs the paper plant. though It doesn't
IN gas ne said. But then no plants like
tricity'' -' anu elec-
when Mr.. Siebrecht, after talking about hva
cL.-es ana proserpines and various other flowers
go Gown 10 the subject OF how to make a garden
.Ss was oes!eged with questions II can't keen
ZIG eIuos from killing my roses one woman
49, ~e a.. %nle an elderly man begged to be told
Eo~ a poor fellow kept prisoner in New Yorlr
9s3 owning one little back yard tvventy-five feet
Ssoes COULD nave garden. I've tried II wear
1ttet year he said bitterly. MY Reraninroe
s wSmr blossom; my hydrangeas ali become
To these and other inquiries Mr.. s,ebrecbt..