New-York tribune., 1912-04-01
Hos0 to ProlonG the Life
of the Easter F7osOers

lowered lily or a gorgeous azalea- Look
the azalea over carefully. though. before
buying. Laggard plants are sometimes
forced into blossom by girdling, cutting
through the bark OF the main stem just
above the root. The cut is hidden by the
moss on top-it checks the downfow OF sap
and thus makes the buds break" wildly.
But In day or two the girdled plant viii
wlt-lose blossoms by dozens, droop, be-
come wholly unsightly. The end is the ash
heap. much before time. Consequently,
never buy until by running your bare fin
ger around at the girdling place you have
made sure there is no cutting OF the bark.
If YOU receive a plant, test IL in the same
fashion. Should II be girdled. soften a little
wax or paraffiin and press It closely in and
over the cut. BY this means the willing
will be much delayed The plant will never
again be healthy, unless the girdling was
so bungled that there are still shreds of
continuous bark. In that case. with care
and pampering the plant may In two years
be brought again into flower. II will. how
ever, hardly be worth the trouble.
Potted bulbs tulips. hyacinths. narcissus
and SO on. should have plenty of water, but
not stagnant. about their roots. warmth
and sunlight I'm the day. and cool room
at night Even thus their day is short--a
fortnight at tie very outside. II you have
garden borders, turn out the bulbs after
the flowers wither. let them dry then plant
them in good. light earth They will not
flower again. except stragglingly. but will
make many smaller bulbs. that In two
years. with good cultivation, will come to
Towering size.
The plumy white spreas are short lived.
So are the golden yellow genestas. Not
constitutonally, but because nine times in
ten they are infected with insects. such as
red spider. scale, plant lice. These. green
house culture spraying and forcing, keep
down. but once the plants are in the house,
their enemies multiply almost unchecked.
Hence, it is the part OF wisdom If you have
clean. healthy plants already in hand to
quarantine newcomers until they prove
themselves beyond suspicion. Otherwise,
you may have my luck-a Christmas prim-
rose bred, all unsuspected. enough white
files to ruin in spite of heroic efforts
whole wlndowful of greenery.
Cut flowers should be laid in tepd water
as soon AS received. Handle them gently
and let the water cover leaves, stalks and
blossoms Take out after twenty minutes,
shake off lightly and arrange In clean hold
ers, taking care not to crowd. Look at the
stem ends OF roses If they look dark.
clip off half an inch before putting them in
the vases. The dark color shows water.
logging-a change of tissue which prevents
the vessels from taking up water. Next
morning clip aNain. This Is imperative *
you want to keep roses longer than day.
Indeed all manner of cut flower stalks
must be clipped. and the water they stand
in changed at clipping time Lump char
coal in the water helps to keep the flowers
fresh and prevents in a degree the fading
of roses.
Violets that have been worn throughout
an evening can be made again serviceable
In this fashion. Unwrap the stalks, laying
the foil carefully aside. then plunge the
bunch gently into tepid water, let stand
ten minutes remove, shake lightly, wrap a
little damp cotton about the stalks, wrap
In tissue paper head and ears, lay In
cool place. The ice chest Is best, but any
cool spot answers. Treat orchids the same
way, only take care the water comes only
to the under surface of the flowers. noS
over them.