The sun., 1919-04-13

futile. But We have only to take a
trip to the city with its hot sidewalks
and dusty streets to realize the need
OF beauty and fragrance there and
then to experience a sharp sense Of
the waste of precious material in the
masses Of garden flowers blooming and
going to seed for want of picking.
Hospitals, settlement houses, chill
dren's homes, &C.. are always glad to
receive boxes of flowers, Judging from
the number OF grateful letters 1 have
had. Picking the flowers is always
fully as interesting as arranging cut
flowers In vases.
The first consideration IL the boxes
I had an ample supply by asking the
grocers to save for me the heavy
pasteboard cartons in which they re.
ceive cereals, sugar and other stapfes
in packages. They are usually material
for bonfires, and I could gather a
Few on every marketing trip. 1t is
best not to use the very large ones
had good results with boxes IL by
IL by 10 inches. Too many flowers in
one box crush each other by their
own weight. II a large quantity is to
be sent use two boxes and tie them
together before putting on the outside
paper wrapping.
Nearly every one advises cutting the
flowers In the late afternoon or eve
ming of the day before they are to
travel, and IL Is excellent advice, Last
summer put mine UP to their necks
In pals Of water and left them all
night in a cool cellar. Early the next
morning they would seem fresher and
nrmer than when they were Just
picked. Into the bottom Of the box was
put sheet Of wet newspaper, and on
It row OF flowers, heads all one way,
then second row. with the heads lust
below these, resting on the stems of
the first row, and so on till the length
OF the stems prohibited any more.
over this first layer was put a single
sheet or wet newspaper on which the
second layer of flowers rested. The
boxes were filled generously, for the
flowers settle and work loose II they
have too much room. The top LAYER
was covered with a last sheet of wet
newspaper, lightly tucked in around
the edges. The box was then closed
and wrapped In several thicknesses of
dry newspaper to help retain its cool
temperature. Last 1t was wrapped in
heavy paper and tied with plenty of
string. which was crossed several times
on each side of the box. This is neces-
sary. for the packages are sometimes
roughly handled.
1t Is important to know just when
the mail or express will start the box
along so that the time in transit will
be as short as possible. In any case II
Is best to allow the cut flowers at least
three or four hours in water before
being packed for shipment.
II Is good rule to send buds when
possible instead of fully expanded flow
ers. They usually fade less and last
longer besides being interesting to
those who receive them. used and
found satisfactory travellers the fol-
lowing; S~eetwilliam, Glove pink.
japanese pink, rosebuds, gladiolus, an
themis. double white feverfew, cosmos.
white ageratum, delphinium, Canter-
bury bells. schizanthus, salpiglossis,
coreopsis, zinnia. dahlia, iris, sweet
alyssum, chrysanthemum. aster, calen-
dula, centaurea and lilies. Nastur-
tiums and pansies should be put light
ly into n smaller covered box, which
can be tied into one corner of the
large carton Otherwise larger and
heavier flowers may crush their deli
cate petals.
Not all wild flowers, lovely as they
are, are good travellers, but these may
DO used with good results: Daisies,
black eyed Susans, iron weed. golden
rod, violets, meadow rue and lilies.
NJ. S. DUNCAN, New Jersey.