Freedom Horticultural Society. 247 



EVERLASTING- FLOWERS. 



(By Wm. Toole, North Freedom, read before the Freedom Horticultural 



Society.) 



Of the kinds of everlastings which we can grow successfully, 

 the Helichrysum may be considered the most useful, because it 

 gives the greatest variety of color and form, while none bloom 

 more freely or are more beautiful, these with Xeranthemum, 

 Ammobium and Acroclinium may be considered hardy, and the 

 seeds should be planted early in the season, as like those of the 

 pansy, petunia and many other plants, the seeds germinate bet- 

 ter in the cool, moist weather of early spring than if sown later. 

 A rich sandy soil seems best for their most perfect development, 

 but like many other flowers they will repa} 7 careful cultivation in 

 almost any soil. It is better as a precaution, to shade all fine 

 seeds with some cotton fabric, stretched on a frame of laths, that 

 they may be protected from drying winds. The Acroclinium is 

 the prettiest in the garden, of the four mentioned, and should be 

 in every collection of flowering plants, because it comes up so 

 readily, flowers freely, and is useful as well in the green as the 

 dried state. 



The flowers, of which there are two shades, white and rose, 

 should be gathered as soon as fully expanded, and dried rapidly 

 in the shade. If the weather is damp, suspend small bunches 

 from the kitchen stove pipe, and as soon as dried pack away in 

 shallow paper boxes to keep from light and dust until needed for 

 use, handling them carefully, as the fl >wers are easily crushed. 

 These remarks about drying quickly in the shade, and keeping 

 from dust, apply equally to all dried flowers. 



The Ammobium is a coarse, weedy looking plant, but the pretty 

 white flowers are produced in abundance, especially if the soil is 

 rich and the plants are not allowed to produce seed. The flowers 

 should be gathered before they are fully developed, otherwise the 

 blackened centers will show when dried. Ammobium means 

 growing in sand, and the plants will produce seed more freely if 

 grown in a sandy soil. Helichrysums are of many shades, from 



