10] 
amateur or those who are beginners and have not com- 
plete outfits will do well to take the following hints: 
All flowers should be cut and placed in water at least 
twenty-four hours before shipping. Flowers that are 
opening too quickly should be eut, if even a week before 
the time, with long stems, placed in a cool dark shed or 
cellar where the atmosphere is dry. <A piece of the stem 
should be cut off about every third day and the water 
changed. In packing wrap each flower carefully in tissue 
paper just tight euough not to bruise. They should then 
be placed in either boxes or baskets in tiers so that they 
do not press on each other. In boxes strips should be 
nailed far enough apart so as to allow the flowers not to 
chafe, the stems to be held in place with other strips, 
using damp paper as a packing between each layer of 
stems. The same method to be carried out in basket 
packing, except that strong string is to be used instead 
of wood strips. Do not allow the petals to become wet 
during packing. In staging the flowers all those with 
long and drooping petals will require to be gently shaken 
before placing in position, remembering always to make 
a new surface at the end of each stem by cutting a piece 
off before placing in water on staging. Labelling should 
be legibly and neatly done, placing the names conven- 
iently in front of each flower. As to the arrangement of 
the flowers, the larger flowers should be at the back, the 
smaller ones to form the front rows. 
TREATMENT AFTER BLOOMING. 
When the flowers are over, cut back the main stem so 
as to leave only one or two small side shoots, that have 
formed by that time. These are left to keep the sap 
flowing until shoots spring from the roots. These shoots 
from the base of the plant form the cuttings that make 
