THE WELL-CONSIDERED GARDEN 



straight across tears the cells and clogs up the en- 

 trance for water. All flowers treated in the way 

 just described will far outlast those treated other- 

 wise. Heliotrope, which is a subject given to 

 quick wilting without recovery, will behave very 

 well if the stems are first plunged into hot water 

 (as hot as the hand will bear) for ten minutes. 

 Many other flowers, especially all having a woody 

 tissue, like dahlias, poppies, mignonette, etc., 

 act favorably after this treatment. For flowers 

 with a succulent stem this treatment will not do; 

 cold water is sufficient. Flowers with hard- 

 wooded stems, shrubs, say lilacs, should have the 

 bark peeled and rolled back for a few inches; the 

 bare stem is then split and immersed in boiling 

 water for ten minutes, whereupon the w^hole stem 

 is put into the vase containing cold water. Fresh 

 roses that have for some reason wilted can be 

 brought back very easily by throwing them into 

 a tub of cold water for an hour or more. They 

 come out then very fresh. In severe weather 

 flowers received in the store from the greenhouse 

 or by a customer from the store should not be un- 

 packed for a few hours. They should be left un- 

 touched in the box and put into a cool room, 

 where the temperature in the box will be given a 

 182 



