SYRINGA 



1761 



rather dry in fall, so that the wood may ripen thor- 

 oughly and early. When the leaves have fallen off, the 

 plants are stored away in convenient places, where they 

 are sheltered from severe frost. Sometimes the Lilac, 

 especially Marlyensis, is forced from balls of earth 

 which are not potted, but this does not always give 

 satisfactory results. 



About three to four weeks is required to force the 

 plants into bloom with the temperature recommended 

 below. The first days after bringing the plants into the 

 forcing room, a temperature of 55-00° may be given, 

 gradually raising to 78-88° and maintained as equally as 

 possible until the panicles are fully developed and the 

 first flowers begin to expand; then the temperature is 

 lowered to 00-00°, and when the panicles are about half 

 open the plants are transferred to a cool greenhouse. 

 Hardeningoff is essential to ensure good keeping quali- 

 ties of the flowers. The red-flowered varieties are often 

 forced in darkened rooms in order to have the flowers 

 blanched or only slightly colored. The shade of color 

 depends entirely on the time when full light is given 

 and also on the temperature. Show plants in pots 

 should be grown in full light to have the foliage well 

 developed. While the temperature is higher than 70°, 

 frequent syringing is necessary. It is, of course, pos- 

 sible to force Lilacs in a lower temperature, and this 

 will be even advisable if the longer time required does 

 not count. Full advice for commercial Lilac forcing 

 is given by Fr. Harms in "Flieder und Asparagus," a 

 book devoted almost exclusively to Lilac forcing. 



Interesting experiments recently conducted have 

 shown that the Lilac is more readily forced when the 

 plants are subjected to the influence of ether during 

 forty-eight hours shortly before forcing. An account 

 of these experiments "by W. Johannsen is entitled 

 " Das ^Etherverfahren beim Fruhtreiben mit besonderer 

 Beriickrichtigung des Flieders." That the ether has a 

 particular effect on the metamorphosis and regeneration 



of the albuminoids in the plant has been stated recently 

 by other botanists also. 



Lilacs may be prop, by seed, which is sown in spring. 

 This method is usually practiced only with the more 

 common typical species. The many varieties and rarer 

 kinds are usually prop, by greenwood cuttings under 

 glass in June (or in early spring from forced plants), 

 by hardwood cuttings, by grafting and also by suckers 

 and division, especially in the case of S. Chinensis, 

 Persica and vulgaris. 



As a stock S. vulgaris is mostly used and sometimes 

 Ligustrum. /S. Japouica will probably prove to be a 

 good stock. S. villosa, though readily growing from 

 seed and of vigorous habit, is not to be recommended. 

 Budding in July and August is the most extensively 

 practiced method. Grafting is done either in April or 

 May in the open or in February or March in the green- 

 house on potted stock. Almost any kind of grafting 

 may be employed, as the Lilac unites readily. Crown- 

 grafting is to be preferred in order to avoid the trouble- 

 some suckers. Plants intended for forcing but deficient 

 in flower-buds are sometimes grafted in October or 

 early in November with branches 

 well set with flower -buds and 

 forced in January or later. 



About II species from southeast- 

 Europe to Himalayas and 

 Japan. Lvs. exstipulate, deciduous, 

 evergreen only in S. sempervirens: 

 fls. in panicles; calyx small, cam- 

 panulate, 4-toothed ; corolla salver- 

 form, with cylindrical tube and 4-lobed limb; sta- 

 mens 2: ovary 2-loculed: fr. a leathery, oblong or 

 1 capsule, loculicidally dehiscent, with 2 winged 

 seeds in each locule. Fig. 2449. In S. sempervirens 

 (not yet introduced), 

 the capsule is fleshy, 

 one-seeded and drupe-like. 

 Alfred Rehder. 

 Forcing Lilacs. — Most 

 of the Lilacs used by 

 American commercial flor- 

 ists for forcing are im- 

 ported. Care should al- 

 ways be taken to procure 

 pot-grown plants, that is, 

 plants that have been 

 grown in pots the previous 

 summer. The florist who 

 wishes to grow his own 

 plants should lift them in 

 the field in April or before 

 the growth starts and pot 

 them without losing much 

 root. Plunge them out-of- 

 doors during summer ami 

 give thera plenty of water. 

 This treatment will insure 

 a good growth and the 



2453. Capsule 

 of Syringa vul- 

 garis (X 3). 



2454. Winter twig of Syringa 



vulgaris (XK). 



Showing the absence of 



a terminal bud. and the 



persistent dehisced pods. 



