1184 



EVERLASTINGS 



EVERLASTINGS 



entirely supersede the natural African cape, more 

 particularly as each flower has a wire stem which the 

 florists attach to the toothpicks or sticks, and this 

 saves considerable labor. 



The common everlasting of American and English 

 country gardens, Helichryswn bracteatum, is the only 

 one of these flowers grown to any extent in North 

 America, and more or less extensive cultivation of it, 

 commercially, has been practised in this country but 

 a large percentage is still imported. These plants come 

 in white, straw and brown colors naturally, and take 

 readily to a variety of artificial tints; together with 

 Ammobium alatum and the well-known globe amaranth, 

 Gomphrena globosa, they are grown and used to a con- 

 siderable extent by the country folk in the construc- 

 tion of the many forms of wreaths, stars, and other 

 Christmas forms, which they sell in the city markets 

 in large quantities, but their sale by wholesalers and 

 jobbers for general consumption is very limited. Statice 

 incana, cultivated or wild from the swamps of southern 

 Europe, and Gypsophila in several species are used to 

 a considerable extent; and the sale of statice especially, 

 which is popular in combination with cape flowers in 

 memorial designs, is quite an item with the dealers in 

 florists' supplies. 



Of the dried grasses, the pampas plumes of California, 

 Cortaderia argentea, native of South America, are the 

 only American production attaining any great commer- 

 cial importance. Their beautiful silky plumes, unap- 

 proached by any other horticultural product, are used 

 in enormous quantities for decorative purposes, and are 

 an important item of American export. They are used 

 mainly in a sun-bleached state, but more or less dyeing, 

 often parti-colored, is also done. Bromus brizseformis is 

 the most extensively used of the smaller grasses. It is 

 mostly imported from Europe. It can be imported, 

 however, including duty, for about 25 per cent less than 

 it is possible to grow it in this country. It is handled in 

 the natural state. Briza maxima, another popular 

 grass, is grown in Italy. Briza media, a medium-sized 

 grass, and Briza minima, the flowers of which are as 

 fine as sawdust, are also handled in the same way as 

 Briza maxima, very little of the B. minima being used 

 dyed, however. Phleum pratense, Stipa pennata, and 

 various kinds of oats have more or less commercial 

 value, being used considerably in the manufacture of 

 imitation flowers and straw goods, but from a florist's 

 standpoint they are not important. The most impor- 

 tant commercially of the imported grasses is the 

 Italian wheat, the quantities used in this country for 

 the manufacture of sheaves for funeral purposes being 

 enormous, and increasing yearly. It comes in many 

 grades of fineness and length of stem. In this country 

 all attempts to cultivate it in competition with the 

 European product have failed. Of late years, a decora- 

 tive natural grass called "Minerva" and treated arti- 

 ficially is being imported in large quantities, and is 

 used by florists in combinations, making a very effec- 

 tive setting-off to flowers in basket decoration. 



Much use is now made in this country of the dried 

 twigs and foliage of ruscus. This is grown in Italy, 

 and is shipped to Germany where it is prepared and 

 dyed in many attractive colors. It holds its form well. 

 It is made up into wreaths and other articles, and 

 provides a good foliage effect. 



Enormous use is now made of magnolia leaves pre- 

 pared and colored in brown, red and green. In former 

 years these goods were secured from Germany and 

 Italy, but they are no longer imported for the reason 

 that they are prepared in this country as good, if not 

 better than they are on the other side, and much 

 cheaper. They are gathered and prepared in Florida, 

 and shipped to all parts of the United States, put in 

 cartons containing about 1,000 leaves. They are used 

 very extensively by all classes of florists on account of 

 their lasting qualities and fine appearance. They have 



almost entirely superseded the galax leaf, which has 

 been in use for so many years in the making up of 

 mortuary emblems. 



A number of our native composites <>f the genera 

 Gnaphalium, Antennaria and Anaphalis are called 

 everlastings, and are often used in home decorations, 

 particularly in the country; but they have no com- 

 mercial rating. 



There is an increasing demand for artificial decora- 

 tive articles, to be used alone and in conjunction with 

 fresh cut-flowers; they are now being used by the best 

 florists and plantsmen. The demand for decorative 

 artificial flowers, plants and like materials, has grown 

 to such an extent that there are now a large number of 

 businesses devoted exclusively to the manufacture of 

 them. This is well illustrated in the product called 

 "Japanese wood frieze," in appearance resembling 

 very much the well-known worsted and silk chenille. 

 It is made from wood-fiber colored in shades to repre- 

 sent the colors of immortelles. This frieze or wood 

 chenille, when worked up in various designs, so closely 

 resembles immortelles that the difference between 

 them can hardly be detected. 



One of the interesting artificial greens is the "sea 

 moss." It is an alga-like hydroid (one of the animal 

 kingdom), known as Sertularia argentea, which is com- 

 monly distributed along our Atlantic coast northward 

 from New Jersey to the Arctic. The long moss-like 

 strands are dyed bright green, and the "plant" is used 

 in making table decorations and jardiniere pieces. 

 It is sometimes called "air plant." The apparent lateral 

 minute buds clothing all the branches are, of course, 

 the shelter for the zooids of the colony during life. 

 There is another one (Aglaophenia struthionides) found 

 on the Pacific coast, which is even more beautiful, and 

 which is put to the same decorative uses, and is known 

 there as the ostrich plume, the branches haying a 

 beautiful pinnate arrangement along the two sides of 

 a single axis. These sea-mosses are dried, the dirt 

 picked out, and then dyed and fixed in a preparation to 

 make them permanent. They are likely to have an 

 unpleasant odor. H. BAYERSDORFER. 



WM. N. REED.! 



Everlastings for home use. 



After much experience with the growing of everlast- 

 ings for home winter decorations, the three following 

 species have been found the best for plantings: Heli- 

 chrysum monstrosum, the double form of H. bracteatum, 

 known as "golden ball," Acrodinium (Helipterum) 

 roseum flore-pleno, and the Chinese lantern plant, Phy- 

 salis Franchetii. These are easily grown, are free 

 bloomers and give better and brighter color in their 

 dried state than other forms. They have a certain 

 warmth in color that is appreciated in zero weather. 



The helichrysum and acroclinium are started in the 

 greenhouse or hotbed during the latter part of March, 

 planting them out in full sun as soon as all danger of 

 frost is past. Any good garden soil suits them. 



It is most important that the flowers of the acro- 

 clinium be picked just as soon as the buds show color, 

 even if they look almost too small, because if too far 

 advanced the ray petals open up flat, exposing the 

 center, which will soon turn brown when dried and 

 spoil the effect. Those cut early will open up part way, 

 presenting only their full color. In full blooming season 

 they should be picked daily. With the helichrysum 

 one can wait until the bud is of fairly good size but all 

 the smaller ones will open up also when dried. Those 

 fully open or showing the center at all will turn brown. 

 With both plants pluck off all foliage, place in bundles 

 and hang them, heads down, in some dry closet. They 

 should be examined at times, as in the drying the stems 

 shrink and the flower may fall down. They should 

 remain in this dry shelter until the house is heated in the 



