THE COUNTRY HOME [chapter 



November, place them in a cool cellar or out-build- 

 ing for a few weeks, and then, as needed, bring 

 them into the house. It is not necessary that these 

 shall have anything more than simple boxes to 

 hold them during their residence in the kitchen or 

 family room. After three or four weeks of wait- 

 ing in a sunny window they will burst out into 

 bloom quite as gloriously as in May when out of 

 doors. The best shrubs for this forcing purpose 

 are the common lilacs, some of the spireas, the 

 mock oranges, the deutzias, and the Judas tree. 

 The Japan Judas tree, and some other half -tender 

 shrubs which will not blossom in our open grounds 

 can thus be made very useful. About three weeks 

 before you desire bloom, bring a plant, well-boxed 

 and watered, into a warm, light room. Keep it 

 well watered and occasionally turned before the 

 window, and the buds will soon begin to show 

 themselves. I have lilacs in midwinter that per- 

 fume the whole house. The yellow-flowered ribes, 

 or native currant, is specially good for our purpose, 

 and is very floriferous. 



After the flowers have decayed, set the boxes back 

 into the cellar, and in the spring into the ground. 

 It will take a year of recuperation before they will 



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