266 A Chapter on Everlasting or Immortal Flowers. 



A CHAPTER ON EVERLASTING OR IMMORTAL FLOWERS. 



By Joseph Breck, Ex-President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 



There are many varieties of everlasting or immortal flowers in great 

 demand at the present time. The flowers, when dried, are used for winter 

 bouquets and for various in-door decorations, and for tokens of affection 

 to be placed on the graves of departed friends. Under the French name 

 of " immortelles," they are very extensively used as souvenirs for the deco- 

 ration of mausoleums in that country. In the vicinity of the large cemete- 

 ries about Paris, it is said there are shops where the principal business is 

 to sell wreaths, crosses, bouquets, and other funeral decorations, composed 

 of immortelles and evergreens. They are becoming quite common in this 

 country for the same purpose and for various other decorations. Large 

 quantities are manufactured and sold in Boston and other cities about 

 Christmas-time, composed of everlastings of various sorts, with lycopodiums 

 from the woods, and other evergreens. The flowers of all the species should 

 be gathered before they are fully expanded, many of them while in the bud : 

 they should then be tied up in bunches, and hung up with the flowers down, 

 so that the stems may be straight when dry. They may be kept fresh and 

 bright on the mantle-piece for many years, provided they are covered with 

 a glass case to keep them from the air and dust. They will also remain 

 bright through the winter, exposed to the weather ; and are, therefore, very 

 suitable to be placed on the graves of departed friends. 



The various species which compose this class of flowers are the Xeran- 

 themums, Hdichrysiims, Ammobiums, Acroclinhims, Rhodanthes, Gomp/irenas, 

 IVaitzias, and Hclipterums. The last two are more difficult to grow than 

 the others. A native species found abundantly about the country is gener- 

 ally overlooked or neglected, as many other flowers and plants are that 

 grow near home, which, if brought from the Cape of Good Hope or some 

 other distant place, would be highly prized. I refer to the family of Gnapha- 

 iiiims, of which we have quite a number of species, particularly the G. 

 niargaritacetim, or large-flowering life-everlasting, and G. polycephalum^ or 

 sweet-scented life-everlasting, bearing clusters of flowers in corymbs, with 

 white pearly rays and yellow disk in the former species, and nearly of the 



