THE KASTKR LILV ]X XORTHKHX CLIMATES. 31 



foot of stem has formed. With eohl storage I'oi- a month or two, of 

 course, this procedure Avould be possible. 



It is thought that methods of timing stocks can be worked out for 

 the warmer sections of California so that the plants can be bi-ought 

 into floAver at almost any season Avith no artificial heat. 



These possibilities, coupled with the further one of holding the cut 

 flowers for two or three months in cold storage, suggest many modi- 

 fications in liandling and in supplying cut flowers for the market. 



RESISTANCE TO COLD. 



A light frost will not injure the Easter lily even when in flower. 

 Plants in full flower and full bud have been known to withstand a 

 temperature of 28° F. at night with no permanent injur}'. A tem- 

 perature of 26° F., however, killed all the flowers and buds except a 

 few barely in view and amply protected by the surrounding leaves. 

 On the Gulf coast a drop from growing weather to 20° F. is con- 

 sidered fatal to plants in vegetative condition. 



The six years' experience of the Bureau of Plant Industry has 

 proved that this crop when properly handled is safely hardy in the 

 climate of "Washington, D. C. Proper handling means simply that 

 the plants are set late, so as to insure dormancy during the winter. 

 There are no data which enable one to judge just what the limiting 

 temperatures are, but it has been amply demonstrated over a period 

 of six years that the strains of the Easter lily worked with are hardy 

 in the climate of Washington, Avliere the normal minimum is 10° F. 

 and the tempei'ature commonly goes to zero at some time during the 

 ■winter. 



WASHINOTOX : GOVEP.NMKNT flilNTIXr; orKICE : 11121 



