Chap. XXXL] LILACS OF THE PARIS GARDENS. 527 



supplied at the same time, both at the roots and over the tops ; 

 in the latter case by syringing with tepid water. The chief point^ 

 however, is, that from the day the plants are placed under glass 

 they are not allowed to receive any light, the glass being completely 

 covered with straw mats. Thus they gather white Lilac blooms 

 before the leaves show themselves much. The heat and moisture 

 and complete darkness effect all that is desired. The Paris 

 growers commence to cut the white Lilac at the end of October, 

 and continue to do so till it comes into flower in the open ground. 

 For many years, the forcing of Lilacs in France was confined to 

 one or two Parisian nurserymen, who kept the process a secret, 

 and to whom it proved a source of income, as the flowers, which 

 were pure white, were eagerly sought after, and as the growers 

 of them had no rivals in the trade, they were enabled to ask 

 almost any price they pleased for them. The white Lilac blossoms 

 have rarely been seen in England except when imported; but 

 since the. appearance of the first edition of this book the 

 production of white Lilac from the common kind has been tried 

 with success. Mr. Howard of Bedford Hill, Balham, has produced 

 it abundantly, and in a simple manner. In autumn and at various 

 periods throughout the winter, he dug up some bushes of the 

 common Lilac and placed them in a darkened shed used for 

 forcing Seakale, etc. This structure is heated by a hot-water 

 pipe which passes through it, but not to so high a temperature as 

 that used by the Paris growers. From this shed, in which the 

 bushes flowered abundantly through the winter, Mr. Howard has 

 gathered quantities of pure white Lilac, with its fragrance perfect. 

 Thus it is proved that the production of this addition to our 

 winter forced flowers may be effected with little trouble. 



Eecently some careful observers in France have ascertained 

 that darkness is not essential to the production of white flowers 

 from red varieties. The harsh treatment Lilacs often receive 

 out-of-doors, should turn the attention of indoor gardeners 

 to their culture in pots now that it has been proved that they 

 may be flowered easily in a room without the aid of a forcing- 

 house. In this way the season of these sweet flowers may be 

 greatly prolonged, and the flowers are often better indoors in 

 March than in the garden in a harsh May. The French sometimes 

 graft them on a dwarfing-stock, one of the Privets. Enterprising 



