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 
[222] 
