March Flowers Without a Greenhouse 



FLOWERING SHRUBS AND TREES THAT WILL BLOOM IN MARCH FROM TWIGS CUT IN FEBRUARY 

 AND PUT IN WATER— AN INDOOR FESTIVAL OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS WHEN THE TREES OUTDOORS 

 ARE BARE — A NEW IDEA IN HOUSE DECORATION: SIX-FOOT BRANCHES LADEN WITH FLOWERS 



I. Forcing Twigs in the Home 

 Window Sill 



Laura French Mordaunt, Michigan 

 TN FEBRUARY in a city flat, when one 

 A is weary of winter and spring seems 

 drearily far off, a bunch of glowing red 



A vaseful of aspens in flower 



maples in full bloom is a pleasant, com- 

 forting and reassuring sight. 



It is surprising how much can be learned 

 about the ways of growing things from 

 one twig. Shade trees in city parks and 

 streets are usually pruned so high that most 

 of us get only a general impression of color 

 and outline, and miss the beauty of the indi- 



vidual flower. Some do not even realize 

 that the flush of color high in a tree is from 

 flowers rather than leaves. 



If you wish to know a few trees and shrubs 

 intimately and personally there is no better 

 way to accomplish it than to cut a few twigs, 

 put them in a vase of water in a sunny win- 

 dow, and watch the development of the 

 tightly closed and frozen buds from the first 

 indication of their awakening to the opening 

 of the flower and unfolding of the leaves. 



If window space is limited a few twigs, 

 not more than a foot or two in length, will 

 be less likely to shut out needed light from 

 the room and to be in the way generally. 

 For a few short twigs ordinary vases are all 

 that is required. 



For larger twigs and branches large jars 

 are better than vases. If one is careful to 

 keep vases and jars perfectly clean and the 

 water fresh by frequent changing — once in 

 three or four days, or less frequently if a 

 small piece of charcoal is placed in each 

 jar — the window nursery need never become 

 objectionable to the housekeeper. 



The twigs, too, must be kept free from 

 dust by occasional spraying or dipping into 

 a pan of cool water. 



No doubt many varieties of trees and 

 shrubs could be forced into bloom early, 

 perhaps any time after the first severe frost, 

 but I have never cared to do so with any 

 except forsythia. 



One seems to need and to enjoy young 

 leaves and buds more when winter is far 

 advanced than in the early months. 



Whether the twigs are long cr short, few 

 in number or many, it is always a mistake 

 to crowd them, and I enjoy having each 

 kind by itself, at least until the flowers are 

 almost or quite open. All twigs are better 

 for a soaking in slightly warm water when 

 first brought into the house. Those which 

 are cut from trees in dusty, smoky city yards 

 especially need cleansing. 



Beech buds have an exciting story to tell. 

 Poplars are waiting to scatter the gold of 

 their pollen, and are ready to open their 

 white stars in the warmth of a living room. 



If woods and roadsides are out cf reach, 

 the old fruit trees in the city backyard are 

 not to be despised, although cuttings from 

 vigorous young wood are always desirable. 



Your friends in the South or California 

 can send you twigs of sub-tropical shrubs 

 through the mails. Last winter a small 

 branch of rhodora which traveled half way 

 across the country before reaching me was 

 an object of interest from the beginning 

 and a revelation of beauty when in its per- 

 fection. An English filbert showered pollen 

 from its graceful catkins and opened its 

 quaint little reddish-purple pistillate flowers 

 a few days after its journey. 



All twigs must be cut carefully — a clean, 

 slanting cut, with no rough edges to harbor 

 impurities. Large or partly opened buds 

 are easily injured by a careless touch. 



All the early blossoming shrubs are desir- 

 able for forcing, especially those which bloom 

 before the leaves. Forsythia is the earliest 

 and easiest ; it will flower in two weeks. 



The fertile or pistillate flowers of the aspen 



(Populus tremuloides) 



The sterile or staminate flowers of the aspen shake 



out a wealth of golden pollen 



18 



Pussy willows. Many species of Salix can be utilized 

 in this manner 



