46 CIRCULAR 2 7 8, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



sprinklings. If held in wooden cases or packed in such a way as to 

 prevent excessive drying out by direct air currents, no sprinkling is 

 necessary. Galax is usually tied in bunches of 25 ; the ferns are tied 

 in lots of 50 ; but both are customarily sold by the hundred. Those who 

 make a business of gathering the greens in this group sometimes store 

 them in coldf rames, covering them with about 6 inches of some material 

 such as sphagnum moss or leaves, and shading or using sash as the 

 weather demands. Handled in this way, shipments can be made at 

 any time. Others who might be termed "brokers" have many em- 

 ployees gathering galax and ferns and store their entire holdings in 

 cold-storage warehouses; this is the method commonly employed for 

 storage, and it usually gives satisfaction. 



Holly (Ilex opaca) sprays or wreaths can usually be held satisfac- 

 torily for approximately 1 month at a temperature of 32° F. and a 

 relative humidity of about 80 percent. These should be left in the 

 packing cases to prevent the circulation of air immediately around 

 them (106). 



Rhizomes, Tubers, and Corms 



Lily-of-the-valley pips or crowns may be held in cold-storage ware- 

 houses at a temperature range of 25° to 28° F. (91) up to 17 months, 

 although after about 12 months increasing deterioration in quality 

 becomes noticeable. The pips are tied in bundles of 25 with string 

 or willow ties and are packed with sphagnum moss in wooden cases 

 of various sizes containing from 250 to 2,500 pips. 



Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott), spotted caladium (O. neo- 

 guineensis Andre), and tuber begonias (Begonia tuberhybrida Voss) 

 may be held at 45° F. and a relative humidity of 75 to 80 percent for 

 4 to 6 months. They should be packed in dry sawdust, sand, or peat. 



Canna (Canna indica L.), dahlia (Dahlia sp.) (3), and peony 

 (Paeonia sp.) may be stored at 40° to 45° F. over a period of 6 to 7 

 months with a relative humidity of 70 to 80 percent. They are usually 

 packed in dry soil, sand, sawdust, or peat moss. 



Gladiolus sp. (mostly hybrids) may be stored at 40° to 50° F. with 

 a relative humidity of 70 to 75 percent for 7 to 8 months. A tempera- 

 ture of 40° will hold these corms dormant during the normal storage 

 season, whereas at 50° sprouting will occur after 4 to 6 months- 

 storage. They should be stored dry in shallow trays with ample 

 ventilation but only after a curing period of 3 to 6 weeks in an open 

 or well- ventilated shed. 



Common and golden callas (Zantedeschia aethiopica and Z. elli- 

 ottiana) stored at 35° F. and at a relative humidity of 70 to 75 percent 

 in dry soil, sand, or peat will keep for many months if it is necessary 

 to store them. The normal rest period in the forcing cycle is during 

 May, June, and July. Unless water is withheld during this period 

 complete dormancy will not exist. Therefore, storage in a dry con- 

 dition is essential, with sufficient humidity to prevent undue shriveling. 



Bulbs 



Most varieties of daffodils (Narcissus sp.), hyacinths, freesias, 

 squills (Scilla sp.), snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis L.), Crocus sp., 

 and similar bulbs may be held at 55° to 60° F. for 4 to 6 months. 



