52 CIRCULAR 2 78, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



strawflowers are usually dried instead of being stored to retain their 

 freshness. 



Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), common white foxglove 

 (D. purpurea var. alba), and garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) are 

 not usually satisfactory for storage but may be held for 3 or 4 days at 

 40° F. 



The various forced irises, especially the so-called Dutch irises, may 

 be held for 1 week at 33° F. (106) . 



Cut poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) sold during the Christmas 

 season usually need not be stored for the few days between their 

 arrival at the wholesale house and the day of sale. If holding is neces- 

 sary, storage at about 50° F. is recommended. Any change of en- 

 vironment, such as improper storage, will increase the apparently 

 inherent tendency of poinsettias to shed their foliage. They should 

 be cut when showing sufficient color to be salable. Searing the cut 

 ends with boiling water is a practice usually followed to prevent undue 

 loss of sap before or during storage. 



Cut lilies-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) are kept satisfac- 

 torily at 40° F. and may be held for 1 week at this temperature ; if 

 they are kept longer the lower bells often become watery in appearance 

 (lOJf) . The proper cutting stage is just after the terminal bell has 

 lost its deep-green color. It should be of a yellow-green appearance, 

 the lower 3 or 4 bells at this time being well opened. They are usually 

 tied with foliage in bunches of 25 and are better wrapped loosely in 

 heavy waxed paper, leaving the tops and bottoms of the bunches open. 



Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) , tulip (107) , narcissus (daffodil 

 and paperwhite), freesias (Freesia refracta var. alba), squills, snow- 

 drops (Galanthus nivalis), and crocuses can usually be held satisfac- 

 torily for 1 to 2 weeks at 33° to 36° F. 



Spikes, such as snapdragons, should be cut just after the lower five or 

 six flowers have fully opened ; umbels, such as blue laceflower, should 

 be cut just after they develop to a salable condition; flowers formed in 

 heads usually should be cut after the outermost petals are fully de- 

 veloped and just before stamens appear in the center of typically 

 single heads or after the center has become closed with petals in 

 double sorts; corymbs, such as candytuft, are usually best when cut 

 after three-fourths of the lower flowers are opened ; flowers described 

 as thyrses, or corymbose cymes, such as the lilac, should be cut when 

 about two-thirds of the determinate branches are developed ; cymose 

 clusters, such as babysbreath, should be cut after a few of the terminal 

 flowers have developed. 



Experiments have been reported on the use of a plastic coating on 

 gardenia blooms (87). With further tests on different types of 

 blooms, the use of such materials may become more extensive as a 

 supplement for cold storage or during shipment. 



Florists' Greens 



Fern asparagus (Asparagus plumosus) and smilax asparagus (A. 

 asparagoides) are usually shipped in crates. The turn-over of these 

 greens is rapid and shipments are arranged so that storage for longer 

 than 3 or 4 days is usually unnecessary, but they may be kept in the 

 case for 7 to 10 days at 40° to 45° F. The sprays of A. plumosus are 

 tied in bunches of various sizes. Smilax is packed in the crates in 



