July, 1906 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



45 



A Fine Epiphyllum in Full Bloom 



the roots were properly thawed in a cool place, and then 

 were brought out into the light and warmth. In a surpris- 

 ingly short space of time the plants burst into a wealth of 

 flower and foliage and for the first time in history lilies-of- 

 the-valley were on the London market in August. 



As may be imagined it was not long before many other 

 kinds of plants were tested as to their ability to stand the 

 ordeal of retardation. It was found that nearly all the 

 Japanese lilies, as well as such plants as azaleas, spiraeas, 

 syringas, etc., were very good subjects for the treatment and 

 the list seems to be capable of a good deal of extension. It 

 it strange that up to the present all attempts to retard hy- 

 acinth, tulip and narcissus bulbs have met with failure. 

 Why this is so does not seem to be at all clear, for one would 

 think that the plants would be more capable of standing the 

 degree of cold than the Japanese lilies. 



It is obvious that it is only hardy kinds of plants which 

 could be retarded, and even with these the matter of the 

 adjustment of the temperature is of supreme importance. 

 Some varieties will bear only a degree of cold which is just 

 at the point of freezing, whilst others do best with several 

 degrees of frost. To find out all this requires a great deal 



of investigation and the secret of the exact temperature 

 which is most desirable for each plant is jealously guarded 

 by firms who make a specialty of retardation. 



It is an interesting experience to visit a plant retarding 

 establishment. By far the most prominent feature is the 

 huge cold storage building in which the plants arc stowed 

 away. Under the care of the guide one passes the portals. 

 In a moment one steps from the warmth and light of a sum- 

 mer's day into the cold bitterness of a winter's night, the 

 darkness of which is but feebly relieved by the flickering 

 hand lanterns. The interior of the building is divided up 

 into various chambers and each one ol these is allotted to 

 some particular kind of plant. This is full of lily-of-the- 

 valley roots, the next is packed with boxes containing 

 •Lilium bulbs, whilst again a compartment is crammed with 

 small potted plants of azalea and spiraea. Each ami all 

 of these varieties are in a dormant condition, sleeping awaj 

 their time entirely unconscious of the changing seasons in 

 the outside world. The walls of the chambers are thickly 

 coated with a deposit of frost crystals, and millions of these 



Lilies-of-the- Valley After Retardation Showing their Appearance 

 on the Seventh Day of their Exposure to Heat 



A Splendid Specimen of Phyllocactus Albus Superbus 



flash like diamonds in response to the rays of light from the 

 lamp. 



The degree of cold is usually obtained by means of a com- 

 pressed air apparatus, and the freezing current is led into 

 the different chambers through wooden channels. In course 

 of time these passages get choked with hoar frost and it be- 

 comes necessary for a man to enter them and clean the ac- 

 cumulation away. That this is a cold job may be realized 

 from the fact that in places the temperature is as low as twen- 

 ty degrees below zero. The costume of a workman engaged in 

 this clearing out operation consists of what is practically an 

 arctic outfit. Every part of the body with the exception of 

 a small hole for eyes and mouth must be protected with 

 thick wool. Otherwise serious frost bites would ensue. 



Retarded plants may be kept in check for eight months, 

 or at times as long as a year and curiously enough they do 

 not seem to be any the worse for the treatment. Indeed the 

 experience seems to make them grow all the faster when they 

 are allowed to make a start. Some varieties grow at a tre- 

 mendous rate when they are brought into heat, and this is 

 particularly noticeable in the case of lilies-of-the-valley. 

 The writer as an experiment tested a batch of lily roots 

 which had been retarded just to see how fast they would 

 grow. These were planted on a certain day and in one 

 week had made great progress, being six inches in height. 

 More remarkable still, in another week the plants were 

 fully out in a splendid display of leaf and fragrant bloom. 



