32 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



January, 1910 



Flowers All the Year Round 



How the Lily of the Valley May be Grown at Any Time of the Year 



By S. Leonard Bastin 



N THE modern household fresh flowers are do not require a great amount of heat; after the long-de- 

 an essential feature of almost any scheme ferred growth the plants seem to be ready to burst into 

 of decoration. Unfortunately, it is only foliage and flower as soon as they are removed from the 



those who live in very favored climes that 



can look to find blossoms in the outdoor 



garden at any season of the year. The 



horticulturalist of to-day, however, is 

 nothing if he is not progressive, and he has not been over- 

 come by the difficulties which surround the producing of be kept in stock for a long while 



cold of the refrigerator. Retarded Lily of the Valley 

 "crowns" (as the roots are technically called) may be pur- 

 chased from any garden store, although a small dealer may 

 have to order specially. When removed from the cold stor- 

 age the plants are so eager to grow that they cannot well 



It is important to go to 



blooms during the winter time. By means of artificially a good business house, as unreliable firms will at times try 



heated structures the twentieth century gardener has been to sell immature "crowns" to the novice. These cannot all 



able to keep going the supply of floral loveliness, even be relied upon to bloom. In a general way the purchaser 



when the sway of King Frost is firmly established over the may tell whether he is buying the flowering size by the ap- 



land. With the coming of 

 the system of retardation, 

 the possibilities of plant 

 growing have been carried 

 even further still. Most 

 people must now be fa- 

 miliar with the method of 

 keeping roots and bulbs in 

 refrigerators over their 

 natural blossoming time, 

 and in this way preventing 

 them from starting Into 

 growth. By these means 

 the development of the 

 specimens may be sus- 

 pended for several months, 

 for it is not until the sub- 

 jects are brought out into 

 the light and air that any 

 attempt is made on their 

 part to make a start. The 

 plants so treated do not 



seem to be In any way the worse for their unique experi 

 ences. 



Lily of the Valley crowns as they are purchased 



pearance of the pink buds. 

 Those which contain a 

 blossom are blunt at the 

 ends, whilst the "crowns" 

 which contain only leaves 

 are sharply pointed. Buy 

 in small quantities and 

 fairly often so as to secure 

 a succession of blossom. 



The Lily crowns are 

 usually sold tied up In 

 bundles and it is necessary 

 that they should all be 

 carefully separated. Do 

 this with care so as to 

 avoid injury to the brittle 

 roots. Although not an 

 essential feature of the 

 treatment. It Is a good 

 plan to spread the crowns 

 on trays in a single layer, 

 and place them in a dark 

 cool place for a couple of days. If during the winter. It 

 should be ascertained that the temperature of the apart- 

 Until very recently the handling of retarded plants has ment Is well above freezing point, for the object of this part 

 been regarded as a matter of interest to the professional of the treatment Is to ensure that all traces of frost are re- 

 florist alone. Strangely enough the general public has been moved from the roots before active growth Is encouraged, 

 slow to realize that the dis- This slight delay at the 



covery is one which espe- start will induce an accel- 



clally appeals to the private ^^■^^^^^^^^^^^^^^■^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H erated development later 



the case one ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^P^^^^^^^I '-^ ^^^ 



the Val- ^^|B^^|^^^^N|^^^^H||^| f^^HH ^° ^^^ 



ley, Avhich has shown itself ^^^^iW V^M VTf^^^^V«-rM.f^^^^^^3 Ordinary pots 



to be an exceedingly easy ^^HPi 1 '9i ^P "iJ ^ <^K^^ ^ \^ *^^^|H ^^'^^ answer the purpose 



subject to manage. It is ^^^^2L^. ^^J^^jf**^ ''' ^^^ ■^%.^'ite K l^Ji^^^^^^^B ^^^T well, but as a rule It 



safe to say that the frag- ^^^BBEj.;" '"""i ' ^jJMto|Miggjap_^^ ^^^M ^viH be found that the most 



Avhite spikes to be ^^^Hp^ ^^K^^^^^m^ ' ^^^1 satisfactory receptacles 



numbered amongst the most ^^^M ^^^HPf^^lV' ^^^^^ shallow wooden boxes; 



valued of flowers, and the ^^^^K '^^^Bl'/ ^^^^| ^^^^^ accommodate the 



news that anyone in an or- ^^^^H| ^^^Hfis ^^^^^^1 '■'^'^'^ masses of roots par- 



dinary living-room may ^^^^H| ^^^^IH' I ticularly well. It Is much 



grow these treasures for ^^^^^K. ^^^^^KL ,'.:'#',.•;; J better not to attempt to 



himself will come as a ^^^^|H|i|^^^^|'3^^,^^^^^H^ grow the plants orna- 



surprise. One can ^^^^^^^K||||g||||gM|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 



hardly Insist too much upon ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Htted to contain the roots, 

 the fact that retarded roots The first day ^he specimens may be easily 



