March, 
1909 
Roses for Winter 
ig 
By Edith B. Welsh 
BANE of the sadnesses of the summer garden 
is the fact that its beauties last for such a 
short while. Too soon the winter comes, 
when we may search in vain for the gay 
blossems which held up their head so 
brightly to the warmer sun. But with a 
little care it is possible to preserve at any 
rate one of the most valued of our flowers, and in this way 
retain some of the loveliness of the border for the dull 
months. In this article a special method of treatment is in- 
dicated whereby roses may be dried, and, when required, 
brought back to a fair resemblance of their original beauty. 
The best time to set about this method of preserving roses 
is in the fall, when, owing to the cool weather, the flowers 
develop more slowly and are thus in every way better. 
Almost any of the larger kinds will answer the purpose well, 
and the blossoms should be gathered when in bud, just after 
the petals are mature and yet before they have started to 
unroll. Care should be taken to see that the buds are quite 
dry, and if they should have any moisture on them it is well 
to spread them out for a day or so in order that the dampness 
may pass away. As many roses as possible should be secured 
in order to make allowance for a certain number of failures; 
it is not to be expected that 
all will be entirely success- 
ful. 
With all the buds to be 
preserved gathered to- 
gether, the next step in the 
treatment may be taken up. 
Procure the lid of a tin can 
and round this twist a piece 
of wire in such a way that it 
can be held like a small pan. 
Now into the receptacle 
place a few lumps of candle 
wax; then holding the lid 
over a lighted candle. Take 
each rose bud and dip the 
end of the stalk in the 
melted wax, repeating the 
process several times so that 
a small lump of the sub- 
stance is formed on the end 
of the stem. Next, very 
carefully tie a small piece 
Wrap each bud up in thin paper 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 93 
Pasting up the air tight tin box 
of silk twine round each of the buds—just tightly enough 
to keep in place without in any way injuring the petals. 
The next thing required will be one or more tin boxes. It 
is not recommended that these should be very large, those 
answering the purpose perhaps best of all being the small 
long-shaped biscuit boxes. The lids of these, as a rule, fit 
exceptionally well, and this is rather an important feature. 
‘Take some tissue paper and cut this into pieces each one of 
a size to accommodate a single rose bud. Wrap the flower 
head of each specimen in the paper, tying it securely at either 
end with silk. It may be as well here, perhaps, to insist 
again on the importance of each rose being absolutely free 
from any surface moisture, one example in a damp condition 
placed in a box being sufficient to spoil the whole of the 
contents. When the roses are wrapped up they may be 
packed away in the boxes, each of which has been previously 
lined with wadding. ‘The buds may be put in fairly closely, 
as long as they are not really crushed when the lid is put on. 
In order to make the box doubly air tight it is well to paste 
thin strips of paper round the joints of the lid. All the boxes 
as they are loaded with buds should be placed in a closet; it 
is important that the temperature should be well maintained, 
although the boxes must not be put in a really hot place. 
The roses may now be 
left just as they are for a 
period of two or three 
months; longer than this it 
is scarcely advisable to leave 
the buds. When it is de- 
cided to revive the sleeping 
ing flowers the boxes may 
be opened and the buds 
taken out one by one. Ex- 
treme care must now be 
exercised in the handling of 
the specimens, as they will 
be in a very brittle state, 
and it is very easy to dam- 
age them in this condition. 
Gently unwrap each bud, 
and with a small pair of 
scissors cut away the silken 
bands which encircle the 
petals. Next take a basin 
full of hot—not boiling— 
water. Now take each bud 
