12 



THE FLORAL WORLD 



force. It is necessary that every speck 

 of dust should be dislodged, so that 

 the pores of a plant may not be 

 clogged by foreign substances. The 

 cleaner you keep your plants the bet- 

 ter ones you will have to admire dur- 

 ing the bleak days of winter. 



Fresh air is essential. Open the 

 door farthest from your window and 

 let the outside air gradually circulate 

 through the room. It should not strike 

 on the plants directly, lest they be- 

 come chilled. Let most plants have 

 as much light as possible, especially 

 the sun-loving ones. Keep the shade 

 up to the top of the window, and do 

 away with lace curtains. Take great 

 care to guard against sudden cold 

 snaps. Put papers back of the plants 

 at night, and if the fire goes down 

 burn an oil heater or large lamp. 

 Chilled or frozen plants should be im- 

 mersed in a tub of cold water until 

 revived. 



New York. Benjamin B. Keech. 



* 



THE LILY-OF- THE- VALLEY 



This flower is equally well adapted 

 to the open border, the greenhouse or 

 window. It grows upon rhizomes or 

 running root stocks, and all such 

 plsmts multiply rapidly. Bedded out in 

 a moist, shaded position, lily-of-the- 

 valley will need no further culture 

 than a top dressing of rich compost 

 every fall. 



The most profuse and beautiful bed 

 of this exquisite flower I can recall 

 has rambled for twenty years under a 

 broad-spreading apple-tree, in Rich- 

 mond, Va. Every spring the light 

 green, oblong-ovate leaves cover the 

 surface of the soil, and from their 

 midst the flower scapes rise, covered 

 with bell-shaped, snowy whit-e blos- 

 soms, from base to tip. The flowers 

 are so profuse the earth seems under 

 a light fall of white snowflakes where 

 they bloom. If, however, these lovely 

 flowers are wanted for winter, the 



greenhouse or window culture must 

 be conducted on different lines. It 

 must be borne in mind that the lily-of- 

 the-valley loves a freeze. The "pips" 

 or crowns must remain outside until 

 frozen and then be forced into bloom. 

 For this purpose it is better to patron- 

 ize the florist than to depend upon 

 home-grown stock. The pips or crowns 

 may be bought in December or Jan- 

 uary, and the florist having duly sub- 

 jected them to cold, bringing them into 

 a temperature of about seventy de- 

 grees will force the blooms like magic. 

 When put into boxes or pots cover 

 the roots lightly with flbrous soil, but 

 over the tops only strew sphagnum or 

 flber. Water and set in a darkened 

 place until the green leaves appear. 

 Then bring to gradual light and heat, 

 increasing as growth proceeds. Pre- 

 serve the humidity by moderate water 

 upon the roots, and an occasional 

 spray upon the foliage. The crowns 

 hold the embryo bloom in readiness, 

 and no plant is more active and re- 

 sponsive, none more sure to bloom. 

 Strong sunlight is rather to be avoid- 

 ed, as lily-of-the-valley blooms pro- 

 fusely in partial shade. The tempered 

 light of indoor apartments suits the 

 plants exactly. Ordinarily the win- 

 dow plants can have only a few hours 

 of direct exposure to the sunshine per 

 day. If possible, let these plants have 

 tne window with several hours of 

 morning sunshine. In the greenhouse 

 give lilies-of-the-valley some place that 

 will be shaded part of the day. Di- 

 rectly under the glass is not as favor- 

 able as partial shade. 



For cut flower purposes lily-of-the- 

 valley is one of the exquisites. For 

 buttonhole bouquets, with a violet, a 

 rosebud and maiden-hair frond, all 

 winter, on up till Easter, it blooms 

 its best. Baskets of Marechal Niel 

 or Bridesmaid rosebuds, interspersed 

 ana fringed with lily-of-the-valley and 

 fern fronds, are ideal for Easter deco- 

 rations. Mrs. G. T. Drennan. 



Louisiana. 



