CHAPTER XV, 
FLOWERS FOR WINTER BOUQUETS. 
The test flowers for winter bouquets are undoubtedly those 
of the stove and greenhouse, bright with colour, fresh with 
fragrance, and with the soft and supple texture of active life 
in them. Genuine winter flowers are a privilege of the few ; 
for the many who cannot obtain them, dried grasses and 
everlasting flowers are of some service, and may be turned 
to wonderful account in the preparation of elegant bouquets. 
We must not waste space in eulogy, but assume that flowers 
and grasses are required for winter bouquets, and then pro¬ 
ceed to the practical business of producing them. 
First, as to the cultivation. All the annual sorts, both of 
everlasting flowers and grasses, are best grown by sowing 
the seeds in light rich soil in March or April, and treating 
them just the same way as asters; that is, in brief, insuring 
strong plants by the middle of May, and then planting them 
out. But if this is not convenient, they may all be sown on 
a rich light sunny border, in the early part of April. Every 
patch should be tallied, and a bit of seed of every sort kept 
in reserve. About the middle of May sow again any that have 
not, by that time, come up. By this plan you will be likely 
to secure all the sorts on which you speculate. 
As for greenhouse everlastings, they require good culti¬ 
vation. As the best of these is the Aphelexis, a practical word on 
that may be useful. It is a difficult plant to grow, too much 
or too little water being pretty certain death to it. The soil 
should be good turfy peat, and plenty of silver sand. The 
pots should be prepared with great care to insure perfect 
drainage. The plants must be potted firm, and with the 
collar slightly above the surface. Plenty of light and air 
are essential. The beautiful Phcenocoma requires similar 
treatment. As for the greenhouse Statices, they require a soil 
