218 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ave., 1901. 
related by the Express. It took no less than two years to produce the twelve 
magnificent roses presented to the Queen on the last Christmas of the century. 
Two years ago, when the British Horticultural Society held an exhibition of 
roses at Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty graciously asked Mr. David 
Fuerstenberg, a veteran rosegrower of Philadelphia, what he, an American, 
thought of the English roses. He replied that they were very pretty, but that 
everyone grew better roses in the State. He pointed out that the flowers were 
small and the stems short, whereas in America great roses were shown with 
yard-long stems. Her Majesty expressed a preference for fragrance and 
delicate loveliness rather than for size and length of stem, but said that she 
would like to see the gorgeous American roses. The American, on his return 
home, began experimenting in order to produce the finest roses ever grown, and 
also to discover a method of preservation certain, at least, for twelve days. 
After twenty-four months he accomplished both ends, and sent the dozen 
promised roses in charge of a famous London florist on the ‘Lucania.’ The 
roses are superb, being 8 inches in diameter, and having stems a yard long. 
The large blooms are shaped like the American Beauty, but are a bright pink 
colour. The precious flowers arrived in perfect condition. The ends of the 
stems were placed in long glass phials, filled with water and capped by rubber 
fitted closely around the stem. The opened buds were then wrapped up in 
waxed paper to exclude the air, and then the roses, stems and all, were buried, 
each by itself, in soft moss damped and packed in cracked ice. The box of 
roses was then sealed in a strong box and placed in the ‘ Lucania’s’ cold 
storage room. When the box was opened it was found that the buds had burst 
into full bloom, and were entrancingly fragrant and beautiful. They were 
consigned to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who saw that they were safely 
delivered to Her Majesty. Thus it was that the loveliest and largest roses in 
the world came to the Queen (and to the Gardeners’ Ohronicle) at Christmas.” 
The Chronicle did receive a box of roses at Christmas from Philadelphia, but 
all the petals fell away when unpacked. 
HOW TO PACK FLOWERS FOR POST. 
So many of our friends on the Downs send boxes of beautiful flowers to 
Brisbane during the season when the most beautiful and exquisitely scented 
European flowers are in bloom, that we should wish them to study the art of © 
packing them for the journey so that they may arrive in good condition. Man 
a box have we seen full of violets crushed and partly destroyed by the final 
watering considered essential before closing the parcel. If blooms are packed 
into a box carelessly, with a cabbage leaf beneath and above them, and then 
dowsed with water with the idea of keeping them fresh, by the time they arrive 
at their destination, after the rough handling they usually receive in the guard’s 
van, the greater part are destroyed, and the remainder look like the Last Rose 
of Summer—faded and gone. Flower-packing is an art well understood by 
florists. Look at the exquisite blooms in some of the Brisbane florists’ 
windows. Many of them have stood a journey from Sydney and even from 
Melbourne, yet they look as fresh and delicate as if still growing on the plant. 
The best travelling box is one made of tin, but strong cardboard boxes will 
do on emergency. Line the box with white paper. Cut the flowers early in 
the morning—never in the afternoon. Lay them in the box one by one, filling 
up the whole space ; if they do not fit into the corners, stuff the latter with soft 
tissue paper. Do not sprinkle any water on them, but cover with a few fern 
leaves, and over these place a sheet of damp cotton wool. The flowers will 
travel safely, provided the train and postal officials are careful. If they are not 
so, it will probably be your own fault. ‘To avoid accidents, label the box in 
clear, large letters “Cut Flowers.” The recipient of flowers thus packed will 
find no damaged ones in the parcel. 
