CARE OF CUT FLOWERS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 41, 21 November 1913, Page 9

CARE OF CUT FLOWERS.

TO MAKE THEM LAST CONGER. Out blooms should be placed in water ae soon as possible; a small lump of charcoal in each vase will help a great deal towards keeping th» specimens .nice and fresh. It is also a good practice to cut a fraction of aa inch off the stalk each day. m In many casus by employing a few simple ohemicals it is possihlo to lengthen the life of the cut flower to a surprising extent, tor instance, about a teaspoonfiil of carbonate of. soda dissolved into each pint of water used tends to maintain the blossoms ii a Rood condition.

Tho presence of thk chemical will prevent the cells in the stalks of the blooms from losing moisture, owing to the fact that it stimulate!, a very free absolution. A small Limp of camphor au.v)lved ui the water in e,ich vase will have, a .'-omewhat similar effect. ( Where it is desired to keen flower* ior some special occasion a rather different plan k recommended. In the hist place secure a shallow dish of enino sort and then fill this with clean, damn Band.

• A glass shade will be necessary, although a number of wide-anotithed glass tars would serve the purpose equally well.

WHEN MOULD APPEARS. The flowers are gathered in a fresh condition antf their stalk* are nmtly <-i nnmed off. Each one is then stuck into the damp sard and all are finally corned with the .glass shades. The whole arrangement is conveyed to «omo cool room.

Jinny kinds of flowers will keen for weeks when treated in this way, and they will be ready for use at anv 'time. ilie only danger is that sometimes mciild will appear. If this difficulty arises a few drops of carbolic acid u'v. a fragment of. cottonwool should be slipped under the glass. Various means may be adopted to revive flowers which are badly wilted. If the blooms are drooping, merely because they have been out of water for some time, but are otherwise fresh, the following plan acts like magic:

Secure a bowl of boiling water and plunge the steins into this, placiixr the whole aside into a dark cupboard" Bv the time the water is eo!d 'it will hefound that the flowers hava completely revived. Fresh water should be given when placing the specimens in the vases.

If there, is reason for believing that the flowers are rather old a srood'result will be secured by throwing a small lump of camphor into the hot water. Common salt may also be used as a stimulant to revive fading blooms, and here it is recommended that the solution should be rather a strong one. In all these cases the flowers will be more likely to revive if after treatment they are allowed to remain in a cool and shady room. Of course at all times direct sunshine helps to fade cut flowers, and this .should be borne in mind when placing the vases in a room.