THE CARE OF CUT FLOWERS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2120, 11 April 1914, Page 11

THE CARE OF CUT FLOWERS

Even when flowers are still scarce, we do not like to be without flowers of fiomo kind, but they become a somewhat' expensive item in the housekeeping accounts, and therefore it is especially important that the methods of treatment recommended for keeping the bloseoniß freeh and beautiful and prolonging thoir lives to the utmost limits should .be known, states a writer in an Kngliah Weekly. ■■::.■ Unless they havo only just been gathered, the extreme ends of the stems should be cut off before they aro put' , into water, the newly-cut cud, having its pores or vessels open, being in a better condition to absorb the water necessary to prevent the flowers from.-lry-ing and withering, especially if they are to bo put into a warm room. If the stalks are at all woody the bark should for the same, reason bo stripped off for some distance from the end, and 1 all thick stems, whether woody or not, should bo split across in two directions, to open them up. It ie a mistake from the cconomio no less than from , -the artistic point,of-view to orowd too. many flowers into bowl or vase,.as the massing close together of. the stems promotes decay and causes drooping and withering of the flower-heads. . An Even Temperature. Extremes of heat and cold are bad as: & rulo for any cut flowers, and . there- . fore, with one exception to bo presently mentioned, the daily fresh water for the flowers, especially tor the more delicate, blossoms, should be loft, in the room all night,, to become of the same temporature, and so be ready when the stale water is poured away next morning,, and' any dead leaves picked off. It is a good plan to cut a tiny piece: from-the ends , of tie stems and wash them if they ushow.:,any signß of decay each day when • changing'the water, but this is hot necessary so often, if, preservative' IB; put into the water eac'htime. Powdered charcoal is very good, , keeping/the water fresh and pure. A layer should be put', at the bottom of -the vase and tho flower-stems'stuck in it.. The char-, coal ■ can be used over and over; again if it is occasionally well wasb.ed.-in fresh water and dried in a tin on the top' of the stove. ' ■ Other preservatives,recommended are carbonate-of sodaj saltpetre, nitrate of, soda, camphor, a little of either being dissolved in tho water every time. Many florists \vho_ have to take the utmost caro of fragile blossoins during the winter add about a teaspoonful of gin to each jar of cut flowers to keep them fresh. ' .'■.'.' ~,.--. When flowers have become withered through- being worn, carried as a bou-. quet, or eent through the post, they may often be revived'by cutting the ends and plunging ~them. into-absolutely boiling wateV. If they were not • too far gone the wrinkled petals.-.will begin.to smooth out in a few minutes, and freshness be more or less restored by the time the: water is cold, when.the stems should be cut again, any wetted part being entirely * removed,' and tho.flowers ..put into fresh cool water. A little gin or carbonate of soda in the hot water often aids' the freshenespecially in the case of violets,■ which' should be plungad up to the flow r ers in" warm water before tho' bunches are untied. Use of Charcoal. Generally speaking, .coloured flowers can be niofe . perfectly restored than white ones, which tend to become yellow or blse semi-transparent, and, as might , be expected, the thicker and more "fleshy" the petals the better the chance of revival, which is possible even though the flowers have been- out of ivator for many hours. ■If it is desired to keep cut flowers or li bouquet fresh for'eonfe-'time ,; foif' a' speoial occasion, they should be'put into a vase or jar of water with charcoal, the vase set on a plate and covered down with any available glass vessel that is large enough, e.g., a.large tumbler, sugar-bowl, bell glass, or one,of the old glass shades used to protect some precious trophy of wax or marble. A little ■water must be poured round the inverted glass to keep out air, and the flowers can then be preserved for a considerable time in the moist atmosphere within. The cover must be of glass. To prevent large blossoms, e.g., tulips, from opening too widely, thus losing some of their beauty and tending to drop .quickly, a\litt!o soft tissue paper may be wrapped round each blossom at night and removed next morning. The_ falling may bften be retarded by dropping a little gum into the ceri-tre-of each flower, a device especially useful for those which are rather full blown when plucked. '•' ••''■. A last hint concerns the Bending of cut flowers by post. 'Many people pack them: in a .deep box and by their own weight thoy literally crush the life out of one, another, whereas in, wide shallow boxes,' 6uch as may be seen .bringing spring flowers from tho Scilly Isles, etc., with a thin layer, of cotton wool or crumpled tissue paper, slightly damped, or with plenty of fern or foliage, they will travel well. •