FORCING FLOWERS BY FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7717, 20 January 1905, Page 4

FORCING FLOWERS BY FIRE.

THE REMAUIvAULfc; HIDS.ULT VI! " AN ACCIDENT..'" That flowers can be forced by usually applied to glasshouses isj of course, an old story (writes Mr .1. E. Whitby, in Chamlievs's .lournol) ; but that the direct action of fire-heat can have any effect ill hastening the blooming of plants is a fresh suggestion, but one that in these days, when (lowers a* demanded in reason, at alj times, and of every kind and country, is worth consideration. Great events have frequently sprung from the smallest or the apparently indirect causes ; and a serious lire that broko out last September at Chausee-sur-Marne, between Chalons and, Vitry-le-Francois, in France, while it destroyed the greater part of the populous village, ruining many of the inhabitants, may yet have as a resuk the even greater development of am industsy that gives ouiployment to thousands of people. The fire,, which raged on one side of the village, made a clean sweep of everything before it in the. shape of buildings, and only paused when there was nothing to lick up except the orchards that once formed a hedge between the homesteads and the open country. Even then it was hardly satiated, for it greedily di> voured the two first ranks of the apple and peair trees, leaving nothing bub cinders; the next three rows, though very scorched, were not quite destroyed, the farthest: awav being naturally the least affected. Some of the boughs escaped all hurt and it was with that the very curi o us phenomenon was observed with merits attention. A second flowering commenced at once, and by the end of ,Octe-ber all the trees farthest from I the scene of the fire were in full bloom,, as though called to renew h-fo by the fresh voice of May instead of hushing to slumber with the lullaby of October. At another point the flames had swept close to a large lilac tree, and this as well as some plum trees, bewildered by what must hauo seemed to it a sudden return of summer, put onco more its bndal roljes< I<i must be mentioned that the lire only tasted four hours, it wi be w>*ced f therefore, that there w„s ! resemblance between this sudden Wast o£ heat and the ordinary gradual forcing to which plan's aie submitted *