THE HOME-MAKER

White Ribbon, Volume 21, Issue 3, 1 April 1949, Page 8

THE HOME-MAKER

P. King

The care of the garden is a thing which repays one. To have flowers ready for various occasions is very nice; and gives a lot of pleasure. When a friend is sick, how welcome a shear from the border is. If it friend returns from a holiday, how pleased she will be to have a few flowers waiting for her as a welcome home. And when people are in trouble, there is no easier way to give your sympathy than by sending a few of your choicest blooms to give a message. Then, what a difference it makes in your own home to have fresh flowers cverywlnwe. It is a long job putting them in, of course, but there are a few little things which may help you so that you will not ha\e to find fresh flowers every day. First, put the cut flowers into water as soon as possible. Don’t keep them in your hot hand. Be sure to cut, not break the stems; and usually in a slanting direction If you are going to send them away ;>y post, pick them

SAYING IT WITH FLOWERS

in the evening and keep them in water for some hours. To keep dahlias well, stand them in tailing water for three minutes, before putting them in the vases. Asters, zinnias, marigolds and gerberas all need this treatment. They should not be cut in the heat of the day. Early morning is the best, but the evening is good too. Some flowers should have the stems bruised, chrysanthemums, stocks, roses, fuchsias, hydrangeas all respond well to this. Hydrangeas should he given a drink through their flowers as well as through the stems. Cyclamens should have their stems slit up about half an inch. Carnations should be cut on the slant between the nodes. To keep maidenhair fern fresh, wrap it in newspaper dampened. Keep vases clean; and change water by draining it off without disturbing the flowers if thev are still fresh.