Flowers For Decorating.

The warmth, of summer days affects cut flowers. They wilt, they droop, and the housewife finds herself raiding the garden afresh every day or so. She may even decide to have no page 60

(Rly. Publicity photo.)
A pipe organ brought to New Zealand in 1828—one of the many rare exhibits in the Alexander Museum, Wanganui.

flowers about until the hot days are over. Her rooms will cry out for the delicate coolness of flowers. A knowledge of the correct treatment for cut flowers will enable her to satisfy herself and her home.

When cutting dahlia blooms, the garden should be raided in the early morning and a good length of stem secured. Dip the stalks in boiling water for several minutes. Other flowers which benefit from having stalks dipped in boiling water are asters, roses, sunflowers and poppies (all varieties).

A useful treatment for such flowers as chrysanthemums, perennial phlox, celosia and salvia, is to recut the stems under water. Foliage of all kinds may also be treated in this way. The foliage should then be left lying in water for a short time before arranging.

Shrubs should have the stems bruised before arranging.

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