LILIES ALL THE YEAR ROUND

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1686, 22 June 1904, Page 66

LILIES ALL THE YEAR ROUND

Perhaps the most noteworthy advance in floriculturo during recent years—and especially in that branch of it which deals, with the culture of flowers for market ■ is revealed in the fact the seasons have ceased to be the important factor to the horticulturist that they onoe were. He has, in fact, become independent of seasons to a very, great extent, says a writer in the "Harden,” and the reason of this is not far to seek; it may simply be explained by the one word, “retardation.” It hag taken some time for horticulturists to find out the great value, so _far as they are concerned, of retardation. Pong before they took up the matter in earnest men concerned with other industries had recognised its real value, and we became accustomed to the enormous supplies of foreign perishable produce regularly placed on our markets. Now, however, the horticulturist is fully alive to the great possibilities for good that this process of retardation undoubtedly has; in fact, it is not too much to say that when it is more widely practised the supplies of fruit, flowers, and also vegetables will be completely revolutionised. By it.g aid the farmer and market gardener will be able to store away their fruits in a time of glut and plaoe them on the markets at a more propitious season, thus reaping the benefit of increased prices. At present, in the majority of cases, the fruit has either to be sent to market to realise what it can, or else it is wasted. Sometimes the latter is the better plan, for the prices realised may not pay the cost of gathering and marketing. This would seem to be one way in which to compete successfully with importations of*fruit from abroad, i. 0., of course, supposing that fruit culture still continues to increase in England. At the present time we are at the mercy of exporters from other countries, who are able to send over supplies of fruit when they are most needed. Retardation has made rapid strides in America during recent years, and we have already received importations of soft fruit from the United States, while from the Cape Supplies of soft fruit are regularly sent at this season of the year, and they do not appear to suffer appreciably in flavour. However, it is .with flowers rather than fruit that we are now con-, corned, and in this direction—-at least, in England—more progress has been made, Where a few years ago it wae impossible to obtain such things as liliums, lilies, azalas, spiraeas, etc., before the spring, •it is now easy to have them all the year round if necessary. It is astonishing how quickly one becomes accustomed to things, and this is illustrated by the fact that now few stop to think that it is remarkable to see these flowers in the market practically all the year round, yet, but for the introduction and development of retardation, we should have them only in their natural season of blooming, and as early as the newlyreceived bulbs and roots could be forced into flower. We have not now to wait for importations of the plants above mentioned, for large quantities are annually stored in refrigerating chambers, and the following year are brought out and forced into bloom at whatever season they are required. Strange to say—or, perhaps, if one considers fox’ a moment, it is not so strange but only natural these retailed bulbs and roots come into flower more quickly and give equally good, if not better, results than those allowed to develop naturally. Mesai'S Thomas Rochford and Sons, Turnford Hall Nurseries. Broxbourne, Herts, have probably the lai*gest and best equipped refrigerator for horticultural purposes in the United Kingdom, and they are able to store away for future use immense quantities of plants. The principle of retardation is simple. In winter the plants are inactive; they live so gently that the loss in vitality is so slight as to be almost imperceptible. Animation can be suspended for a year or two without difficulty, and it is done by prolonging the conditions of winter—in other words, by cold storage. The boxes of roots are piled up in chambers, entei’ed by thick air-tight doors, and it is strange to inside. You carry a light, and its gleam is reflected as from a million angles of stalactite. The natural moisture arising from the packages is frozen hard and white on the Avails and protrusions. A huge engine is u.sed for the purpose of compressing air till it falls to the temperature required, and then drives it into these rooms. In this way an ai'tificial winter is produced, and the lily sleeps on heedless of the showers of spring or the summer sun. As far as possible economy is exerted in the use of steam power, and for Avinter preservation of roots large beds are made np in the open air of a material as closely resembling sand as possible. As long as the weather is hard and cold the;y remain tliere as they would in their Avild state. Bringing forward the flowers after they are taken from the refrigerating Chamber is quite, simple. Firstly, the cases are alloAved to stand in a room or shed till they have had time to thaw, which takes about twMity-four hours; then they are planted out in boxes and placed under cover in a hot house, where they speedily begiv ;o grow. Lilies of the Alley from retarded croAvns make a deal of foliage, and this proves' very useful to arrange Avith floAvers produced from unretarded roots, for the latter usually give but few leaves. Enormous quantities of roots are stored away in the refrigerator, and the fact that several millions of Lily of the Valley aloq.e are dealt Avith annually by Messrs Eochford Avill give some idea of the vast extent of the business. It Avill

be easily understood that so great an industry gives employment to some hun- - dre’ds of people, and in connection with this, mention may be made of an admirable institute I!mb wa» erected for the men by the late ).fr Thom as Rocliford, and under their manage rent continues , to work splendidly. r "' It is very re’Uafkabie to real] that •11 the glass and hot houses, all the

enterprising gardeners and busy labourers at Broxbourne have been called into existence by the needs of the last two or three decades. But, new that a start has been made, no one can tell where it will end.