ne reason why it is best to cut the
spikes early, and another is that the new blooms expand at that time,
and so are perfectly fresh. If one has large quantities to cut, it may
be necessary to continue the work all day, or the greater part of it,
and in such a case, or, in fact, whenever it is done, it is a good plan
to stand the spikes in water for a time, if convenient, and give them an
opportunity to fill their stems. Flowers thus refreshed will last longer
than those that do not have a chance to drink.

There is a difference in markets as to the length of stems demanded.
Some require them to be very long, with much foliage, and in such cases
the prices should be high enough to pay for sacrificing the bulbs, which
are rendered almost worthless by such cutting. When stems of moderate
length are acceptable, it is a good rule to cut down to the third leaf
below the spike, taking only the two small ones nearest the flowers.
This method gives the bulbs an opportunity to grow large and strong.

For shipment, the spikes are tied in bunches of twenty-six to
twenty-eight, so that each bunch will make two liberal dozens. They are
then placed in an upright position in a crate, box, or other receptacle.
There are various styles of packages, and each shipper chooses to suit
himself. One season I shipped thousands of spikes in tall candy pails,
with an inch or two of water in the bottom. They started at night and
arrived at their destination in the morning, "as fresh as daisies," the
commission man said. If the spikes are slightly wilted in transit it
does little harm, as they revive very soon after being placed in water,
though it is probable that any wilting shortens their terms of service
more or less.

Some growers cut the spikes before any flowers open, tie them in small
bunches, wrap in paper, and pack in crates, in layers. This method is
good for very long distances.

There is one other mode of shipping which I adopt when I wish to send
spikes that have several blooms open, without injury to the flowers. I
take a half bushel market basket, line it with waxed paper, sprinkle
damp moss in the bottom, and then "string" the basket--that is, sew
strong cords across it with a sail needle, three in each end at the top,
about three inches apart, and three others below these, an inch or two
above the bottom of the basket. The flowers are then put in slantwise,
beginning at the ends of the basket, and working towards the middle,