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Forcing lilacs.—Most of the lilacs used by American commercial florists for forcing are imported. Care should always be taken to procure pot-grown plants, that is, plants that have been grown in pots the previous summer. The florist who wishes to grow his own plants should lift them in the field in April or before the growth starts and pot them without losing much root. Plunge them out-of-doors during summer and give them plenty of water. This treatment will insure a good growth and the check the plants receive from lifting will induce them to form new flower-buds. These plants will force with the greatest certainty. It is well to allow five weeks for the earliest forcing. A strong heat is necessary, beginning at 60° for the first few days and increasing to 75° to 80°, with a daily watering and syringing several times. After the flowers begin to open, the syringing can be discontinued and when fully expedient the plants are better removed to a coolhouse, where they will harden off and be much more serviceable when cut. As the season advances, say March and April, less heat is needed. They will then force in any ordinary house where the night temperature is about 60°F. The Persian lilac, on account of its abundance of bloom and delicate truss, is very desirable, but this must be forced almost in the dark to produce white flowers. Marie Legraye is for all purposes the most useful lilac which has been used for forcing.

Forcing lilacs.—Most of the lilacs used by American commercial florists for forcing are imported. Care should always be taken to procure pot-grown plants, that is, plants that have been grown in pots the previous summer. The florist who wishes to grow his own plants should lift them in the field in April or before the growth starts and pot them without losing much root. Plunge them out-of-doors during summer and give them plenty of water. This treatment will insure a good growth and the check the plants receive from lifting will induce them to form new flower-buds. These plants will force with the greatest certainty. It is well to allow five weeks for the earliest forcing. A strong heat is necessary, beginning at 60° for the first few days and increasing to 75° to 80°, with a daily watering and syringing several times. After the flowers begin to open, the syringing can be discontinued and when fully expedient the plants are better removed to a coolhouse, where they will harden off and be much more serviceable when cut. As the season advances, say March and April, less heat is needed. They will then force in any ordinary house where the night temperature is about 60°F. The Persian lilac, on account of its abundance of bloom and delicate truss, is very desirable, but this must be forced almost in the dark to produce white flowers. Marie Legraye is for all purposes the most useful lilac which has been used for forcing.

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