Page:Japanese flower arrangement.djvu/215

 The system of preserving plants and flowers according to the season of the year in which they are gathered is also very helpful in making them retain freshness for a long time. This method is divided into three periods known as Shin, Giyo, and So. Shin covers the summer months, June, July, and August; Giyo the autumn and spring months, September, October, November, and March, April, and May; So covers the winter months of December, January, and February.

The season of Shin is a very hot period of the year; therefore it is necessary for all flowers and branches gathered during these months to be kept warm internally. The way to do this is to wrap the stems of the flowers or branches in matting or a husk of bamboo — tissue paper will do as well — leaving five or six inches uncovered at the ends when the flowers are long stemmed, and two or three inches when short. Tie the covering fast with string. Put into three pints of boiling water fifty-eight grains of [209]