Flowers and Watch
By Ed Reno

THIS is an effect to follow the effective growth of flowers a la Kellar. The magician has just finished the production of the one red and the one white rose bush. He then holds the cone over his own hand, having no other flower pot, and on lifting the cone discloses a blooming plant in a flower pot. This is a real flower. I always use a geranium which I buy at the dime store. The plant is presented to someone in the audience. Seemingly this is the finale of the effect. I then borrow a watch. Incidentally, although I use a watch and believe it to be more effective, it is quite possible to use a borrowed ring instead. The watch is put in a small box for safekeeping. I then ask the spectator holding the geranium to lift it higher in the air. I fire a pistol and show that the watch has disappeared from the box. Immediately I go to the person holding the plant and pull it up by the roots. Hanging down amongst the roots on a string is the watch borrowed just a moment before.

This is an effect that the audience can understand as well as appreciate. Not only is it effective, but it is easy to do and what is more important sure-fire. Furthermore, there are no difficulties in its presentation. It is quite unnecessary to devote space to a description of the method for performing the Kellar Flower Growth, for you all know that. Even if you have forgotten the details, it has been described fully elsewhere and is still sold by several of the dealers. The production of the geranium is merely a continuation of that trick. It may be done after the production of the first rose bush, although I feel it is more effective to "grow" two rose bushes in the customary manner.

The watch is caused to disappear by means of the Watch Box, which is still an excellent trick though infrequently used today. Shooting a pistol at the flower is good business even though it has absolutely nothing to do with the trick.

To the stem of the geranium I have tied, before the performance, a brown string, colored to match the roots. To the other end of this string is fastened a watch swivel- catch. The string should be of such length that after the plant has been pulled from the pot, the end of the string hangs among the roots. When the plant is presented to a spectator, the string hangs over the edge of the flower pot. The Watch Box, as you know, returns the watch to me. When I go to the person holding the geranium all that is necessary to do is to snap the watch on the swivel-catch, which is easy, and pull out the plant by the roots. The watch appears to be tied to the roots. The string and watch are removed and the watch is returned. The flower is replanted and given back to the spectator.

Before the performance the earth should be softened with a knife or similar instrument so that the plant will pull out easily.

It is not necessary, although I present it that way, to do the Kellar Growth of Flowers first, for the Flower and Watch feat is very effective by itself.