The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-08-06 00:00:00

FASHIONS IN FLOWERS.

At this season of the year roses of all sorts are, of
course, the rule. From the moss-roses sold in the
streets—and which are, by the way, most disagree-
ably sticky to the touch or the coat—to the " speci-
men " which can only be bought for ninspence or a
shilling, they are general favourites.
The sprays for ladies' dresses are usually of the
more recherche among the tea and anisette varieties,
made up with the delicate young brown leaves
belonging to their species; indeed, the brown is
almost a sine qua non in a well-made spray. Dark
red roses are also used, though not so freouently,while
full pink is entirely at a discount. Unfortunately, the
fashion of wearing flowers in the day has very much
gone out amongst ladies.
The omission is, however, amply redeemed by the
sterner sex, who appear on all occasions with button-
holes of the most extraordinary dimensions. Carna-
tions are having a second season's run, and there is
nothing prettier or simpler than a single carnation
backed by a tuft of what is commonly termed "grass"
by the florist, and a bud.. But when it grows to a
huge Malmaison four inches across, the thing
becomes absurd, especially as the initiated among us
are well aware that certain kinds of carnations refused
to be developed into monstrosities, and that the huge
bunch is composed of three or four distinct flowers
wired tightly together.
There is some sale for tuberoses and rosebuds sur-
rounded with Alstrcemeria, Hoya, or any other small
flower. Light colours, especially yellow, are in re-
quest; though for the University and public school
matches there was the usual demand for corn-flowers.
The recognised thing in window gardening this year
is yellow, chiefly African marigolds and yellow mar-
guerites, making a contrast of deep and pale colour,
sometimes relieved by a background of coleuses.
There are not many inexpensive yellow flowers to be
had at this time of year, calceolarias having fallen
into disrepute, which accounts for a certain repeti-
tion, rather annoying to the eye. Whoever invented
the plan of sticking a lanky palm at the end of each
box ought to be immediately cashiered; it produces
a most disagreeable effect. Those houses which grow
flowers under glass in their windows can boast of the
lovely white hydrangeas, lillies, and pelargoniums,
which will not do in the London air; while our pocrer
neighbours resort to the hackneyed white, red, and
blue of the daisies, geraniums, and lobelias, varied
sometimes by the addition of the pink creeping gera-
niums or red nasturtiums. Nearly everyone got their
window flowers in too early, before the fine weather
came, the consequence being that they wars rained
upon and blown about till they had lost all their
beauty. Probably next year coleuses will be all the
rage.

The truth is that flowers are now ridiculously
cheap. For the modest sum of a pound you can buy
lovely roses in sufficient numbers to meet even the lavish
demands which are now made for table decoration,
including plenty of maidenhair. Of course, for
dinner tables nothing is prettier than roses—roses in
great sP.ver bowls, roses in banks a foot high, roses in
tall ornamental baskets, with a knot of flowers on the
handle, roses all of one kind, roses mixed in charming
confusion. You can scarcely escape them anywhere.
In one house they were replaced by white waterlines
and ferns, lying ou a piece of silver-spangled stuff to
represent water. This had a pretty effect, but stuffs
or satins on the table have really gone out. Thank
heaven, there are no "fairy lights" to be seen this
season. _ _ _

For evening parties and balls every kind of lily and
gladiolus have been used. balls,
lilies, red lilies,
Madonna lilies, Liliam auratum—everyone looks well.
Baskets hanging from the banisters have revived
again, filled with fuchsias, pink trailing geraniums,
and the early forced gladiolus. In the daytime,
nothing looks better than great jars of white lilies and
reeds.

It is a pity that, owing to their bad travelling capa-
cities, the large red poppies and little orange and
yellow Iceland ones, besides doubles of numberless
varieties, have made no figure at the florists. Another
thing which is much to be regretted is the pernicious
habit of selling honeysuckle and sweet peas in little
compressed bunches, devoid of even the semblance of
a leaf ; half their beauty is spoilt by it. It is a mis-
take to have no bunches of common grass, costing
twopence or threepence, and there are surely meadows
enough in England to supply it. It is really pitiable
to see the rows upon rows of white pinks, blue corn-
flowers, and yellow Eschscholtzias piled together,
without absolutely a spike of green about them. The
evil is serious, and might be easily remedied.
There is no new white flower in this year, but there
is a charming yellow knapweed, called sweet sultan,
which will be a great gain if it can be got in suffi-
3iently plentiful quantities. Alstrcemerias ought to
be brought into vogue also. They are pretty things,
yet almost entirely unknown.
A word to the wise. Your roses all drop when
they are sent up from the country. Tell your gar-
3ener not to cut them in the middle of the day, and
to cultivate varieties which will hold together. Early
in the year Marechal Niel, later on Cheshunt Hybrid
end La France, with some others, may always be de-
pended upon. The best plan is to have them sent
quite in bud, they will open fully after being two
hours in water.—Queen.

THE NAVAL NANCEUVRES. •
CAPTURE OF FALMOUTH.
A telegram from Falmouth on Tuesday afternoon
was as follows: "Falmouth captured by hostile
squadron under Admiral Freemantle. Forts and
shipping destroyed. Hostile squadron sailed this
afternoon.
A telegram from Lloyd's signal station at the
Lizard, dated Tuesday, 10.5 a.m. says : "The attack-
ing squiAdron was first observed at 1.40 this morning
about four miles E.S.E. of the statidn, making for
Falmouth, carrying no steaming lights, and the pre-
sence uf the ships was only detected by their flashing
signals to each other. They were lost sight of at
2.30, but again sighted at daybreak-3.50 a.m.—
consibtiug.of the following ships: Agincourt, Black
Prince, Iron Duke, two turret ships, and two gun-
ats, 12 miles east of the station, steering towards
Falmouth, and all cleared for action. The
Imperieuse and (presumed) Curlew, have
since parted from the fleet, and are still in sight,
apparently . lying to. The Press Association says :
The attacking squadron, consisting of the Agincourt,
Black - Prix, ce, Irbil Duke, and two turret ships
arrived in the bay close to the mouth of Falmouth
Harbour at daylight, and remained at anchor for
several hours: About half-past•one in the'afternoon
they again got under weigh, and steamed slowly out,
keeping the Lizard to the west. The turret-ships
went to sea for some distance. At three o'clock one
of them returned to within a few miles of the other
men-of-war, when some signalling from the Agincourt
took place, causing the turret vessels to again proceed
seawards. The war ships seemed prepared for action.
At four o'clock the Agincourt, Black Prince, and
Iron Duke were steaming slowly to the S.S.E., the
turret vessels being a long way in the distance.