The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-11

a ABOUT FLowERs. While the great
business OF life goes on, while on the
fRrmsfn the workshop and in the marts
oflsrade the muscles and the intellect are
alike exeroised, there are certain elegant
and refined pursuits which are indus.
tricusly.prosecuted. Among them NAV
be mentioned Horticulture. Flowers can
not be eaten. and are not reckoned
among the necessities of life; but they
play an important. part in sll civilized
countries. No one, perhaps, who has
the ordinary senses with which humanity
is endowed, can look without q. feeling
OF pure pleasure upon beautiful flower.
But flowers do more than please the
eyeAthey delight with their fragrance,
and they charm with their exquisite me-
chanism.sy In all ages and among all ma
tions, they have been assiduously Guilt
waited, and have been used at festivals,
on bridslI occasions, for decorating
churches. and for variety OF purposes.
We find in the New Ynrk Journal of
Commerce an interesting account of hori-
culture and the bouquet trade in that
city, IL estimates the amount annually
expended in New; York for flowers at
hundreds ,ofothousands of dollars, and
says that year after year there is an in
eIeaeing love OF flowers among the peo-
pfe.n It7appears that the flowers which
ara most eagerly sought after, and which
command the best prices, are white ones,
they being more used than all others col
lechvely. II may interest our readers to
learn some OF the particulars of the
trade in flowers in that city. The Jour
nal Of Commerce says:
As the, love Of flowers is developed,
the demand for them increases. Boston
and Philadelphia are called upon, almost
daily, by telegraph, to make up the sup
ply tor New York. None but perfect
lowers are wanted, rare varieties eagerly
sought and handsome prices freely paid.
Here during the winter, the usual price
OF handsome rose-buds is twenty-five
cents each; violets bring about the same
price per dozen. Oamellias sell readily
for twenty-five cents piece, when in
large supply and range from that to one,
two and three dollars O piece during the
winter and near the holidays Hand
bouquets are sold from fifty cents up,
ward. What the fc-;sts term good hand
bouquets bring Ave dollars; extra fine,
from five to ten dollars. Occasionally
some are sold for fifteen and twenty dol
lars." Baskets of flowers, we'll arranged,
sell from five dollars to twenty. five.
Stands range from fifteen to fifty dollars,
and extra large ones from fifty to one
hundred and fifty: They have been sold
here as high as three hundred dollars.
Crosses and wreaths usually range from
fve to thirty dollars. A GROSS of flowers
In: one Of the Brooklyn churches on
Easter Sunday cost one hundred dollars.
Refreshment and dinner tables are de-
corated with bouquets ranging from five
to twenty dollars, and sometimes higher.
At private entertainments it is not anu
sual to see from one hundred and Af.7 to
three hundred dollars worth of floral de-
corations. and at O wedding reception
given In this city short time ago three
thousand dollars were represented III
flowers and plants. It is said that at the
last ball given in this city by the Ameri-
Gus Club, when Irving Hall was connect
ed with the Academy OF Music, and
filed with exotics and native plants,
rocks and fountains, rustic arbors, flow
ers and singing birds, the botanical COL
lections was loaned to the club that night
for the sum eff six thousand dollars.
Fifteen years ago the average cost of
flowers at funeral was about ten dol
lars. Now it exceeds one hundred, and
sometimes more than one thousand dol
lars worth is required.
A New York bachelor Recently gave a