The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-17
F L o w E R S..
New York from a "FIoWer}"
Point of View.
Greenhouses, Conservatives, Florists
and Flower Girls.
THE TRADE IN FLOWERS.

The poet laureate assures US that 'fn spring
young mans fancies lightly turn to thoughts OF
lover and he might have added "nowers;'
for although there no more flowers In New
York city during the spring than there are IN the
fall or in the winter Tor that matter, yet certainly
the thoughts OF the average New Yorker turn to
flowers more persistently and more pleasantly
now than at any other season OF the varying
year"
We are far very TAR behind our English cousins
and our transatlantic rivals IN the cultivation OF
lowers. We Americans are still young, very
young people, and are SO busy with material
Things ana money getting that we have not yet
had time fully to develop that love OF the beausi-
ul which pre-eminently maniests itself Ia flowers.
More attention is given to flower culture in Eng
land tnan in the United States. The wealthy
classes abroad devots more time and expend more
OF their means upon their cOnservatores hot
houses, &C.; the cultivation OF plants Is made
more OF . specially and the horticultural fairs OF
England are superior to anything OF the kind given
In this country.
In France and Germany Also and especially In
Holland, more attention is paid to flowers than in
the United States thirty acres Of roses" being
sight not absolutely uncommon abroad; whereas
in this country it is spectacle TO behold tour
or tive acres oil flowers.
Our wealthy citizens, too though they have
penchant for the fine arts, do not seem possess
| an equal Taste tor flowers. Cur private conserva.
tories not equal to private libraries nor TO
| our picture galleries.
/ Stll, along the Hudson, attached to the summer
residences OF several OF merchant princes,
4 there are to be found some quite creditaDle hot
houses and dover gardens. This is especially the
case In the vicinity or Tarrytown, Sing sing,
Van oor nf fhn1n mil figpc
oil flowers is estimated at over $4,000, and there
can be no reasonable doubt that in the course OF
time we Shall equal the older countries not only In
wealth, but in beauty, and will not only surpass
them in Inventions, but equal them in flowers AS
for New York city in Itself, the love OF flowers Is
Characteristic therein: a fact which accounts for
and is proved by the corresponding fact that not
only is there very large business transacted in
flowers but this business Is constantly increasing.
FLOwERY HISTORY.
Among the first to introduce the sale OF Movers
on large scale into the metropolis was an eccen-
trio character, well known In his day to all .'men
ABOUT town." called Bouquet johnny though
his real name George Brewer. This parsonage
was lank and tall and ubiquitous and persistent.
lie haunted all places OF public resort, and was
i ndeatigable in his efforts to sell his flowers.
Though he not above peddng his wares he
also kept flower store on Broadway, and was
wen patronized by our jeunesse doree. He is called
'the iather OF the flower business" and has passed
through quite q series OF adventures. He Ia at
present said to be In Washington, d. G.
A man named Merriweather succeeded to the
nowery leadership vacated IN time by Bouquet
] Johnny" and he IN turn was succeeded by num-
Der OF other florists. BY this time the Glover bust
! ness" had become firmly established.
BY this time, also, the custom had been intro.
duced OF wearing flower in the buttonhole Of
ones coat, as one went down returned uptown.
! And the INSTITUTIONS known as .Hower girsi' were
also introduced ana became almost as numerous
If not as noisy as the newsboys Flower stalls or
stands were also placed at the corners Of the
| streets. the rivals OF the apple women.
FLOuERY FIGURES.
1 At the present time the number of florists
flower dealers proper, stores and shops, Is cal
culated at sixty-eight in the city OF New YORK, OF
4 whom over twenty are located on the line OF
broadway. The number OF dover stands is es-
timated az over 200 while the flower girls vary SO
at different times that It Is impossible to estimate
them with any accuracy. OF late years the ten
! dency oi the noWer trade has been to concentrate
Itself around or about the junction 0, Twenty-thrd
street and broadway. Oh course the city florists
are supplied !lom tile country lighthouses and gar
dens. THESE last are scattered IN all directions
near the city Of New York, especially at Astoria,
n Union iil, Bayside l.. l., anu similar localities.
some of these greenhouses and gardens are quite
large ana lulte valuable and Will well repay visit.
one o. the largest IN the country Is the green
house Of MIR. Sanger, at Bay slae, l.. l. Here there
are over
\ FOUR ACRES UNDER GLASS.
One solid glass structure mere covers over three
1900 roses are taken in single day without being
perceptbly missed. The value OF the glass used
cecds and Inc waoe garden Valued a.
over $4,000. AT this place the growing oil the
Marshall Mel rose Is MADE specially. T6is rose
is large, yellow, and quite fragrant rather than
/ pungent in its Odor. IL has been iavorite with
the ladies' is often at worn at parties, &C.. and has
hffrh
About thirty men and boys are kept constantly
employed at this greenhouse, and the produce Is
Broadway. The total number OF greenhouses in
the vicinity OF New York city has been computed
small. Their average cash value may be computed
at $4,000 EACH making about 1000, 900 thus IN
| vested In public greenhouses alone.
within the limits Of the city itself. or these two
es ps e 1a na
house on Fourteenth street Is estimated az being
Several OF the street. nower stands are supplied
! from little gardens out OF town, owned and cuitl-
yated BY the proprietors OF these STANDS. me
flower stand near the Aston House Is one OF these.
| Another stand, farther up Broadway, which is
| tended by comparatively young man, is supplied
| from a one-acre garden near Flushing owned by
the mother OF thls youth and cultivated by her as
siduously This woman, though over seventy
! as though she hailed rom the HuD-yet she was
! never In New England in ner lie.
DETAILS or 1.-THE FLOWER BUSINESS"
| The dealers in flowers are up in tue morning,
almost as early as the mllkmen, selecting and as.
| sorting their fragrant stock, which, OF course,
must be Kept as fresh as possible and be constantly
renewed For several hours III the morning tue
trade IN flowers for button-hoe bouquets, &C., Is
quite Drsk; tnen there Is q lull Ia the middle OF
! the day, and finally, towards evening" the demand
Tor nowers increases again and keeps up the de-
mand till alter the opening OF the theatres and
opera.
! on tho. occasions o! great balls or parties the de-
mand ior towers IS OF course increased
/ on wet days. OF course, "the flower businessr Is
poor. 'The rosen waicA had been washed, lust
washed IN shower may be very fine thing for
poets 20 write about, but customers don't venture
out INTO the streets Just to give 1t cnance to get
! washed. Warm days, too, are poor days Tor the
trade III flowers they wilt and wither so soon In
\ sucn weather. The GUNNER season, though the
GLORIOUS timen OF the whole year Tor Mowers in
4 the country forms the dull season ior flowers in