The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-22
FLORIOULrURE IN A OIrY.
Flowers ut Pcosss md Rpnerefs-Conscrva-
tortc--A Costly banquet.

DaSo nents, HOnetIno5 gloafuin0 tnrOukn our
taius OF richest lace. sometimes lighting up
gentieman's sombrs costume. aud sometimes
adding tho charm OF warmth and pleasant oon-
trast to the colorless tnts and neutral shades so
much Affected by our fashion ables OF late. 1t Is
pleasant growth all the more needed as the
trees that formerly supplied US with "sight
refreshing green" arc decreasing In number
every year.
Fiftyyears ago the florists Of Now York could
he counted on the fingers of one hand-Iuohan.
an. REID. Monk, Leotor-ind their IN ain stock In
trade consisted OF u small ooiisotion Of lowering
plants for bedding purposes. Now three thousand
persons are engaged In tho business. including
all Glasses, from those who raise and sell flowers
down to the little 4 over girls and Jwer boys OF
tho streets, and the capital invested Is between
two and three millions Of dollars. Thi, 10 in.
vested in gardens, hotbouses, oonserv tories,
&c. bomo yoirs ago there were IN any oons srva-
tories In tho city. but they are fast giving way
to the emand for building iots, and removing
TO our suburbs.
eomo florists make a speciality OF roses. othors
OF violets. others again Of tulips, AMI 10 on.
These specialists are the modern representa-
tivos OF tho tulip growers OF Holland, toned
down by the co,m ppolitan spirit OF the nine
teenth century, but still. In their exclusive de-
votion 70 one form OF beauty, showing soft
enou, out unmtStnkaDlo reeOmDlhnC0 10 tuelF
Dutch prototypes. Yet they recall the time
when estates were bartorod for a bulb. and
whom man boosted less OF an llustrious name
than that thoro
Grew In hs garden an nuatrious flower.
The war, which gave suoh impetus to sgtl-
culture and manufactures. was not without It's
effect upon the flower trade. No other single
olusc did 80 much to extend and pooulsrize IT, II
fnr ha nnriat'4 "a
goods, II bsply impaired to them a new value.
aud added deeper meaning to their use. Dec
GRAFTON Day hse taken Its place among tho festi-
walls Of the year, and ere Il dies out II will have
left It's Impress ON our funeral customs, and
brought them more into harmony with those Of
tho Old World. II Amaranths wore sire Wn on
the tomb OF Achilles, why may not the graves
OF our heroes be decorated with pansies or for
Rst-me. notsf And " In the eariv eges Of the
ChurOh floral wIeiths were pllO0d ABOVE the
dead, why may not human affection find expres-
sion through the same SYMBOLS Dowf
No marriage feast Is com plete without No wcrs.
A well known florist sad, In answer to leading
question on the subjec', that Sb,0Jo was the
anu that was ut tho m lrrlage OF Tweeds daugh-
ter. THIS, however. was an ex optional case
marriage decorations costing IN general from
500 10 $500. Funeral designs cost from 81
TO $40. and this, niu tipiied ny the number Of
deslsns that cover the lid OF flank the side, q
the conn, viii give the totHi. bouquets Of the
best quality cost $40, nut boudIe for theatri-
cal presentation sumotimcs reaon 400.
The most profitable br nch of the forists' bust.
ness II growing plants Ia pots. When he owns
tue RrouOd. then II IL more profitable than
either seed growing or raising cut flowers for
market less Troublesome than the one, and less
liable TO loss than tho other. Indeed, plants In
pots Increase In value a. they increase In Size
and consequently are the most satisfactory
stock a florist can have on hand. Il r. plants
command high prices, ana are certain TO find
purchasers. Crutons sell rea lily ut $l5, dra-
| cenas at 40 agaves range frou s. TO as, palms
and forms bring $50. and chusa 500. The taste
fOt palms and ferns Keeps pace with that tor
flowers, the stateliness OF the one and tue dclt-
cate grace Of the other eclipsing. In the opinion
! OF many. tho beauty and the bloom ofther bril-
liant rivals.
Orchid. sell 1T from 81 to 81 apiece. These
| come mostly from south America md the Fast
ana i've on the deposit o. the atmosphere aud
moisture. drawing their food and nOurishment
old trees. They are not rarnsites. for they do
not live on the treo. neither do they impede its
@S5 sI1rsn rs ,sI% OF END
oprr ltioDs, a. other epiphytes do. Orchids are
not known to the general public. for the cul i
walton OF these rare exotics requires u knowl-
edge Of the cienoe Of horticulture tht the
general public do not possess: he flowers Of
some species are beautiful. the butterfly and
! Spirto Santo aspect lly 30. The butterfly
| plant ia marvellous IN LIS likeness TO the
/ winged heauties whose name II bears, ana
when moved 10y tho wind ii seems a futtor-
! ing insect lowering round tree, for the
| neutral color OF the loug stcm on tho tip
/ Of which II seems us II were pOisnd makes tue
Illusion perfect. Tue length OF this slender.
wro-liko stem Is from two 60 two and half
| feet. There WA one exhibited az tho floral
show IN New York lately which attracted gen
! ctal admiration Its regal beauty remtndei ono
! OF that famous Emperor Of Morocco that
! SIR ID vId Banks chased. and Peter pinder i'm
| mottaiized IN verse. mo "Spirito Santo'' no
| sset we" 'e q WhItH uoFe, WIN a 1eivW mn anu
but that the winss nrc spotied, tho likeness
would he pe feet. Tho bird sits In the cup Of
the Hover. with partially folded wings, and
head erect. he tai, winch - on n hinge as IL
were, moves with the touch ~ n 0nger. and
wnen turned down Is ms long as the whole BODY
OF the bird. The-e orchids reqIire much car1
anu attention. but when In hllom they amply
ny for the time and trouble extended on them.
one butterH, plant generally produces half
zen flowers, each blossom remaining ia fun
perfection Tor two or thre' weeks.
Prominent among rTe hIwers stands the
Victoria Rsgia, liant which must Biwavs 10
rare account of the expense attending Its
cultivation. 1t requires IA tank fully fort feet
slant motion and at "A ten perature OF seventy
I'VE or eighty degrees. The npwers are two feet
long ny one foot wide. and In tne long lake Ike
ret hes VI the Amazon VI esent striking ap-
'ardnoe, their blue aud white petals 10 ting
the surface Us though upoorne 10y unseen
some OF the climbers arc noted for tho gro
tesane forms OF their flowers, notably the
I.rge, aud rest mule those OF the cat lipa,
matches the sides OF n hou-c or yernnda Just
Ike the states on "a roof, aud tho flower stands
out from amid tho thick foliage perfect ooun-
terpsrt In form and color OF a Dutchman's pipe.
Nor must we forget tho duck Hover whose
versed looks exuotiy like II duck sitting on It's
eggs.
VEGETABLE FOUNTAINS.
Amid the ilsr Of vegetable wondcrs'thc pitcher
pl ant deserves u high III zoe. Depending from
tue point ~ the leaf, nllcd with clear. puro
er. this vegetable tOuntsin greets the eve Of
the THIRSTY traveller through tins tottid regions
of ASIA, Africa, aud south America eVOltln1
feelin deeper far than were ever called forth
Uy ulrd or butterfly plant. In some varieties OF
the nopenthcs the water vessels arr ia tho shape
OF long wine ga .scS or vases, bat Whatever the
form they are inyAinpN provided with lids.
some ANAL specimen Of the pitcher plant arc
to be found IN our own Sttte. on the edges OF
swamps, In the Adrondacks, GuI in New jersey
and MS tChu.etts,
Worth mentioning as = cnriostY In its way IL
the insectVorous plant the nv Trap" IL IL in
sigulur mt IN sue, not beng more thnn four or
I'VE Inches hsh aud Is remarkable only for tho
pee al drlty from which II derives It's name. Inc
letv ~ are In two pirts, connected by hinRn 81
hair, ana whom The NY All xhts THESE paris fold
over each other and hold the Intruder fast. ihe
pl ant hhsOrDS the Juices " the insect, and hon
Il has drained II dry tho tran Opens. aud the
least pun of wind sweeps ou NE rem.ius The
ny trap IL IA native Of North Carolina.
The cacu command high nnces some specl-
mems not over eight or ten incn - IN hrlght
bringing from Is g. SlO. They come from SOU
America and the East lndiep, grow In tho wet
season ana blossom in tho dry.
Some piLnts are removed From pace 10 place
with almost tender care. watched over cOntin-
all their natural conditions. lIit TIC rlso of
NNa. IH ..rNa II La Ha.NT H. Of