Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-15
NO. go.
miscellaneous.
THE RAGE FOR FLOWERS.
TIiE LAVISH DISPLAY OF FLOWERS Dun
ING THE LONDON SOCIETY SEASON.

One of the remarkable features Of the
London season which has Just terminated
has been most lavish display of flowers.
Flowers were to be seen everywhere IN
enormous quantties--in drawing rooms.
ia corridors, in boudoirs, in banqueting
halls and on the robes of the DANES of
fashion. One hundred thousand pounds,
it is being sand. will not anything like COW
er the seasons flower bin of fashionable"
London. This taste for flowers has been
growing for some years. and last season
il probably eliminated. Never before, ut
any rate, has there been seen in the course
of n few months such profusion of gay
blossoms Tor household decoration and
personal adornment; and il is no wonder
that persons who have read in their news
papers about the rose alcoves of the
MarchionesS of This. or the violet bout
dours Of Lady That are beginning to ask
where the flowers all came from, There are
few, however. who can answer the qucs-
ton. The gardens of foreign lands have
been spoliated-liolland has contributed
its camelias and France has yielded up its
roses; from Italy and Africa. from Spain
and Protugal have been imported the love-
lv bouquets carried by our fashionable
|
of some ten or twelve miles of Mayfair
and Belgravia we grow in our own sub
urban gardens and hothouses n countless
number of these perishablc commodities.
| II has been calculated. in rough and
ready way, that if all the flowers which
are sold in London in the course of twelve
months could be seen growing at once
they would cover an area equal in extent
! tA bn rls Of | frt tna
| The London flower trade assumes n great
variety of shapes, from the ''button-hoes"
and more gorgeous bouquets for use at
weddings and balls to the costermongers'
barrow-loads of growing flowers in pots.
The chief Flower iactories.' rs they may
be called and the rose and violet farms.
are all within an hours ride of town.
There are farms whose specially is to pro-
vide roses for the million, aud nothing but
roses--tea roses. white roses, moss roses,
fairy roses, blue roses and yellow roses
in short. roses OF every size and color,
every species and varieties
Not single day of the year is lost in
rose mandatory. From the first day of
January to the last day of December the
growth goes on with undertaking regular
| itv Roses which in their season cost
half crown each are in due tine sue
ceded by countless thousands of beautiful
blossoms from the same beds which may
be purchased for penny apiece. For the
| ''quecn of flowers" there is never-ceas-
| ing demand. SO much so that il is found
profitable to bring over loads of these
blossoms from France and other countries.
The chief art of the London florist is ex-
ercised in providing vast display of
blooms at the time they are the most IN
demand. In the winter season and in the
early weeks of spring prices are high. and
all the year round the figure obtained
must be highly remunerating one--prcb-
ably not less than sixpcnce blossom ON
the average and on some DAYS as many
as 1000 flowers will be forwarded to the
boquet makers from one florist A visit
to the houses of glass in which our florists
carry on their business will be well worth
the time expended. Much cunning is dis
played in rose culture. and the growth of
blossoms that can be grown IN II glass
house 800 feet long and 40 feet broad will
seem marvellous to tie uninitiated. lt
must not however, be taken for granted that
our florists are free from anxiety.
Market gardeners of every description,
fruit and vegetable growers, ,as well as flor
lists are haunted night and day by various
cares--an unexpected and consequently
unprovided for nights frost plays havoc
amid their pods, while at all tunes fierce
fight has to be fought with myriads Of in
sect enemies. In the case of roses there is
the green fly To contend with rs well as
the fear of mldew 50 that unceasing at
tepiion is absolutely necessary. Although
house reared tea roses and other fancy va
rietics constitute n florists most profitable
business he will not neglect other sorts.
Thus around the metropolis many acres Of
land are devoted to the culture OF the
deep red colored moss rose.
As an example of the general economy
of London market gardening, and the
economy Of space which is requisite in
such dcarly-rcnted ground as the florists
are compelled to occupy, it may be men
toned tha; thousands of rose-bushes are
planted in orchards. and grow vigorous
ly enough under the shadows of the fruit
trees. The rental of flower-growing
ground near London. varies from about
f6 to fli per acre, and many florist has
made fortune out Of few acres. Vio-
let-farming is another profitable floral in
dustry.
The violet is grown in the open air, and
early flowers fetch a fancy price, punches
threepence to sevenpence, the final bou-
quets of the season being sold at similar
figure. In some years as many as 10000
punches of violets have been gathered
from about two acres of ground these at
a return Of sixpence each, represent con-
siderable sum Of money and az in some
seasons a shilling is willingly given for a
bunch, the violet grower makes good
thing Of it. OF course the sum expended
for rent. labor and manure, is cousidera-
BILE. The flowers have not only to be
grown, but also to be pulled and punched.
The grower Of violets has also to contend
with occasional gluts; in some seasons
the crops OF the flowers are positively Sc
enormous that it would be in vain to pres
ent them in the market. When the season
is one of medium produce the profits
reach their height, as in such years the
price seldom falls below threepence a
bunch, while in years OF plenty dozen
punches may be purchased for ninepence
In the counties of Surrey and Hertfort
there are usually some 600 or 800 acres O
land under lavender The lavender 4