Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-05
THE TRADE FLOWERS.
Floral decorations for Difficult DC.
casions-IIOY Much Is spent for
Flowers ia this City-Nhere they
from.

I
| Flowers ia this CiGy-Where the
I Come from.
| The unusually large number OF social gather
I ings In this city this winter and the severe
I weather of the last two months have consider
ably raised the price OF cut flowers The GUS
tom that has sprung uD within the last fa ~
days OF lavish display OF flowers on all nossi-
bic Cccasfons-Teddtng5, funerals and reraD.
ions-has induced florists to exert themselves
70 me utmost In the production OF elaborate
and tasteful designs. constructed OF s.r1
fOWer5 as seem most appropriate TO the oce l.
sion- Nowadays the floral decorations a.
1asnionaole wedding. dinner or reception are a
Lotlceanle feature For the construction OF d
Doquet or design considerable Skill ingenuity
and taste On the part OF the florist are ab3a-
iutely necessary The old saying that true art
is perfect harmony OF details IS perhaps no
where better illustrated than In the correct
and colOrs.
In the more pretentious florists shops trained
male assistants, whose main employ nent Is the
arranging OF bouquets are employed. They
are nearly all FreHchmen or Germ ANS, who
have been bred TO this work In their native
lands, where far more attention is paid to
scientific and systematic fJricui ure than In
thiSscOuntry. But eff Jrts are now making 60
bring American Horticulture up to the Euro.
pean standard. A prominent and experienced
dealer In flowers In this city, In speaking about
the Increase In the taste for flowers, said re-
Gently: ''1n the last thirty years there has
been remarkable Increase In the usa OF Il overs
for decorative purposes. Years ago the elab.
crate patterns In cut flowers that can now IA
seen ar any wedding, funeral, or pubic occa-
Sion were unknown. Ii wreath was to be
msde It's base was usually piece OF WiIlog or
barrel hoop; Ii a cross, two pieces OF lath
formed the groundwork, and the whole device
when competed as such as usually reelected
little credit upon the artist. Now everything
Is changed; there is no device or design. how.
ever intricate and complicated, that cann1t
De constructed at a fir5t-class establishment
crosses, harps stars, Tyres and devices curative
or The vocation OF the deceased person are much
In vogue for funerals. while the pretty English
innovation or the wedding bell made usually
or white roses and other dellcately tinted dow
ers, Is now very fashionable. Among the queer
est devices that have made up, were Greek
letter monograms presented by college fratern-
tiles 10 orators ar commencement exercises
III lS+i the sale OF flowers for New Years day.
Ia What was then the largest florists shop IN
the city, amounted to only 5000. aud probably
for tie whole city OF New YORK did not exceed
g eco. Now the amount spent for floral deco
TatlOns on that day Is estimated at $4,000,
While for the whole year the amount spent Ia
these perfShable ornaments amounts 60 hun
dredS Of thousands or dollars. There are
almost 500 florists establishments within a
radius OF ten miles of New York city, and the
capital invested In land, structures and stock
Is not less than soOoo,000. The green houses
from which come the flowers and plants that
are sold Ia this city are in the upper part OF
Manhattan island, In Hudson county, n J. In
Staten Island, and in the Long Island towns
within ten miles from New York. While the
profits In plants are large, being about 100 per
cent, the profits IN cut flowers are still larger
Why, during Christmas week fine JaCuuemfnot
rOsts brought 81 each"
That there are fashions in flowers as well as
in everything else must be patent to the most
casual observer, One season this flower has an
enormous sale the next season that the Jac-
queminot, MareSchal Mel, and Nepheta roses
having been most popular this season, few
nOH eTs are Imported. a beautifully Shaped
apd tinted Jacqueninot rose comes from Eng
land and IL is said. cannot De matched in this
city. FlOlets aud mignoO6tteS have been scarce
and high this year. bunch OF the former now
costs about 81, but feH weeks ago 1t cost as
much as s.. or tropical plants sold here, the
dragon plant is perhaps the most popular. The
street flower pedlerS nave had very little bust
hess this winter, and many have adopted other
means OF gaining living; but with the return
OF warm weather. they Will again enliven the
street cars, stages and boats with the old cry.
Bouquets, bouquets, only cents."-N. 2. tn