National Republican., 1883-02-13
THE REALM OF ROSES.
Washington Sort Of Eden where they Grow
in Greatest PrOiusOn,
And Still The Supply is Hardly More than
Equal to the Demand.
The Floral Decorations at Some Of tho Large Parties
Cost Small Fo1pnc,
The Cost Of Some More Notable Pieces
Recently Seen nnd Admired.

the least rcmuncrativc, is that Of the florist. |
Tho average person bcholds flowers with the |
eyes of poesry alone, and while inhaling the |
exquisite sccnt Of the violet, or indulgins in |
a littlo rhapsody ovcr the beauty and !
fragrance of some unusually fine rose docs
not think that the cultivation, tho sale and
the artistic combination in various devices of
flowers has become n regular trade, pursued,
as all other trades are. with an eye kccncrior |
the monetary profits than for the rare beauties
of the articles vcuded. Yet rs u rule, florists
have deeper insight into the beautiful and
Il warmer appreciation ui the elegant aud re-
fined than the craftsmen Of most trades what
ever they arc.
WASHINGTON ~ \ cry or ROSES,
n vcritahr garden where flowers bud and
bloom with almost uuryacd luXuriancc. Its
inhabitant3 are noted for their love Of these
exquisite productions of nature. Perhaps
nowhere in America arc so many cut flowers
used, year in and year out as in Washington
nowhere else in this country arc rnrc tropic
cXotics So Familiarity aud generally known
The demand for flowers in this city is steadily
Increasing beyond the ratio Of increase in
populntion. So great is the love Of It's people
for flowers, and 50 intense is their desire for
bud and bloom, that certain classes of tho
population steal all the plants and blossoms
they can lay their hands on and threaten to
to crafty their ardent admiration of the
beautiful
The professional florist, however, with his
cultivated taste aud his perfected appliances
for raising all kinds of flowers, in and out of
season, is not affected by this love of the
humber and slightly unconsCentious classes
for natures choicest products. lie deals gem
orally with the rich or the well do to or with
the virtuOus poor whose'lovc for flowers is as
great and strong us that of their wealthier
brethren. His treasures arc always under
watch and ward, for the magnates of the land
ARE LAVISH PURCHASERS.
In the winter season no is busy and proper
GUS. A bud is dollar, a leaf is II dime, and
with more than The magic of the old Rosicru-
clan he transmutes moss roses into bank
stock and lilies Of the valley into brick houses.
He takes u few bits of wire, parcel of little
splinters, and builds upon them towers and
columns and broken pillars, and harps and
crowns and boqucts, fragrant with perfume,
brilliant with color, symmetrical with art.
contemplates their odorOus loveliness with
last fond smile and sends his bill to the pur-
chaser. What is one dollar for iacqueminOt
bud when with it are sold potcntialities of
perfume, color, form, poetry, and dreams ad
libitum? And n dime for q lily of the valley,
with its maidcny purity and sweetness, is II
paltry price, which the purchaser blushos TO
press on the florist and wonders if the latter
has not imbibed the spirit of his flowers until
his soul has grown above shekols.
MRS. DOUGLAS.
The Oldest and one of the largest firms in
Washington devoted to floral traffic is Doug
lass on Fourteenth street, Just north of the
Foundry church. The founder of the bust
ness has been transpanted to u heavenly
garden, but his widow carries on the business
with all her late husbands skill and enter
prise. The business don by the firm is inn
mense. Tho COmsCrYatOriCs and farm on the
Anacostiu. near Benning's bridge is model
flower plantation. The firm is largely patron
lied by private families Of wealth, and keeps
u number Of assistants always busy in the
winter season. There arc sold here several
choice varieties Of flowers created by Mr..
Douglas, after years Of patient toll and en-
deavor, which are peculiar to this firm. 1t
has turned out some notable work. Among
Others, Garhclds funeral piece for the queen
of England. They charged her majesty only
$35 for this wcll-knOwn floral device, the same
price as they would have put on an orGCr from
private parties, Another notable piece of work
executed by Mrs. Douglas was the famous
"Gatcs Ajar for the late Father Boylcs fun
eral the handsOmest device OF tho kind ever
seen in Washington. The price of this was
500 Another work lately done by this firm
was an eXquisitcly beautiful " Broken Wheel
a circumference of roses, camclias and lilies
of the valley, mounted on stand with one OF
Une SpOkCS DrOkcll anu piece ClelI OuJ Oh Ine
telloe, The cost Of this was S2O Such u de-
vice can be made for rs low rs $40, aud may
cost rs high as several hundreds. The differ
ence arises from the kind of flowers. With
jacqueminot roses, Mt $3.50 apiece, it would
not take a large design made entirely OF
them to run up into the double ciphers,
short time ago M order for n lady OF
means consisted of several large baskets
each one solid with roses. One was all
crimson with jacqueminOts, no other rose APP
pearing. Another was Of Marechal Mel
Another still was Of dark carnations and
lilies of the valley. Next TO the rose, which
is the flower par excellence of Washington
:" the queen who brooks no rival near the
throne the fjlvorte flower of this city is the
lily of the valley. Tho daisy has been rele-
gated back to the fields. She is dethroned
and there are none 70 poor to do her rover
ence, III is the old story over again. Mar
gueritc Is woOcd, won, and deserted by Faust
who finds in the lily's bell Il stronger spell
than in the daisy's heart.
JacqucmiuOt roses sell from rs cents ia
$l.5O apiece, or oven higher, according tu
season. This, of course, in the winter. In
the summer you can buy iacqucminot buds
for dime. At Christmas you must multiply
the summers price twenty fold for the oN-
quisitc flower whose volvoty texture and rich
crimson of hue combine with its delicate odoI
TO make il thing of beauty and Joy for
ever. NarcChal Mel come next in price
ranging from 20 to 80 cents bud. A new
rose, Petoi!e do Lyon, promises TO supplunt
the MarcChUl Nici, II is hardly In crGula-
tion yet, but commands 80 cents blossom
Catherine Mcrmct, a lavoritc rose, sells fOI
as much US tho Mel. Pcrlc dc JardinC
the same. La France is worth 90 cent.
bud Tea roses command from II
to 90 cents bud. Lilies of the valley are 81
per dozen. NiolctS, equally with the rose the
poets flower and the royal blossoms only
e.
So per hundred, Though held at so low q
figure the violet is still iayoritc. Pinlis are
worth 80 cents dozen, The graceful smilaN
commands % cents u yard, The exquisite
Maidenbair fern is said TO be supplanting smi
lax wherever its decorative effects can be sub
stituted for its delicate rival. Looking at
them side by side, you say with the lover in
the old English ballad, " How happy could
ho with either, were tOther dear charmel
away"
The average price Of baskets of flowers
ranges from S5 to SO. Bouquets from a Il
$50. A small, handsome bouquet may, al
times, be bought for -. Prices vary some
what at different florists and for different
periods of the season, but these are substan
inly the standard at first class establish
mcnts.
AT JOHN sAUL's,
on Seventh street, il was learned that tho de
mand for flowers is greater every season anC
rapidly growing while prices remain abou
the same. They are much cheaper now thar
thirty years ago, especially certain kinds
Thus white jupOnicas, thirty years ago, hay,