Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-19
SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
"REMINISCENCES OF A FLORIST
THE FLOWER WORLD.
The First Flower Store in Frisco
Early Prices and Uses OF Flow
erS-Au Interview.
Correspondence of the RECORD rSIoY !

Correspondence of the RECORD USIoNl
While recently passing a flower store the
writer heard 4 gleeful and somewhat bois-
ferrous song troiled by several rollicking
voices, and, wondering if Pinafore " bur
lesque was in rehearsal, proceeded to in
vestigate. The florist had Just received no.
tice of having received the leading prizes on
his exhibit at the Mechanics Fair, also a
large order to decorate a swell wedding
party, and was therefore III u good humor
While all hands busily punched bouquets
from blossoms whose odors were OPP
pressively sweet, he explained the tuneful-
ness, by saying:
{" Music and flowers naturally associate.
Sweet melodies are the blossoms of sound,
just as flowers are of vegetation, as
children are blossoms of the animal king
dom, or as jewels of the mineral: stars are 4
flowers of space, corresponding to blossoms
on earths bosom-in fact I've become so
accustomed to them / look for flowers
everywhere. That trade and myself grew
UP together in this city and though I've
been in the business since a lad, and am
On reaching Frisco in 81 | wore knee
breeches YET, and almost Immediately l
cried TO my mother that there were no
flowers like our garden in La Belle France
We had only the wild Castilan roses, but
soon after our arrival three Frenchmen
opened
THE FIRST FLOWER STORE
In what was then the city's heart-on
Washington, near Clay street Their entire
stock comprised a red rose bush and
white one, which they had brought in slips
from home. For one rose they charged
fifty to seventy-five cents A bouquet
comprised three roses tied with lot of
leaves, or whatever foliage they could get,
and cost s. to 81. Cut flowers were sold at
first only for funerals, until another
Frenchman imported some camellias and
the Giant of Battle, Madame La Fay and
La Marque roses. He made the first
designs, such as could be twisted
together out of wire by hand He engaged
me and was the first flower peddler in
the city, selling hand boquets for anything
under 50. That was the lowest price paid
for a funeral emblem that no florist would
build now.
| remember the first actress who ap-
peared here in Camille, Lady Camille they
called it then. She was a Miss Woods. and
We had standing order from gentleman
friend OF hers to supply every night
camellia for her to wear Each blossom
cost him 50. Fine roses were always in
demand at 81 30 to 81 each, so a great
many people sent East for flower seed. Bv
and by we began selling for birthday and
party occasions, and by 80 there were four
florists all doing good business.
STEAMER DAY
Used to be the great fun. Twice a month
when the ship sailed for New York. I used
to stagger down to the wharf with basket
bigger than myself, and empty it in an
hour. Miners bought the flowers at 81 and
50 bunch, and threw them on board to
departing friends. They bought every
thing III sight loads of oranges, nuts,
whatever they could get, to pelt the vessel
until ii was out of reach.
" HeliotrOpe was the next flower i'm
ported. 1t sold at fifty cents Il sprig. The
next addition in roses was made by
an old Frenchman-in fact the French
always controlled the trade and do
to-day. His garden was where the Tiyoli
now is, and he named that locality ST.
AIMS Corner. He brought out what the
Eastern people call the Jacqueminot rose,
naming it the Pauline for his sister. and
we have calls for it yet. About this time
four old FrenChwOmen began peddling
AS"NiS' ApiiS hOiltI never seem to
have taken to the trade like thev do in
other cities, but in '61 there was a girl
Little Mary they called her-who did
hrst-rate at peddling, but she soon married.
and lives here yet. She is a rich woman.
and | often wonder if she thinks of when
We used to trot along the streets with our
baskets. Flowers were quite plentiful
along her time. for there had been green
house built with glass brought from Eng
land. Sansome street then was the limit
of town on that side.
THE GIRL LEFT BEHIND ME.
used to go twice a week along the
wholesale houses there and sell every mer-
chant bouquet for his desk. Those men
had no homes or families, and used to kiss
the flowers for some one back East. MANY
a time saw them do it-men | see about
town yet. The first balls were given
at the old Platt's Hall, on Bush.
below Montgomery street Every man
who danced with a lady bought
flower for himself and one for her and
didn't care for cost. | used to sell S75 TO
500 night of those little bouquets. AT
first we had no papers then we got pink
lng-1rons and made papers until we i'm
ported them from Germany, as we do vet.
though our wire designs are all made here.
Early in the COS, people who had friends
l.
lar parts of their effects. Those who made
money and went home visiting ALWAYS
brought back plants. Private gardens were
opened, stores increased, prices began to
decline, until now they are cheaper than
in the East, because there flowers have to
be raised under glass, while here they grow
out of doors all the year"
To what do you attribute Friscos fond
ness for flowers %
Formerly, to admiration and home
memories. Latterly, perhaps, in quite a
degree to New York fashions. 1t is only
since people began visiting there frequently
that flowers became so popular here for
any but special occasions. Several attempts
have been made to introduce artificial flow
ers, but there is abous them lack of senti
ment that is the chief charm of fresh
blossoms.
- Bring flowers to crown the cup and Lutte,
Bring flowers the bride is near;
BRING nOwers to soothe the caDtiye's cell
Brlng flowers to strew the bier
That's the idea; don't you see? In pro-
portion to its size, this city buys more flow
el.s than any in the Union; supporting fifty
regular florists, besides nurseries. private
gardens, and those who raise only for them
selves. An opera season assists one Gle
ment in the flower trade of which the public
know little, that is, the private growers.
Last SEASON paiu one family 500 IN one
week for roses alone, and also paid 81 900
during the month for other flowers from
family gardens. Raising them is good
business for women, but, strangely, but few
try 1t. The trouble with amateur garden
ers IS, they attempt too many kinds. One
or two varieties are enough for success"
FLORAL INFLUENCE.
Are there any lasting favorites?
Oh. roses alun1-s for {bo,,
pinks. Men generally ask for a rose, but /
fancy it's often because of greater familiar
ity with its name than that they admire it
most. Parents ought to begin early in life
to cultivate children-particular boys-in
refining influences, by interesting them in
plants. Many boys would never acquire a
taste Tor the street or coarse amusements if
early. taught to raise and enjoy flowers.
People take for granted that boys will not
care Tor plants, and so, through neglect,
raise human weeds. Now there's smilax
the vine is cheap, but it pays better than
prlze-hghts- Any boy can train it from
pots around the sunny room, and make
money for bimSp1