Evening journal., 1889-02-14
A FINE FLOWER MARKET.
Known to the Initiated.
"John, where dyer git der caller liliesg"

| An Odd Mart In New York City That II
Known to the Initiated.
"John, where dyer git der caller liliesg'
ITO a Ola market"
allow much was tneyr
"0ne dolare a doz."
This conversation between two street ven
ders of flowers was overheard by a young
man, who, with wild visions of what front
he could make before his best girl with
flowers at such prices, Immediately inquired
where the market was located The infor-
nation was easily purchased with bouton-
Mere and the next morning found him shiv-
ering at the foot Of East Thirty-fourth street
long before sunrise, while the streets were yet
deserted, and with no indication of flower
market within blocks The few stragglers at
the ferry knew nothing about it, and,
heartily wishing that his informant was in a
warmer place than this, the young man
started toward the first cross town car
which had just arrived. Suddenly he was
confronted by large red, white and black
sign, which fairly shouted at him:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
HOT DRINKS or ALL KINDS, 10 CENTS
..'s.4.F-+ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
He thought of his best girl; he thought Of
bis brand new New Years resolution. Then
came mighty wrestle between his stomach
and his conscience, which he umpired impair
tally, finally reaching the decision that in
asmuch as his aforesaid resolution was so
nearly frozen, he would be unjust to himself
If he did not thaw it out Concluding, there
fore, that he would walk across town. he
clutched his two nickels and entered the sa-
loon, only to be dazzled by the sight of two
long rows Of men and women sitting with
their backs to parallel counters, each with a
huge basket on a stool in front of them filed
with the most beautiful, fresh crisp flowers.
And this was the flower market-this dingy.
III lighted old saloon, the air heavy with the
odor OF rum and roses, coffee and chrysanthe-
NUNS, the counters laden with an indiscrimi-
nate mixture of pies and pinlSs. The place
and some of the people were full, and he rec.
ognized many faces familiar at street stands,
The growers go there from Long Island
and New Jersey, most of them on the last
trains to the city, and stay until the buyers
appear, eating and drinking either at the hot
drinks place or the one next door, a counter
part Of the first. They pay nothing for the
privilege, the proprietors making their
money from the timetables and undrinkables
which they and their customers consume
Most Of the vendors were Germans. who
maintained a stolid silence and made no offer
Of their wares. Few people asked the prices;
that, II was apparently understood, was no
basis to SO on; but the purchasers offered SO
and so much for what they wanted were
duly asked more, and in turn duly split tho
difference, paid their money and put their
bargains in their own baskets. Great punches
Of hundred double violets could be bought
for dollar; American Beauties "PearIn
and other roses, buds and half blown. all
long stemmed, at two, three and four cents
each; lilies, dollar a dozen; ten hyacinths.
thirty-five cents; thirty pinks, forty cents;
twenty chrysanthemums, twenty-five cents.
and all other seasonable flowers at proper
tionately low prices.
Following some Of the retailers the investi-
eating youth was led to large warehouse
near by. It was stored full Of every kind Of
dried flowers and grasses. Immortelles.
pampas plumes, palm leaves, cape flowers,
moses, seaweed, together with wire frames
for set pieces-stuffed white pigeons founda-
ton stuffs, baskets, in fact everything that
goes TO make up a florists paraphernalia.
The most interesting things seen there,
aside from the process OF dyeing immorteIles |
and grasses, were the bales Of dried German
daisies that have been sold all over the |
streets OF late These grow wild in the fields |
Of Germany, are picked up by the peasant
and dried in hot sand, which causes |
them to close up and TO retain their original
'olors until they reach here and are opened
again by steaming.
All this was so beautiful, so bewildering,
hat the hot drink had been quite forgotten.
And thus did the influence Of natures sweet
st creation cause a good resolution to be
sept York Sun.