Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-26

talists to raise
flowers in Florida
Tor Northern cities is agitating land agents
In the Peninsula, thrilling the souls of
Yankee bellies and striking terror to the
hearts of Jersey ard Long Island florists.
The idea is poetical, aesthetic and favors
much of the flower markets of Paris and
New Orleans. The enterprise is as yet in its
infancy, but with the grit, grip and
gumption" that Florida possesses, the rails
ing of cut flowers will soon be paying in
dustry here, and revolutionize the flower
business, just as the Florida orange has
revolutionized the orange industry. Then
will smiling maidens and blooming matrons
laugh in the faces of Northern florists, while
they luxuriate in cheap, sweet, fresh, Florida
roses.
Northern florists fear the usurpation Of
their rights. as is proven by their loneliness
upon the subject, and well may they grow
green with envy. The most influential of
Florida nurserymen declare there are millions
in the scheme, and say, "Give US 30 cents
per hundred for our finest roses delivered at
the gardens, and we ask no surer road to
fortune" With the same trained and
workmanlike preparation of the flowers for
the market, as displayed by Northern
growers, the venture must prove success,
and Florida become an American Riviera.
Already the idea is growing, and gardeners
ship to the leading hotels of the State, and
in limited quantities to New York and
Chicago markets. It is estimated that there
are SIC, 900, 900 invested in lands, structures
and stock in floral establishments within a
radius of ten miles from New York, and
when one city makes such demand for horTi-
culture, the Importance of this industry can
well be seenA
THE UNITED STATES AHEAD.
The cut flower business is greater in the
United States than in any other part of the
world, New York itself paying 1000, 900
annually for cut flowers, one-third of which
is for rose buds. The cost of forcing these
roses in the winter season is great, and the
prices paid for the forced buds perfectly as
founding. Eastern florists control the mar
kets. A few days since 80 per cent raise
caused howl among buyers in Western
cities that would have awakened the seven
sleepers. During the winter months the
prices range with the demand. One grower
of New Jersey few days ago took in 300
buds of a favor1te rose and received whole
sale $500.
Florida is the paradise of Queen Rosa's
court Roses, such roses-Marechal Neil,
Bennitt, La France and the queen of all,
the American Beauty, bloom constantly and
profusely, growing luxuriantly on almost
any soil and at any point. IT enough could
be said there has been sufficient praise be-
slowed upon the peerless flower of the earth.
The rosarian of the nineteenth century is
progressive, and the American people ready
to accept new inventions. Each season
some new beauty, like the debutanIe, has its
glory. Last year the new Oakmont was in
troduced, james Conley, its raiser, having
spent five years in perfecting it. I'm
provement is good, but let the old
roses keep their places of honor. From the
stars upon the horizon, what roses could
rival the MarechaI Neil, jacqueminot, La
France? They are the armor-bearers of
Flora's field. The Marechal Neil blooming
shyly at the North, can be seen in Florida
covering a long veranda loaded with deep
colored buds. From single rose, daily
from 100 to 300 buds are picked. The Mare
chal Neil, to reach perfection, must be budded
on another stock-the Cherokee being the
on hand, the Marechal Neil never is.
THE MATCHLEss FLOWER.
"The rose that all are praising is not the
rose for me-" but when it is the perfection
of floral realities-the matchlcss Mareehal
Neil-to belong to its worshipers becomes an
honor. Imagination may fatter herself she
can form more perfect flower, but she has
never done so. This rose has been a mine
OF wealth to nurserymen ever since its intro
duction, and when experienced horticultur-
lists throughout Florida only ask so cents per
100 for buds we can readily see there
is money for the gardner-for the railroad,
the commissioner, still leaving a nice little
margin to be summed up to profit and loss
The business promises quick returns and
sure profits. Small gardeners will sell direct
to the syndicate if they make a success,
until shipping facilities are nearer perfec-
ton.
This new Florida industry will put the
radiant bloom of the rarest flowers within
easy reach OF every Northern ballroom, par
lor and dinner table, and our Northern
cities will revel in cheap flowers lust as
Parisians do now, and if the industry does
not become monopoly, these same ''cheap
flowers" in Northern markets will add one
more tribute to American culture, and no
longer will Northern florists cater to the
taste of estheticism at the rate of 81, 81 or
So per rose, during the wintry months.
Neither will they decorate for bathrooms or
wedding festivities at the exorbitant rates
now charged, for in the rich
hammocks of Florida grow rarest
exotics, exquisite feathery grasses,
palms, maguoIias, sweet-scented jessamine
that would fairly paralyze a professional
florist from the blizzard-smitten North with
astonishment Here, Northern dollhouse
plants grow and bloom in rugged health in
the open ground throughout the whole
winter-innocent of special care or protec-
ton. The scheme cannot fail. Florida can
produce the flowers, and with the beauty,
fragrance and aroma OF tropical romance,
Yankeedom will buy them.
THE MANUFACTURE OF PERFUMERY.
Another new industry agitating Flori-
dians is the raising flowers for the manufac-
ture of perfumery. It is known that the
altar of roses can be as successfully made
in Florida as in the gardens of Bulgaria.
The special condition of soil and climate
for the musk and damask rose Is met with
only in a few tracts of land in the world
In parts of Florida these varieties flourish
abundantly, and nurserymen claim that one
acre, properly managed, will Weld 81, 500
per annum. The jasmine, sweet violet and
jonquil are also used for distillation or
absorption.
Last season at the Vanderbilt ball the
floral decorations cost $1,000. Mrs. Will
lam Astor, the same season, expended 81. 900
on single evening decoration. II growing
flowers in Florida for Northern markets
will not make paying industry what will?
Before another year the flower markets,
flower farms and Marechal Neil plantations
will agltate capitalists, while my lady fair
in the North and In the South will alike