Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-03-31
FASHIONS IN FLOWERS.
Changes That Have Taken Place In thu
Last Thirty Years.


Last Thirty Years.
Thirty years ago society women had
20 fall back on camellias for their table |
decorations, The flowers were grown
in half dozen colors and answered as
many purposes. Violets and white car
nations were scarce, and roses, though
small and short-stemmed, were regard
ed as II great luxury. Not any of the
grace and beautiful comparison of col
DIS entered into the stiff and ponderous
bouquets carried at the balls and even
ing parties.
In those days the florist first faster ed
together ball of bouquet green" with
several yards of heavy wire, and into
the ball were thrust the camelias and
carnations Sometimes by way of va
riety vacancies were left and filled in
with volcts, giving spotted effect to
the bouquet and making it both gro
tesque and ungraceful.
Then, one of the most frequent direc-
lions to the florist in making up n bou'
quot was to put it together as lightly
as possible. Bouquet green was very
heavy stuff, and an average bouquet
would tip the scales anywhere from
three to five pounds, and frequently
| ladies retired after an evening enter
tainment more tired from holding the
indispensable bouquet than from stand
ing and being pleasant" for four hours.
| 1t is related upon good authority that
when Miss Lorillard was married to
James p. Kernochan, a servant in the
Lorillard family drowned n superannu-
ated pet dog by tying the bride's bou-
quet about the animals neck and drop
ping him in the river.
Roses that n person even outside the
fringe of society would not deign to
buy to-day were sold for 81 and Sl.50
each in 1867. The lie Marque, Safrano,
yellow Isabella Sprint, and the Cloth OF
Gold roses, now back numbers, were
the most common twenty-five years ago,
but only the wealthy could afford to
buy them. The American Beauty rose
was then unknown, and comparatively
few Jacquemnot roses were grown,
and then only in the spring.
In 1869 tea roses were introduced in
Boston, and the following year the
roses became the rage here. Soon
afterward two varieties of green orchids
were first used. In 1872 smilaX, now so
common in floral decorations of all
kinds was put up in the florists win
dows and sold for $3.50 yard, To-day
smilaX can be bought for twenty cents
yard. The first Duchesse dc Brabant
and Marechal Neil roses were sold in
this city in 1870, and about the same
time the florists began to force flowers,
30 that tulips, hyacinths, jonquils,
narcissus, and such summer blossoms
were sold in the winter. The first
forced lilies of the valley and lilacs
were offered for sale during the winter
of 1S70-7l. At that time Easter lilies
were not used, but Gala lilies were
common.
In 1870 the Gloire de Paris, the first
long-stcmmed rose, was introduced,
and then followed in rapid succession
the Anna de Diesbach, Magma Charta,
Anna AleXiff and several new tea roses
Catherine Mermet and La France
roses all now in common use. Ten years
ago the popular American Beauty rose
was presented to the public. The Amer.
lean Beauty was introduced in Wash
ington, and though not generally
known was the recultivation Of an old
rose called the Madam Germaine, en-
larged by careful propagation.
Palms have only been in use for ter
years. During the days of the civil
war there were but two large palms il
J the city, and they belonged to Isaac
Buchanan, an old-school florist Mr.
: Buchanan imported the palms from
Brazil at great cost, but he made ter
times over the price of the palms in let
ting them out at receptions and wed
dings.-N. Y. Times