The morning call., 1894-12-01
DYED CHRYSANTHEMUMS.
Some Women Want Flowers to
Match Their Gowns i'm Color.

A fashionably dressed young woman entered
the shop of a florist on Fulton street, Brooklyn,
and taking small piece Of cloth from her
pocketbook laid II on the counter and said:
"Can you match that in chrysantnemums ?"
The florist examined the piece of cloth, which
was olive green, and then replied: certainly;
when do you want them?"
Tomorrow night, and want half dozen
big ones. Please send them." and she gave the
florist an address.
do you mean to say you can produce green
chrysanth emums 2" asked young man who
had been examining some roses and had lis
tened 10 the conversation between the young
woman and the florist with astonishment.
"Certainly," replied the florist, mot only
green, but any other color you want. II neces-
sary we can give mixtures, half red, half blue,
or bali orange and half black; in fact, we can
let you have anything you want in chrysanthe-
NUNS from pure white to the most livid of
Scotch plads."
"Nonsensel" said the Young man. "Do you
grow just the same as"
would you like TO see some ?" interrupted
the florist.
az certainly would" replied the young man.
The flo rIst went TO his icechest and brought
a vase filled with the most marvelOusly colored
chrysanthemums. Some were of the brightest
red while others were somber maroon. Then
they were blue, black, pink and green
Others were half black and half white, some
were half blue and halt yellow. and still others
contained many different colors. The young
man gaZed at The display In amaZemeDt,
II have some beautiful gray ones that were
ordered yesterday" remarked the florist.
They're packed up. though. and l can't show
them to you."
Never mind. can believe anything after
this. But" and the young man scratched lis
head. you can't make me believe that they
grew that way"
"Certainly not" SAID the florist. 81 never
said SO. They're simply dyed, that's ALL
Every first class florist does 1t. 1t has come TO
be part Of the business. You take the pure
white chrysanthemum. and with the aid of fine
dye you can transform them into any color in a
few hours. 1t has really got TO be the biggest
part of our business. The women have gone
saw here is sample of the way they come in
and order the flowers They bring bits of
cloth. and then want the flowers dyed to match
the dress Of when the cloth Is sample. /
from light salmon 70 q jet black. We
mix colors, too. and the result is a
chrysanthemums began when women in
search of appropriately cOlored flow
ers to wear at college football games went
time ago. The idea struck florist TO dye some
OF the flowers and be made some blue ones for
the admirers Of Yale and, taking big yellow
chrysanthemums, dyed them half BLACK so that
they represented the cOlors of Princeton. He
sold big lot OF them and OF course the other
florists had 10 fall in line TO keep up with him.
1t has now become a fad for women 10 wear
chrysaDthemums OF the same color as their
gowns and alone sell over 100 dyed flowers
week now that the chrysanthemum season Is
APT to become questionable at any time. but
as long as the women want them We IL fix them
up in any style. as it's extremely profitable"
"Wel il beats anything l ever heard Of"
said the young man. as ne picked up the punch
of roses he had purchased and walked out
New York SIM.