Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-18

all the substantials
and delicacies which tempt the sense of
taste, not until recent years have the peo-
pie had their sense of sight delighted by the
sweet-smelling masses of flowers now to be
daily seen in the Washington markets.
Today, stand after stand, covered with
growing plants and flowers, and with cut
flowers well, gladdens the eyes of every
one visiting the markets. The floral dis
plays in the Washington markets are, in
deed, wonderful, and are an endless source
larly so to those strangers who rightly con-
slider our markets points of real and at
tractiVe interest.
There are other floral displays, however,
in which appear the sweet and innocent
jewellers of the fields and woods. But these
displays are made not within the walls of
the markets, but on the sidewalks and
roadways about them. They are brought
to the city by the country folks and by the
colored men, women and children, whose
natural picturesquenesS is one of the feat
ures even today of the Washington mar
kets Keeping pace with the production
and sale of the cultivated flowers, the
abundance and demand for the wild flowers
have increased.
Abundance of Flowers.
Where, few years ago. two or three va
rieties of these inhabitants of the fields and
woods were offered for sale, today are seen
score or more. The country about the
city Is remarkable not only for the numer-
Gus varieties of wild flowers, but as we'll
for their delicacy and beauty. One has to
go but little way outside of the city to
gather beautiful bunch of these flowers.
But most of those seen in the markets
come from beyond the limits of the Dis
trict. The hills and valleys about Airing
ton furnish many, as do the river banks
and fields above the Aqueduct and Chain
moi o. finc 0f
Maryland are no less generous, and while
flowers are plentiful throughout the fields
and woods of the District, the supply from
the outside is by far the largest.
The first wild flower to appear in the
markets is the delicately perfumed arbutus
which comes in March. Quickly following
1t comes the wood or field violet, the per-
fumeless cousin of the English violet. Then
come the yellow buttercups; the morning
stars, white, Star-Shaped, long-Stemmed
flowers; innocence, tiny blue flowers, upon
slender stems; Quaker bonnets, small dark
blue clustered flowers; wood anemone, or
wind flower; azalea, or swamp honey
suckle or pink; may apple; pansy violets,
or Johnny jump-ups; columbine: Dutch
mans breeches; Jack in the pulpit, and
then the daisies. or, as they are known to
some people, white weeds. and with them
come the cone flowers, or yellow daisies
And about the time the humble little
daisies are in the markets and the
streets the swamp magnolia, with it's sweet
Recently has been found on sale what Is
called by the country people who sell it
California or Russian clover.
1t has a rather attractive appearance and
in the fields a number of them look not I'M
like patch of ripe strawberries. Then,
too, are sold in the markets crabapple bios
SONS, wild cherry blossoms. dogwood, and
not infrequently, branches Of peach and
apple blossoms.
Effect on the Market.
But not only are wild flowers sold In the
markets. but also in great quantities on
the streets. OF course, their sale has to
some slight extent affected the demand for
cultivated flowers, but not nearly so much,
stated a well-known florist to a Star re-
porter, as might be expected The class of
people, he explained, purchasing the wild
varieties are altogether different from those
purchasing cultivated stock, the difference
being mainly a matter of mere taste. Then,
too, said another florist, the wild flowers
flourish when nearly every one is growing
flowers and at a season of the year when
cultivated cut flowers are In light demand
by purchasers.
OF course, some varieties of wild flowers
have been cultivated, the daisy being the
most prominent one, perhaps, but such
cultivation is not attempted to any great
extent. Most often a wild variety is cult
waited because of some reigning fad, al
though in some cases the natural attract
iveness Of the flower secures for it such
honor. The fad today, however. is the wild
flower pure and simple, and not to have
bunch of them on the street or at home Is
to confess your ignorance of quite the
proper thing, you know!