The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-07-18
A FLOWER MARKET.
EARLY MORNING VIEWS OF THE
WHOLESALE BUSINESS.
Traffic In the Heart OF New York
of Which Few Residents Are
Aware - Wrinkles OF
the Business.
SIDE from the great auction

anu the sales made by large growers
to the local dealers, there are two
wholesale flower markets in this city,
says Garden and Forest, of New York.
The old-time stand on Vesey street,
abandoned to fruit and vegetable
dealers some twenty-five years ago,
was succeeded by the present market
about the small triangular park space
at the Hudson River terminus OF Canal
street. The second market, which il
IA division of the Canal street market,
began four years ago, and is better
known to the public from its more
central location. 1t occupies the wido
street space on the north side of Union
, Square.
During the evening fiowor.laden
wagons start from the suburbs of Jer-
sey City, from West Hoboken, Staten
Island and Long Island, and by mid
night the earliest comers have secured
first choice of location, thes place
being held throughout the season il
| possible. The two markets differ but
little in the conduct of the sales. At
the more central stand, then, the
black-covered wagons are headed to
the curbs. They are closely packed,
the floor, two tiers, and even the top
increasing the carrying space. The
noisy rumble of the vehicles as they
come one by one, makes part of the
roar Of early morning traffic, along
with belated trucks of jingling milk
cans and the newspaper delivery wag-
ons hurrying to railroad stations. BY
3 o'clock the activity and noise OF ar.
rivals are ut their height, and the busi-
ests street of many towns at midday
is outrivalled. Along with the latest
loaded wagons of the sellers come the
first empty ones of buyers, and these
find places on the outskirts. Sud-
denly movement extends along the
closely ranged line men, women, and
here and there a sleepy-!ooking child
hurriedly move wooden trays filled with
plants to the street space at the rear
of their wagons, until the long block
is lined with two solid rows of flowers
fifteen or twenty feet wide, separated
along the middle by an open walk
twelve feet broad. BY half past three
shrewd, experienced men and women
the latter generally short-skirted
and blue-aproned Germans-are peer
ing through partial light and into
deep shadows in search of bargains
and choice stock. Only two italian
vendors were noticed among the many
customers. These advance buyers are
peddlers, owners of the low-sided,
open empty wagons, and eager to get
stock, which is quickly arranged at
the end of the lines, in readiness to
offer to buyers in small lots at a slight
advance. Letter in the day the re-
naming stock of these middle dealers
is sold in the tenement sections of the
city and in the suburbs along the Har-
lem and Hudson, and in New Jersey
towns rs far as twenty miles away.
Some of the early buyers come to se-
cure plants ordered by them in ad-
vance for customers who have engaged
special sort, and occasionally there
is eager rivalry and the excited claim
that certain stock has been "bestellt. u
Sturdy, thrifty women carry away
their purchases in large, flat baskets,
one on each arm, while few push
carts start off with their meager stock.
One or two immense vans belonging
to high-class florists are closely packed
with choice stock, bought up by mem.
Der of the firm. These roomy vans
, are especially built for this trade, and
7 besides double walls have heating and
: ventilating arrangements against any
possible cold which might chill tender
plants. The ordinary open wagon.
! with low sides are filed with stock Sc
lected with n view to the best plants
for the least money and the showiest
effect in the general arrangement
Feathery Astilbes make graceful
temporary edgIng to beds of brilliant
flowers, five or six dozen geranium,
1 going into each load. The front step
) an improvsed platform at the rear
; and extensions at the sides are nj
pressed into use. The only lull in tn,
activity after midnight is the hal
hour before 8 o'clock, when the regu
lar trade of storekeepers, street ven
ders, and peddlers is awaited. BY
5 o'clock retail buyers begin to pass VI
and down the long array of flowers,
Il and to buy single plants OF different
sorts, the pots clumsily wrapped il
l newspaper, and an artist making Q
u water color sketch of the gay seen
gets more notice than is helpful. b.
: $3.50 the fee of twenty-five cents fo
. each wagon has been collected by
0 deputy from the Bureau of Markets
the wagons have left, and cleaner
: from the Park Department have re
moved all trace OF discarded plant
y and broken pots.
Il The flower markets begin early i
April, when three or four wagon load
u are offered in the damp and chill
o dawn. The trade gradually grows, an
u by the first of May thirty wagons ar
o assembled at each market every morn
. ing, Saturday being the busiest day
- Until the close of the season. abou
July /, as many AS seventy-fve load
will be disposed of daily at the tw
places moderate load contains fort