The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-04
PAMPAS PLUM ES.
Mrs. strong's Industry Will Get Big
Boom.
Boston Record.


pampas plumes to the Republican NATION
nj convention at ST. Louis, as she dld al
Minneapolis four years ago. Inc pahpas
plumss were adopted as an emblem LOT
the Republican campaign on inc reo0iA
mendation of NJ. A. Hanna.
One of the most strik ing instances OIL
vvhat a woman can do i'll ibis era Vi
woman's emancipation is the eherse.i'
action of Mrs. II. W. Il. Strong, VINO
brought the pampas plumes to 1he ho.ice
of tbs Republican national convention
at ST I,ouis. Through her remarkable
enterprise, together with large expenal-
t,,rss of money in travelling about the
.,rrtrv in the interest of the business
the pampas industry is now experiencing
an impetus, the results OF which Will no
doubt be felt for years to come.
Mrs. Strong has ranch Of 800 acres on
the southern slope Of the Puente Hills
which was purchased years ago rom ex-
Gov. Pho Pico. 1t was part OF the
GOVERNORS ranchito, or ''little ranch ;"
which was small only in comparison
with other immense estates at that timo
belongine to him. The Strongs, playing
fanoifully upon their name, called thelr
home the "Ranchito del Puerto" little
ranch of the strong). At that time
treeless mesa. it is now lovely semi
tropical estate, covered with orange,
walnut, fig, olive and other fruit trees
its cottage EMPOWERED in foliage and sur
rounded by choice flowers.
-Four years ago Mrs. Strong decided TO
plant pampas grass between bel lows OIL
young walnut trees, and procured choice
stock from Mr.. Stewart of Los Angeles
In 1890 she marketed 1874, 600 plumes In
Philadelphia, at from $50 to Soo thous-
and. In 1892 her crop amounted to nearly
300. 900 plumes and harvesting TO CO OF
over 60 hands was employed nearly
month, beginning the last of August.
From early in May until the middle OF
August, the plants are irrigated every IA
days. After the keen edged grass has
been cut away by men who wear masks
and gloves for protection, the plumes are
removed as fast as they show signs OF
maturity at the rate of 5000 day by ex-
perienced bands, many OF whom are
women. The plumes are then Of soft
green color, but after lying few hours
on the smoothly rolled earth they become
white and fluffy and are carried to the
curing house. Here women and girls
with expert touch manipulate them in
way that develops a superior silky finish
and richer Tone The process is an In
vention of Mrs. Strong's and the secret OF
1T is not impaired to the public. From
first to last, the plumes are handled Is
times.
Prices reached their lowest notch in
1891, and Mrs. Strong, having large
crop on hand, sury eyed the situntion
with comprehensive eye, and set her.
self to work to improve it. She spent
four months in tho largest cities of the
Eastern States, working up the United
States market One of her first steps was
to decorate Wanamaker's great store in
Philadelphia with the plumes, thereby
illustrating their effectiveness when ar
tistically used, and attracting the alton
tion of thousands of people to the beauti-
full grass. She followed up this politio
movement with untiring interviews with
the Republican national committee at
New York, having with her device Of
her own invention for the use of the Re-
publicars in the presidential campaign.
New uses for these pampas bloss oms
are continually being developed, and the
display at the worlds fair served largely
to increase the sales in all countries.
Half million plunes wore sent to Eng.
land in 1892 where it was a fad to use
them in simulation of Prince Albert's
coat of arms. There are many ways nf
grouping them effectively, and special
designs may be made for such occasions
as weddings, balls, and receptions at
private houses, or entertainments of
public nature They are an unexcelled
wall decoration; FREEZES and dados of
wire in elaborate designs may be covered
with the pa mpas stripped from It's stem,
and tapestry hangings are a possibility
from skillful hands. They can be dyed
any color, and used In connection with
draperies to give each apartment toIe
of itS own. Fringes are easily made from
them for bordering mantels and shelves
and for rugs. Ceilings may be ornament
ed with festoons made the same as ever
green ropes, with a feathery beading.
There is almost no limit except that of
expense in thoir use as q decoration.
California has, among other laurels,
the distinct ion of being the only state
in the union that oultivates pampas
grass on a large scale, and Of creating
through one of her Intelligent residents
a new and extremely graceful EN- hlem
for the nation. 1t is curious thing
that in the illustrated volume on Pacific
slope grasses, by United States Botanist
George Vasey, published By the depart
ment of agriculture, no ment ion what
ever is made of pampas grass.
In the beginning of the industry, the
plumes sold for 1900 per 1000. The prics
gradually decreased until, in 1886, only
$50 per 1000 could be obtained. In 1887
they were in demand at s4O and in 1888