The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-05
FLOWERS FOR EASTER
THE TRADE IN INDIANAPOLIS IN
USUALLY HEAVY THE LAST WEEK.
Demand for the viOIets, Which Are
Scarce-Why American Beauties
Cost So Much.

'T want you to save me two baskets of
violets for Easter" said a weI-groomed
young man, addressing the proprietor of
leading Indianapolis greenhouse. The florist
promised TO fill the order
That's the way things have been going
around here all week." he added as the pur-
chaser left the shop. 1.-The Easter trade is
very heavy. and If the weather is nice, there
will be more flowers displayed in Indianapo-
lis next Sunday than have been seen for
many an Easter"
To use homely but striking smile. violets
as scarce as hens teeth about this time
Of the year. The florist exhibited prettiy
arranged baskets Of them, attractively decor
ated with sprays of gaily colored ribbon.
One Of these baskets contains one hundred
violets, and the young man who wants to
delight the heart Of his lady-love by present
ing her with basket must plank down two
big, round dollars. The violets that were on
the market last week looked fresh and dewy,
and one could imagine that they had just
been plucked from the woodland
"Violets are very hard to raise" said the
florist, because they are so tender They
must be nurtured carefully and then you
can't always have success with them. If
grower has good luck he can raise lots of
vio,ets, but If disease gets among them he
might as well pull up the whole batch. Vio-
let's are susceptible to disease but just what
the malady is we are unable to find out.
For long time they have been trying to
analyze this disease at the United States ex-
perimental station, which is located at Pur-
due University. So far they have had very
little success with the experiment.
RARE NEW PLANT.
-
was like visit to some fairy land. The floral
kingdom had on its best dress, in honor Of
the approaching Easter. One might have
suspected that the inhabitants of the king
dom had not finished celebrating the wedding
of the lily and the rose. Jonquils. .daffodils
and hyacinths occupied an important place in
the Easter collection. There were orchids,
plenty of them. for sale at prices ranging
from 30 cents to 50 apiece. The florist point
ed out rare new plant called the Irish
heather, which attracts the eye but costs a
lot of money. The florist said that for Eas-
ter decorations the people were buying a
great many Easter lilies, daffodils, hyacinths
and azaleas. Roses. of course. were being
purchased unstintedly. -
The man with the f1abby purse can't afford
to look at the American Beauty rose these
Easter days. He must content himself with
an ordinary Bridesmaid or the Pearl of the
Garden. The best OF the American Beauties
have been selling readily of late at 75c and
81 each. An inferior quality Of the Beauty
may be bought for % and so cents but it is
a dangerous business, this thing of purchas-
ing roses at half price. The American Beau
ty is distinctly American flower. Tt is
grown in some other countries, but not with
great success. The florist asserted that there
is less money made in growing American
Beauties than any other variety OF flowers
There are very few American Beauties
grown" he said ''They are raised with
difficulty, and it does not pay florists to
take up space In growing them. We get
most of our Beauties from an Illinois grow
er who makes a speciality of raising them.
In the first place, a plant takes up con-
siderable space, and it will yield but few
roses during a season. 1t is often that
three or four roses is the largest number
that can be grown on one plant in a sea-
son. So you see how it is that the Amer-
lean Beauty costs so much money. There
is the Bridesmaid. a pink rose, which is
of hardy growth, and is much cheaper
than the American Beauty. Just now the
Bridesmaid is worth from $3.50 to 50 a
dozen. single rose will bring from 10
to SO cents each. The Pearl Of the Garden
is sold at s1.5O dozen. 1t is yellow rose
and Us sold by us as the Marechal Neil rose.
AS matter Of fact. there is good deal of
fake about the Marechal Neil Ordinarily
1t is the common yellow rose that people
buy when they think they are getting the
other"
The -carnation continues to be the stand
ard flower. and easily brings from so cents
to 81 Dozen The florist estimated that
he has sold 100000 carnations already this
season. He says this bright-hued flower
grows more popular every year. as people
appreciate II more and more. The florist
says the majority of carnations sold in In
dianapolis are disposed of TO people who
have a weakness for the boutonniere..