The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-11
FUNERAL FLOWERS.
The VOGUE in Mortuary Embiems
and EverEreens.

From the Chicago News.
Although one still sees occasionally the
ungracious notice. NO flowers" follow
ing an obituary, funeral flowers were
never more varied or costly than they
are at the present time. The hideOus sym
bolic arrangements formerly in favor
the gates ajar and broken columns or
sin more hopeless trade emblems-are
now things OF the past with the patrons
Of fashionable florists. Little in the way
OF design work Is used. excepting wreaths
and crosses. and these are vastly different
from the apparently carpenter-huilt ng-
ures which are now seen only at big
pubic funerals. The wreath OF the ar
Jlstic florist Is now, as a rule, graceful
crescent, with the points meeting. and
at the widest part a trailing bunch Of
contrasting flowers, which Is often tied
with wide sash Of ribbon. One OF the
IoNeliest OF these designs is a loose wreath
or pink roses-bridesmald or the new va
riety. belle siebrecht-With, al the side,
a large knot Of pale green orchids tied
1t must be borne In mind that while
many still cling TO bridal white in funeral
Mowers, modern taste encourages the use
OF colors, and though the mass of Chi
cago flower buyers are still conservative
In this particular those florists who cater
10 the most fastidious class report a
great increase in the use of cOlored how-
ers for funeral work during the last win
ter. Every shade except yellow is used
pink roses and carnations. and even the
deep-tinted American beauty, while or
chlds Of all colors are seen. A faVorite
arrangement Is a fiat bouquet formed
OF American beauty roses on a backing
Of sago palm leaves, tied with a sash
of deep violet ribbon.
These FIAT bouquets or casl1et punches
are equally In demand with the wreaths.
A few years ago they consisted simply
of two or three sage leaves crossed like
the palp of victory, which was carved
above the tombs OF early martyrs, with
perhaps little knot OF flowers at the
juncture. Now the palm leaves are often
dispensed with entirely, the result being
a long, fat bunch with trailing stems
tied with a broad ribbon. They should
never display a mixture Of flowers, two
varieties being the utmost allowable. Pink
roses and mignonette, white roses ana
violets, Easter lilies and purple hyacinths
are all favorite combinations. n bunch
made recently for the funeral of a young
girl was OF pale pink tulips, with rev
dropping flowers trailing among the long
stems and the bunch tied with broad
sash Of cream white and pale pink watered
ribbon.
During their season-which with green
house plants win begin about Easter
sweet peas make lovely wreaths or casket
punches, the mauve bordered variety,
Countess of Radnor, being especially at
tractive when tied with a pale mauVe SASH
An arrangement of sweet peas which
aroused much admiration season or two
ago covered the casket entirely the PINK
Blanche Ferry being used. The flowers
which covered ends, sides ana top, the
frames being hooked together after MI.
ing. The interior Of the casket was hned
with the same flower. fringed with maluen,,
hair ferns This was much more gracetul
than Is the floral pail, which Is usually
stiff and inartistic.
In addition to the arrangements of flow
ers laurel, ivy or galaX leaves from the
main portion of handsome funeral designs.
The galax leaves, now coming into gener-
al use. are of rounding heart shape, hrm
n md iuCf During the summer they
are bright green, but with the hrst trosts
they change to a rich bronze ana 1t IS IN
this condition that the florists use them'
They are the foliage of a hardy little ma
tive plant indigenous to the mountains OF
North Carolina, and they are gathered
there and shipped by the thousands 10 all
parts of the country The galax rs very
desirable for cemetery use, as the leaves
remain in good condition for a long time
A wreath of this handsome foliage, with a
knot of flowers at one side or a cross with
a garland thrown around the arms, IS very
effective The leaves of English IVY are
used In the same way, being hrst pollshed
leaves make beautiful wreaths, the most
admired being arranged like the classic
victOr's wreath-all the leaves pointing
wreath narrowing toward the top. At the
base a large bunch of Violets tied with
somber violet ribbon forms finish This
is especially suitable memorial for an
elderly person. preferable TO the shear or
dry wheat formerly so often seen.
When funeral services are held at the
house the custom OF using aeeo1eet ,s9d,s
OF designs, Is much to be commended. In
stead of the brilliant display of festive
occasion these decorations usually consist
of foliage plants, such as palms and ferns,
placed to form q background to the cask-
ct. The casket itself has heavy garlands
of flowers looped around the sides, Ropes
of Roman hyacinths looped with punches
of pink roses formed one arrangement,
with a broad garland Of white orchids
and pink roses slanting diagonally across
the top.
Another innovation is the use of loose
bunch of white flowers and foliage on tho
door instead of the customary stream
ers Of Grape and ribbon; sometimes small
wreath OF garland is used, pendent from
a loop of black ribbon.
In place Of any wreath or design, people
of low taste often select box or
which may be disposed about
The resting place OF the dead.
A small wicker hamper, hlied with
a spray of mauve orchids laid over them,
is choice and appropriate. On the occa-
sion Of a funeral there should always be
some one whose duty it Is to remove the
cards from floral gifts, as they are re-
ceived, keeping them all together, that
they may be properly acknowledged by
In addition to the real flowers, we now
import a good many artificial ones for
cemetery use. The CHASTITY wreaths of Inn
mortelles and beads and metal flowers
are little used except by foreigners. but
really beautiful porcelain flowers are made
in France and Germany. They are life
like in appearance, durable and not very
costly They are much IN demand for
Decoration day. Although the florists can
hardly be expected to admire these proce-
lain limitations Of their wares, they have
their uses, and the importations increase
year by year. 1t is to be hoped, however,
that the American public will never de-
mand those CHASTITY structures of yellow
immortelles and black bugles so much used
in French cemeteries.