The morning times., 1896-05-25
DECORATION DAY FLOWERS.
A Popular Floral Festival in Which
the Professional Flower Deal
erS Have No Part.

for the florists, is one of their poorest
days in the whole year. The twenty-four
hours before their sales hardly reach
the ordinary level, while on the holiday
itself, leading florist told me, they
might as well shut up shop at 10 O'Clock
in the morning so far as any business is
concerned. Now and then a florist may
get an order from a Grand Army post
To decorate a single monument or statue,
but even this occurs much less frequently
than formerly. The custom OF making
it a general day for strewing the graves
OF friends with flowers has quite gone
out, while there is complete exodus OF
the smart set 10 the country for the
week Indeed the real celebration of the
day has come to rest almost wholly with
public school children and Grand Army
posts.
AS early as the latter part of April
children In the schools are asked to Con-
tribute on the 3Oth day of May, each his
little pot of flowers, i'll comnemoration
OF the heroes who, in the last generation,
fought and died for the great UuiOn.
The interim is used in keeping their at
tention more or less upon the incidents
OF the late war, and iustllling into their
youthful souls that love of country with
out which a man is never quite a man;
so that the Influence OF the day upon the
rising generation is OF inestimable value.
The flowers which they bring are mostly
small pots OF gerauiums, fuchias, stock,
and even the more perishable petunias,
all of which they eau get for from 10 10
cents apiece. These are usually planted
on ba Soldiers prrayps with rhaDS "A
sprig Of ivy, aud live or die according
to whether nature deals kindly with them
or not.
Where florists are commissioned TO deco
rate either grave or statue. wreatbs and
crowns are chosen as the most appropriate
symbols Wreaths are made according 10
the position which they are to occupy. If
a wreath is to be laid on a grave, a
flat wire frame is used, which is first
filled with moss. Into this dampened mess
ferns are imbedded. and over II al trails
the smilax, which forms The background
for flowers The green can be kept fresh a
long time. if properly watercd. but there
seems to be no way OF preserving the
flowers as they all have TO be wired into
position. BY the way, it seems that the
decree of fashion in flowers for funerals.s IS
II is no longer correct TO confine funeral
offerings to white flowers. Where the
deceased is under twenty-five years of ge,
the flowers may be all OF pink, while
cIumps of pink amidst larger clusters of
white are preferred for those between the
ages OF twenty-five and forty; deep red
roses are exceedingly good form for
people still older.
Wreaths 10 adorn statues or monuments
must be round, and are made by tying
leaves on to a strong, heavy wire. which
is then bent into circle OF the desired size.
The magnolia leaf is the very best for
this purpose as it is thick, solid and dura BILE
Next to this is the weil-beloyed laurel,
while the galax leaf from North Carolina
Is in great vogue for wreaths, S it is
beautiful ill form, color and texture, and
easily lasts a month. 1t is. however. less
available for Decoration Day than either
the magnolia or laurel, as the leaf is smaller,
and therefore somewhat less effective.
Indeed it is this very element OF effective
ness no less than expense that rules out
the flrst-class florist. The chief aim i'll
this class of decoration must OF necessity
he its striking qualities; and orchids, roses,
pinks, violets, lilies OF the valley. and all
finer flowers would for instance be COM
pletely lost sight of on a large monument
hydrangias. snowballs, spirea, itlacs, and
even callas and Easter lilies are at the
same time beautiful and effective. Cut
flowers of any kind are very little in
demand, pOtted plants OF all sizes and
varieties appearing alike on monument,
grave. aud statue.
A leading florist who was once COM
missioncd to decorate a statue OF Lin
coin was kind enough to tell me OF the
plan which he followed. AS he was al
lowed $500 for the commission. he could
give full scope to his artistic sense. After
studying both form and color of the statue.
he surmounted it with a crown OF laurel,
from which heavy ropes OF laurel de-
pended and entwined the base and as the
color OF the statue was light gray he
kept TO pink and white rhododeDdrons al
most entirely for his color scheme.
Cape Jessamine flower wreaths and i'm
mortelles are frequently used in cOnnec-
ton with the laurel, and one florist told
me of having rented large number of
palms for the decoration Of monument
He confessed, however, that they were
sadly ineffective, as the statue stood in
the midst of q park already exuberant
with green.
Nowadays. hemlock. juniper and ever
green's are mostly used, and in many in
stances members of the posts make their
own wreaths and ropes. These are often
extremely handsome, though l may add
sub rosa that n very $ ? II florist said to
fne with a tremor in his voice, Il am
sorry to say to you. madam, that some
times they even use paper flowers. They
are certainly effective. and at distance
one can't tell the difference, but-think
OF it,'
If you take note you will see that Ma
sonic orders are supplied with branches
of box and acacia, as these evidently
represent some symbol of the order.
EMILY LIVINGSTON