Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-13

ticularly appropriate 20 adorn cold-wea-
Their festivities. The plant is shrub
of Mexican origin. and its usual height
is from two to three feet. The true
flowers are small yellow blossoms when
make slight show, but the chief beauty
OF the poinsetta lies in the many lear
like bracts, Of a vivid scarlet, when sur
round these yellow flowers. The DractS
are almost as large as the leaves or the
plant. and OF about the same shape. one
flower" as 1t is commonly called, mean
ing thereby the cluster of tiny yellow
blossoms with the bracts around them
grows on each stalk. and constitutes
plant by itself. The flower measures from
six inches toa foot across, some varieties
having double rows Of the red bracts.
II proper care is given It. plant will
keep its blossom for a month. and remain
fresh and bright-looking during that time.
1t must be we'll watered and protected
from cold draug.1ts. After the flower has
been cut the plant will bloom again II II
Is restored 10 the moist, artificial neat OF
the greenhouse. a florist would probably
be most successful In producing this re-
suit. The cut-howers will keep fresh for
about a week in a vase of water.
The Georgia pine, with It's huge but
graceful plumes, the needles Of which
measure a foot IA length, Is new ana
popular among this winters greens. Great
branches are mercilessly cut from the
trees in the South, and shipped i'm large
quantities 10 this city. where they ere
broken I'D still further, If necessary, TO
suit the kind Of decoration desired. The
needles OF the Georgia pine have a
curious habit of growing directly from the
branch along it's entire length, thus form
ing a kind Of sheath which almost hides
the bark from view. In its general APP
pearance a branch Of the pine is not un-
like some of the finer varieties of palms.
All cut-howers have been unusually ex-
penslve in the last few weeks, owing
chiefly TO the holiday demand for them
They have already begun to be cheaper
however, and will decline rapidly to their
standard prices American Beauty roses
have been an exception to the general
rule. I'm the reason of their costumes
this winter. From sl2 dozen, the regular
price Tor the longest-stemmed fioweE'
they have gone up with stan T.
ling rapidly. until they reached the
climax a week or two ago, at $40 a dozen
This was due principally to the unusual
scarcity of the flowers. The season OF
stormy dark weather early last month
so affected the production OF the bios
SONS that florists found ii almost impos-
sible to get them at any price. This
more even than the Christmas demanJ
increased their cost, and people who ID
sisted upon having them had to make
up their minds to pay dearly for III
luxury Now American Beauties at'
bringing s25 and $50 a dozen Tor the best
specimens, and If the weather Is bright
and favorable the price will probably
drop further In the next few weeks.
TWO new ideas this season serve v
increase materially the expense or pre-
senting flowers. To correspond with tn
latest fashion, they must be sent eithS
i'm extremely artistic and decorative
boxes. tied with ribbons fully six inches
wide. or in deep vases, of the real or int
tation Bohemian glass. The boxes are
triumphs Of daintiness. and the green
and-gold of the vases seems 10 bring out
with especial charm the beauty Of ans
flower.