Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18

are more apt 20 drop on after the tree ha =
zen Kept for a few days. For decorations
great variety of new things have come
10 De used. The Jcrseymen discovered that
'heir cape flowers with their bright berries
produced good effect. and that evcrlas =
ing. bittersweet and a great number
similar Rrowths could be utilized in
Idue pieces. The beautiful Juniper VIII
mas always been highly esteemed in /;
souuh. has OF late found considerable Il
Vor ana large quantities of il are nd
shipped north from the Nirginias and ca
mas. MOSES are used to a conSidera
extent. too. The favorites among these
dlapery ard decoration are the grou
pine of New Jersey and the various cl,
NOSES. Florida moss is sometimes us.
ana two years ago a great quantity of |
as shipped north. hut IL has not foun
any great favor on account Of its sombe
ColorinC.
Holly and mistletoe still hold the plac.|
oil chief favor. though they have had tc
ADMIT many humber plants to their com
lany. Holly and laurel are both gathered
ofiehy in Delaware. Maryland Virginia
ana the carolinas. II is packed in big ID
loot cases Just as il is picked and is ship
ped from the nearest wharf or railway
station TO be sold out in small punches on
the city streets. One New York dealer
iaSt year sold leo cases of holly alone
Holly requires more care than some of the
more hardy greens. II must be stored I'm 4
cool dark place and sprinkled with water
every day until 1t is ready for shipment
when they are cut and are piled up in the
most convenient spo:. When ready for
81 lpment they are doused with scaiding
Vater which is allowed to freeze and is
not taa"ed out again until they are placed
on sale.
The MistIetoc BouSh
1t may he of interest to know that OF the
English m:stlctoo so conspicuously dis
played on or city streets about Christmas
Tune moi onc-tenth really comes from Eng
lard- The reason is that the great or
ohards OF Worcestershire and Lincolnshire
from which the English mistletoe is oh
tanned, have nearly exhausted their SUNNY
Most OF the mistletoc row brought to this
country comes from Normandy where It is
so thick that the farmers look upon il az. a
nuisance. Some American miS;Ictoc from
Delaware and Virginia, is sold every year.
tut IL is generally regarded as inferior 10
the imported article.
1t is difficult to compute how much the
great American pocket book is called upou
10 pay for the sreen.ry of ChriStmastidc
Fer the trees about s. per hundred is usu-
ally paid to the woodsman who cuts them.
In some places dollar or two must he
added 10 this as recompeuse to the land
owner. They retail at from IL cents to 81
.ach' according TO size and quality. out of
inns difference in prices comes the profit
OF the wholesale and retail dealers and
the cost CT transportation. Princess pine,
SO much used for decorative pieces costs
CIV pei ION III New h'Illis hlfe. ana freight
ADDS nearly 80 to this. one dealer used
over ten tons OF this last season. so that
II forms no small item by itself. Holly
brings from sib to Sl2J per case. and the
original cost Of mistletoc is entirely swal-
lowed up by the expense Of importing il.
About .asi cases We're brought into New
York last year and. as il sells for - cents
a branch, this single item in the hill must
rave amounted to round sum. Altogether
the American people probably spend no.
less than SB,,stl tskb for Christmas ar,ensrV-
Most persons Will be inclined to believe that
Ii Is worth this sum in the brightness an
good cheer it brings into our ordinarily
colorleSS lives.