The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-03
ELEVENTH FLOWER SHOW
GENERAL HARRISON OPENS 1T WITH
A FEW HAPPY REMARKS.
He Quotes a Few Words from Mayor
Taggart's Recent Famous
Speech-The Exhibits.


of the State. was master of ceremonies and
introduced General Harrison in a few we'll
| chosen sentences I'VE are here this even
| ing to open the eleventh annual chrysan-
! themum show said Mr.. Hill IT take great
pleasure in introducing General Harrison"
General Harrison advanced from behind the
| beautiful screen of palms that were grouped
across the front of the stage.
| Gentlemen of the Indiana Florists AS
ISOLATION, visiting florists, my fellow-citi-
zens, ladies and gentlemen" began General
| Harrison, 1.-THE announcement of Mr.. Hill
| that would make an address gives to what
1 have to say this evening too pretentious
an aspect 1 have only been home few
| days, but when the committee called on
me to ask me to say a few words at the
opening of the chrysanthemum show,
could not find it in my heart to say no. 1t
is an interesting occasion. We are here to
open the eleventh and greatest chrysanthe-
mum show we have had in Indiana. have
seen some of these exhibitions in other and
more pretentious cities than Indianapolis,
| and I believe can say we have a finer
| chrysanthemum exhibit in Indianapolis
than in any other place in the United
States. This hall adaptS itself remarkably
| to such an exhibit. JAS an Indianian, take
| pride in the achievements of my fellow
| citizens, and l want to say tonight l am
very proud of the Indiana florists They
| have achieved an unexcelled reputation in
the Nation in the culture of the chrysan-
| themum, of the carnation and some other
| flowers We ought to be proud of this fact.
| This is one of our festival occasions of the
year, and it may we'll be classed with the
| event of the spring, the May Music Festi-
val. 1t ought to awaken the hearty interest
and patronage of the people They have
come to show us what they have accom-
plished in the last year Theirs is a beau
| tlful and inspiring occupation. l am not
| here tonight to represent the city in any
official capacity, but l think 1 might say,
| as the mayor recently said to another as
Gentlemen, the city is yours :"
THE GENERALS LITTLE HIT.
General Harrisons reference to Mayor
| Taggarts address to the National Retail
Liquor Dealers. who styled themselves
THE best people on EARTH" made a pal
pable and instantaneous hit and was greet
ed with loud applause and hearty laugh
ter. Certainly" continued he, "they are
not disturbers Of the peace. No man ever
got an inclination to whip his wife at
chrysanthemum show or any other flower
show"
General Harrison declared that the Gull
ture of flowers was something about which
referring to the old belief that like begets
like in flowers and trees, he said that the
cnryssasn !. seemed to be outside the
yet, he said, while there is such infinite
variety in them, botanists would doubtless
find signs proving them to all belong to the
same family. Chrysanthemums, he said,
seem to illustrate the biblical description
after its kind. While there was SO much
variety, each plant seemed to be latter it's
kind" Variety" said General Harrison,
is essential to beauty. God does not use
ture is willing to take suggestions. God
paints the lily, but God has so ordered ma
ture that plants will reflect in their pig
me mems the minerals deposited in the soil by
In closing, General Harrison bespoke for
the florists and the chrysanthenum show
the hearty cooperation ands patronage of
the citizens Of indianapolis.
!. sydney Stewart. of Anderson, president
or the Indiana Florists Association re-
sponded briefly to General Harrison's open
ing address, on behalf of the association
thanking him and the citizens of Indian
| apons for the words of welcome and the
interest manifested on the opening night
Mr. Stewart characterized the chrysanthe-
sonifcation of the American spirit Of ''get
there" He told how the chrysanthemiim
NAG grown into popular favor, although
when first discovered it had nothing to rec
ommend 1T to fayor-neither form color
nor perfume. In the manner it had pushed
sad, was Illustrated by the national ''get
there spirit
HOW THE SHOW APPEARS.
Each year the florists who have in charge
the chrysanthemum show or floral festival
seek to make the display finer than the last
and each year they succeed. Tomlinson Hall
presents gorgeous spectacle in the display
OF the flowers which have been brought
from all parts of the country for this week.
Plants and garlands lead from the street to
the entrance of the hall Inside. under q
brilliant light, from hundreds of tiny globes.
there is mass of color. At the entrance
there is at either side a miniature mountain
of palms and foliage plants Against the
wall rests a mantel decorated in the highest
style OF the florists art. Maiden hair fern
and vines form the top ferns and pink roses
ana chrysanthemumS the shelf adornment
ana masses of palms and ferns are at either
side, the whole being harmony of pink nd
green. The complete geometrical design of
the hover gardens on the main floor is best
seen from the gallery. In the center is a
star or flowers, at the right and left are
elliptical beds of ferns and palms. and at
the ends are triangles, with the noint fo
the center. The corners of the hall are in
acknowledged beds, and between the dia-
Each one of these is filled with ported
blooms of white, pink, yellow and red in
every conceivable shade. the whole, through
the large end of an opera glass; looking like
design in a kaleidoscope. This is bordered
with a row of tables at either side the
entire length Of the hall, which are laden
with the choicest cut blooms, few of them
smaller than a tea saucer. Overhead is a
huge umbrella Of laurel, with fringe of
colOred nampas grasses, and swung from
the ceiling are festoons of laurel which
cross and recross. Bits of Florida moss
float from the green.
The balconies are hidden with white and
purple cloth, also slightly festooned and
across the line Of white is smlax and as
paragus vine In front of the stage is the
cyclamen and carnation display with bios
SONS so large that it seems a if they must
be made of tissue. paper, such is their gen.
erosity OF material.
and foliage decoration. The rows of green
and at the extreme rear flags are draped
From the arch above the stage to the rear
are festoons of laurel, and again across the
stage from side to side are other festoons
The orchestra occupied the stage, as it will
each night the sounds of music coming
from unseen musicians. In the corner near
the east corridor is the booth where flowers
ar for SALE These are in charge of Mrs
May Wur- Nell Miss Clara Smith and Miss
Rother.
The features of last nights display were
the cut flowers, chrysanthemums roses and
carnations. An interesting part of the
chrysanthemum show is previous to the
opening night, when the flowers begin to
arrive. The cut blooms are the result of
the florists best art. Only one flower is
allowed to grow on a stem. This is brought
to perfection by means only known to the
florist. When the week of the show arrives
these are cut close to the root The bloom
Is carefully wrapped in paper and tied. The
box of wood is as long as the bloom and
an IL.