New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-03
ROSES AT FORTY DOLLARS.
POPULARITY OF THE POINsETTIA IN THIS
WINTERS DECORATIONS.

WINTERS DECORATIONS.
Among the floral decorations OF the holiday sea-
plant has been especially prominent. and will
probably continue to be used conspcuous.y through
the winter. This is the poinsetta. With its
brilliant scarlet and green. this presents most cheer
full appearance and is particularly appropriate to
adorn cold weather festivities The plant Is shrub
OF Mexican origin. and its usual height Is from two
to three feet The true flowers small yellow BIOS
SONS which make slight show, but the chief beauty
of the ponsea lies in the many leafiike bracts OF
a vivid scarlet. which surround these yellow flowers.
The bracts almost as large the leaves Of the
plant. and OF about the same shape. One flower" as
it Is commonly called meaning thereby the cluster
Of tiny yellow blossoms with the bracts around them
grows on each stalk, and constitutes plant by it.
SELF. The flower measures from six inches 10 foot
across. varieties having double OF the red
bracts. IL proper care is given 1t, plant will keep
Its blossom for month, and remain fresh and bright
looking during that time. 1t must be well-watered
and protected from cold draughts After the flower
has been cut the plant will bloom again II 1t is re-
stored to tie moist. artificial heat of the greenhouse
A florist would probably be most successful In pro-
ducng this result. The cut flowers will keep fresh
for about week in q vase OF water.
The Georgia pine, with its huge but graceful
plumes the needles of which measure a foot in
length is new and popular among this winters
greens. Great branches are merclessly cut from
the trees in the South and shipped in large guam
titles TO this city, where they broken up still
further If necessary. to suit the kind of decoration
desired The needles of the Geogira pine have a
curious habit of growing directly from the branch
along Its entire length thus forming kind OF
sheath which almost hides the bark from view In
Its general appearance branch of the pine is not
unlike some of the finer varieties of palms
All cut flowers have been unusually expensive 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
exception to the general rule. in the reason OF
their costliness this winter. From $l2 dozen. the
regular price for the longest stemmed flowers they
lave gene up with startling rapidity. until they
reached the climax week two ago. at $40 q
dozen. This was due principally TO the unusual
scarcity of the flowers. The OF stormy dar k
weather early las; month affected the produc.
| tion OF the blossoms that florists found II almost
| impossible to get them at any price. This. more
even than the Christmas demand. increased their
cost, and people who insisted upon having them had
| luxury. Now American Beauties bringing 81;
and $50 dozen for the best specimens. and IL the
weather is bright and favorable the price Will prob
ably drop further In the next few weeks
| Two new ideas this season serve to Increase mate
rally the expense OF presenting flowers. To CORE
either I'm extremely artistic and decorative boxes
tied with ribbons fully six inches wide, or In deep
vases of the real or imitation Bohemian glass. The
/ boxes are triumphs Of daintiness and the green
and-gold of the vases seems TO bring out with es'
| peciai charm the beauty Of any flower.