The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29
TOILET OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM
a Process That Requires Skill and May
OCCUPY Three Hours.

4 Process That Requires Skill and May
Occupy Three Hours.
The perfect chrysanthemum han not yet been
developed but art may and does step in TO aid
nature in regulating details. Just as II does with
the human being. The chrysanthemums so
much admired at shows may have had their toilets
made with more care, and at greater expenditure
Of time and patience, than has gone toward the
dressing Of a woman S hair.
II takes three hours sometimes to make the
toilet Of single rare specimen Of the chrysanthe-
mum. One look at an ordinary chrysanthemum
OF n fine one before being treated will show that
there is II hole at the centre Of the blossom and
that the petals straggle in all directions, up and
down, right and left II looks like a lazy boy who
has forgotten TO comb his hair. The flower hair
dresser has his combs and brushes. but the combs
are pncers Of various sizes and the brushes Of
the sOitest cancels hair.
Suppose that the florist has succeeded In grow.
ing some fine specimens of that huge variety.
My Lady, some blossoms OF which have measured
fourteen inches in diameter. He cuts the blossom
with a long stem so that he can handle it we'll.
Then he places il in high glass vase, with a
broad base, but over the top, of the vase is what
looks like the socket OF can lestick with hole IN
it. The stem passes through this hole and down
into the until the lower petals Of the blossom
rest on the zinc support but not too firmly. Before
putting the flower into the vase to keep II from
willing under the long operation he has performed
the rOug hest part OF the work. his consists
In pulling out with the pincers enough petals
around the centre Of the blossom 10 permit the
others to close over that part. He is careful to
remove any worms. or defective, discolored petals
and then he begins tho combing process the
most tedious part Of all. One by one each petal
il put in place so that the contour OF the blossom
will he either perfect circle or q star Of many
rays. II any petal prove too obdurate TO stay
n place il is pulled out by gentle jerk with the
pinCers OF which there are several sizes on hand
one for the work at the centre and several Others
for the combing process OF finer or coarser varie'
ties When every petal has been put into place
the work would appear To be over. but this arts,
is most fastidious, nothing but perfection salts
fies him, and he takes up q camel's hair brush
with which he gently smoothes out every wrinkle
that Is detected by his practised eye Then, and
not till then, is My Lady ready for the admiring
throng at the exhibition.
This art OF flower ptrfecting was first introduced
by the English florists in their attempts TO out
do one another by showing the most perfect bios
SONS, but il has spread to America and the Con
tnenL and is practiced by all those seeking prizes
al the chrysanthemum shows, The process
varies slightly. being somewhat moro diffcul
when the flowers are TO be exhibited on the stalk
in pots but the hand OF the artistic florist has beer
at work. no matter how natural the flowers appeal
10 the uninitiatcd II s said that from three tc
four wears Of practice IL necessary before a mar
can he called an expert at the task OF making
the toilet Of the flowers but he then commando
a high salary.