The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-09
OF THE TuBERosE.
Has Disappeared Altogether From
the Market

One of the flowers that are almost
rare to-day is the tuberose, which has
lost it's place in gardens and is seen
no more frequently in the florists shops.
Unlike many other rare plants, there
is no search to-day for this one time
favorite. Its disappearance is doubtless
due to the little demand that has ex-
listed for it during the past ten years.
Somewhat longer ago it had a place
in nearly every garden, even if it's
former popularity had SO far declined
that it was not to be found in the
florists shops. Like all other flowers
that go out of fashion. the tuberose be-
came "a speciality of the street vendors.
Not many summers ago they used to
offer on Broadway stalks of the heavy
scented, pallid blossoms. Later the
roses stood in tubs awaiting the selec,
ton of purchasers who still had taste
for the brittle little roses. Now these
survivors have to grow their own tube
roses or search for them in more spots
than those occupied by the street flower
seller, for they have given the tube
roses up altogether, and the flowers are
scarcer now than orchids The public
seem reconciled to getting along with
Oul lueIll, anu IlOUOOy inquiries lO-udy
after the vanished flowers.
Another blossom at one time in great
demand is now seldom seen. This is
the Marechal Mel rose once the most
cherished and expensive that the flor
lists sold. Now the fragrant yellow
blooms, with their rich, green leaves,
and thick, graceful petals are rare In
the florists windows. No rose sold to-
day Isl nearly so fragrant, and only two
or three species are it's superiors in
beauty. The Marechal Mel roses domi
mated the field, and the costly, modish
bouquet was at one time made chiefly
of them. Yet they are seen to-day only
in the gardens or Conservatives of per-
sons who cultivate roses or in the gar
dens of the South. where they grow lux
uriantly. The search of the New York
florists reveals few of them, even
when the season is at its height. Those
found have little of the fragrance that
used to be one of the noticeable quail
ties of the Marechal Mel in the days Of
popularity, and is still characteristic Of
those in the South.
The other morning "Sun" reporter
happened to be in one of the wholesale
flower stores that line each side of an
untown block near Broadway. On the
long tables stretching from one emu of
the room to another was flowers of
every description. The supply was
smaller than that to be seen on a win
ter morning, but it was rich in beauty
and variety. Some old-fashioned coun-
try flowers, unfamiliar to the COM
pany of the cultivated exotics about
them, were to be seen. but there was
no trace Of the tuberose or the Mare
chal Mel. The dealer said that both
of them had practically disappeared
from the flower markets of the day.
sTuberoses went long ago." he said,
land nobody regretted their going.
They first began to lose their popularity
after they We're tacitly accepted as the
proper thing for funerals. They held.
that reputation for years and became
so closely identified with these SER
vices that they were never used for
anything else. After while, they were
forgotten there, too, and nobody ever
thinks of trying to revive them. They
belonged to period in which taste was
not as highly developed as it is to-day,
The Marechai Mel, with it's pale yellow
petals, could not hold it's own against
the large and brilliant roses in demand
too day.
The American Beauty has practically
become the only rose in general de-