The record-union., 1899-11-04
THE ADMIRAL's WREATH.
The Beautiful Gift Of the United
States Senate.


The large laurel wreath which was
presented to Admiral Dewey ny Inc
United States Senate was seen by 1eW
people before it was placed IN the nahes
of the victorious sea fighter, ana those
who saw it, unless they had soiIie
knowledge of the plant which 1urhish-
ed the material probably thought II was
the handiwork of a skillful silversmltn'
The wreath, about three feet in dame
fer was made of silver laurel leaves,
mounted on a base of natural pampas
grass. In speaking of the laurel, MT.
Warendorff. who furnished the unique
decoration. said: THE leaf of the silver
laurel is a trifle larger than our kalmla'
and is not glossy green, but OF pure
silver gray on both sides ana oelioa.e
ly yeined The leaves have Wnlte
metallic luster and exquisite softness OIL
tone. and are of hardy nature
The three streamers of rich salln
with which the wreath was decorated
were inscribed in gold letters, on the
white, symbol of peace, Admiral Dew
ey,,: on the navy blue, United states
Senate, September %. 1897; on the
red. the badge of courage, When READY
you may fire, Gridley!"
.sThe silver laurel grows only in South
Africa" said the florist, s'and has peen
looked upon for ages as sacred plant
by the natives, who use it as decora-
ton for festive occasions. Its beauty
and similarity to silver have induced
collectors to send it to European coun-
tries, and the inroads on the growing
stock have been so great that lis eA-
portation has been prohibited, ana the
leaves which now come to Europe ana
to the United States have to be SNUG
gled, and bring a high figure IN the
market, the price in New York being
about 25 cents a leaf"
There can be no doubt as to the
beauty of the Dewey laurels, but IL
has been argued that material from
nearer home and that had not been op-
tanned clandestinely might have peen
more appropriate for the purpose.
BY the presentation of a laurei
wreath to Admiral Dewey his fellow
citizens simply followed custom whlcn
was established by the Greeks many
hundred years ago, and by the cere-
mony of. presentation he became one
of the host of laurel crowned characters
WHO uS SuIe III lldHy CudplCiS ~
worlds history.
The laurel of the ancientS was dark
green, and was the same hardy plant
which is now found in abundance in the
Mediterranean region and in the ca
nary Islands. The plant was known TO
them by the name Daphne. 1t was
consecrated by them to heroes ana
priests, and used in sacrifices. The an
clients looked upon the plant as crown
for poets, because of the traditions with
which it was associated. Daphne, the
beautiful daughter of the river god
Ladon, was loved, SO goes the story. py
Apollo, and when the god was about
to take her she prayed to her mother,
who changed her into laurel tree.
According to the best authorities on
the subject, there are at least four
shrubs or small trees known as laurel
or bay, but the Laurens nobilis. yictor's 8
laurel known also as sweet bay, was
the one which was used by the an
clients to decorate their favorites. It
has large, leathery. shining, reticu-'
lated leaf, and with auxiliary clusters
of yellowish white fowers. The fruit
is oval. blush black in color, and about
half an inch long. 1t is not as COM
mon In England as the species of cher
ry laurel. or common laurel. which IS
also found in the United States.