Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-02
MxazTHINOO 81 81
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generally turn out from two TO three per
day. They are simply crayoned or painted
over a photograph which is enlarged from
the photograph that is furnished. All the
stuff about there being one favored person
in each square is wind. That by itself
should be enough to convince any intelll-
gent person that the thing is a swindle, but
somehow It does not, for the thing is
swallowed entire. If the people who are
swindled. or on whom an attempt at swim
die IS made, would inform the police the
thing could in time be stopped, but the vic
tins seem 20 prefer to keep their weak
neSSeS from being made public, and il goes
on continuously If people really want a
photograph enlarged a portrait painted
they can have It done in a dozen reputable
establishments in the city, at prices, too,
even less than these Swindlers charge.
They can get frame and all for less than
the swindlers will furnish it. Another out
rdgcOuS thing i'll connection with the swim
die is that the Ca4vassers always claim
that they are sent out by the COrcoran Art
Gallery and that the enlarSements and por-
traits have in every case the approval of
the art committee Of that gallery.
Thanksgiving day is usually the day on
which a beginning is made by the country
people in laying out their plans and looking
UP the crowsfoot, holly. ivy, the MOSES and
other things that go into Christ mas
greens" explained colored auntie TO a
Star reporter; land until Christmas has ac-
tuaIly come there is no let-up. First the
greens which grow in the woods has to be
looked I'D and located; then comes the
gathering Of it, and the next the preparing
Of ii As yard after yard of the wreaths
and garands of cTowsfoot Is made, il s
buried in the ground to keep the air or
light from getting to it. This preserves its
freshness until the time comes for it to be
hauled to market. Many of the market
people know to a few yards exactly how
many yards they can dispose Of for many
of them get orders in advance and often
from the same customers every year.
have supplied one Catholic and one EpisCO-
pal church in this city with their Christ
mas greens every year for over twenty
years and already have received their or
der for the coming Christmas. There is
not much novelty in the business, the prices
being about the same each year. The price
rarely varies. crowsfoot always bringing
five cents yard-that is. the ordinary kind.
and the specially heavy ten cents. The red
holly berries do not hold out as we'll as
the green stuffs. and as a rule they are not
put In the pieces until the last thing, two
or three days before Christmas. The old
folks and children alike work in twisting
up the crOwsfoot and everything else is set
aside for the time that can be set aside.
Much of it is done at nighttime. Nearly
all the material for Christmas greens Is
gathered in Virginia. in Fairfax and near
by counties. though some Of the MOSES,
holly and ivy is gathered in Maryland. The
Virginia crOwsfOOt is easier handled than
that collected elsewhere. Some people think
that the green stuff can be collected near
by. but there is none of it to be had nearer
than up near Fairfax Court House, and
much of it comes a distance of twenty to
thirty miles
:; x < = K
This year good many people who use
m!stletoe largely for Christmas decora-
ton" said Wholesale dealer in Christmas
greens in New York to the writer recently.
will have to be satisfied with the American
products, which come mostly from Della
ware and Virginia, as the supply of Eng
fish, or, more correctly speaking, French
mistletOe is limited and will be unusually
expensive. The imported mistletoe is the
Normandy, where. until a few years ago.
it tiOurished on apple trees In great abund-
ance. But the French growers have lately
discovered that the cultivation of too
much mistletOe absorbs the sap of their
! trees and impoverishe5 them and for this
reason its growth is no longer extensively
| encouraged.
The imports of French mistletoe to this
! country Will probably not amount to more
| than 200 cases this year against COO cases
in lS9s. The foreign article will the worth
from - 70 40 cents bunch, which IS lust
double the price that 1t has hitherto been
sold for here. There Is, however. one CON
ISOLATION in the fact that American mistletoe
is now exceptionally fine and plentiful. 1t
I can be had for 10 and 10 cents per bunch"