New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-25
NOW A LAVENDER SONG.
ALL THE LONDON STREETS ECHOING
WITH IT'S REFRAIN.

THR CULTURE AND DlSrILLATIoN or THIS AFRO
matte HERE SUGGESTED As An occUPA-
TIoN FOR WOMEN
One Of the oldest street cries Of London. and
perhaps the most characteristic Of the few that
survive to this day. &c the lavender song. Every
year when the lavender begins 10 bloom freely IN
the fields at Mitcham the sweet Old World melody
sung 10y the hucksters calls again TO view pictures
Of quiet gardens IN quaint old manors and farm
steads where the gray bush with its purple spikes.
grows among the lilies and the roses.
i is difficult 90 catch the exact air 81 the laven-
der song for each singer varies IT slightly 10 suit
her own musical taste. Learned without book
from one another, each is az liberty 10 add grace
notes Of her own, 10 vary the repetition OF the
chorus or the alteration az It's few simple ca
dences The words are also subject to the same
changes. though the usual rendition IS as follows:
On. who will buy blooming lavender
Sixteen good branches penny
Now's the time 10 buy your lavender
gathered It fresh i'm the valley
If YOU buy IT once. you'll buy # twice
cast your eye. It's time 20 buy lavender for the
Who viii buy my blooming lavender?
] gathered it I'm the valley
Like all traditional lore the main characteristics
Of the song are faithfully preserved In spite or
variation Lavender IS perhaps tho only flower that
has any claim upon the popular fancy for i's
aromatic properties alone. It's flowers were for
rnerV considered good Tor dH NlS'IH'l0 vi '"r
head and nerves" spirit prepared from them
was known under the name Of palsy drops At
the present day compound spirit 81 lavender is
sometimes given in conjunction with other slim
ulants 10 nervous and hysterlcal persons or IS
used 10 give A color and favor 70 medicine. Lay
onder water consists of q solution or me Volaue
iii in shirt Of wine with the addition or the es-
sence Of musk rose. bergamot and am'cfRrls. but
IL Is rarely prepared by distlllatlon ot me MOVERS
win shirt The leaves and flowers or lavender
are said 10 have been used 10y the ancients I"
perfume their baths ,, 49,.
- "A a commercial speculation the cultivation OF
l,vender dates back only % 1873. IN England law
nrdor * cultivated chiefly for the distauon Of IFS
essential oil Of which IL yields on an average ~
ner cent when freed from the stalks. but IN tn
toIth OF FurOpe flowers form an Object OF
80 heiuc exported 20 the Barbary states. TN
kev and America IN England the flowers are coll
iectod r the beginning OF August ana taken direct
~ mo efil The Weld Of oil depends I'm great
measure upon the weather. After wet ana gu
Tuna and July the yield II sometimes oiHy m
as much as when the weather has been prlsnt ana
The climate of New-York is almost too sever"
Cor rertainfv I'm the raising Of lavender bur n ~"
,.icirify Of Philadelphia consldcrdbe qNahNl"s are
e,r,er for The market the dried flowers being used
o. e.ar. hays and porfuming linen
The most suitable soil for the growth or laN'h-
dor eeerns 70 be a sandy loan. with cdlcare"uS
enis+rafurn and the most Favorable position 4
cD,D,, elone I'm localities elevated aboN" the eNcI
~ foee where the plant Is not IN nais'r ol ".i
20 ~ is freely exposed 70 air and light Tho
su and climate Of Southern California are SAID 70
~ rarticu'erly well ADAPTED 20 the growth OF ,iI1
nurifying herb and IFS culture ana istl5'allon mas
teen suggested as most desirable ana HoratNe
ocruu4fiOn for women