Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-04
NOW FOR FLOWER SHOWS
ENGLISH CUSTOM WORTHY OF
IMITATION HERE.
just the Thing TO Raise Money
for Charities the
Prizes.
Written fer The Evening Star.

Written fer The Evening Star.
Flowers have never been SO popular in
! this country as now. Almost every owner
of 4 small SUBURBAN residence has prrEi-
| lection for the raising OF some particular
plant. in the cultivation Of which he fam
c,es he exccls. Every housewife has hcr
| faNerite window or porch plants. to the pro-
motion Of whose growth she il devoted In
hours Of leisure. one cannot take a sum-
mer population anywhere and not find a
majority Of people devoted to amateur flower
raising
1t is our English cousins who have shown
| US how much pleasure may he derived from
| this pursuit. The English have a pleasant
way of stimulating interest in Horticulture
In rural neighbornooas by a plan which at
the same time yields great deal Of social
| amusement, and is very often a means III
raising money for some charitable object
| MS i done by means OF the flower show
| and in America. where almost every rlath-
Oh likely to lure the reluctant dollar fr,n,
me public pocket has been tried the Hover
SNOW Is well worth an experiment
IN England the flower show is generally
h"id IN public hall or in the school house
NOT lar from The grounds of some country
gentleman who j.. al a rule one of IN. Of
| hcers OF the local Horticultural society =,
winch al the gentry Of the neighhorhoaE
belong. The grounds OF the aforcr,ssr.i,,g-
ed officer are. between the hours OF = ,ri
O'Clock. thrown open to the public Tn
most and hostess and several of thu. great
,adles OF the county are stationed near the
mouse 10 receive the guests and abou; 4
O'Clock refreshments are served In no
mouse to select and Invited few F',r -.
NlIiaSerS more simple viauds are provided
uhder the trees A band Of music plaNs
anu ABOUT o'clock the prizes are ,iiStrib-
u'ed 10 those who have won the AWARDS M
the flower show.
Modify Old Country Way.
In America the form of the English
mower show would need to be considerably
fh"diiied III for the purpose OF raising
| money for a church or hospital or school
| iund or for the benefit Of Uncle Sans SOL
dlers or sailors, it might be held altogether
on lawn. long tables under an omen tent
| being used for the accommodation NJ tho
noWers. fee is charged for admissio,,
| this being the source from which me- -
tht pi"nl Is derived. When the show IS
LOT ue benefit of church public insti-
| 'uion' IL Is quite easy TO induce prominent
merchants TO donate prizes to be iistributsl
ID the owners OF fine plants Of flowers
AS interest in the show will deprnI 1,p,p
the beauty OF the display nf ;lnp-a,- ali
the leading florists and flower growers Of
the neighborlood should be asked 10 s.ud
specimens in competition for prizes The
"hterpfisiEg florist who Is always on In.
lookout Tor a means Of adv,r tisins tn, a.
ceIience of his goods will be glad To sind
plants and specimens under the care If ..,a
oi MS employees. who Will be responsible.
Tor their condition while they are absent
from the shop or green house Th,. assist
ance OF the florists and nurs.rymen in adj
NlSlng how the prize list ought 10 be ar
ranged should be sought Sfp9rare
prizes should be given to professionals and
amateurs. Prizes should be offered for the
best home grown flowers OF different kinds,
and an exhibit grown especially by chill
dren would be Interesting. Many ri those
who have sent flowers will donate them 10
, the charitable object for which the show IS
he hon Ga1g
itors. Music should be furnished by a
band or string orchestra. and in the even
ing the grounds and the tent whore the
| flowers are exhibited are lighted by Jap
anese lanterns. Lemonade and refresh
ments may be served for nominal SUM.
and the merry-go-round man. If the
grounds are large, might have Il portion Of
the lawn for his machine. Flower sellers.
with small bOutonneres. will be able u
| profitdbly sell their wares at such an af-
| fair.
= Too Modest to Compete.
AS many people will be modest abou.
competing for prize, they should be urged
to send their flowers in order to add to the
beauty Of the exhibit. If the show is given
| for good cause. not many will refuse this
plea In the evening a program of vocal
and instrumental music may be presented
under the trees. Part songs. serenad-s
and mandolin and guitar music sound well
IL the flower show has been planned
some time in advance. the chances Of its
success are always better. The conditions
under which the prizes are given should
be that the flower has been planted by
| the exhibitor or has been I'm his or her
possession long enough time to show the
effect of good care.
The show may be given indoors, but il is
| thus scarcely ever SO attractive
In some localities. where many persons
| are interested in the growth Of a particu-
| lar flower. a chrysanthemum. Cfchid, rose
| or peony show may be held at the season
when these flowers are at their best. OF
course, other flowers may also be exhih-
| tied.
In the summer IT is so hard to find any
way Of raising money for charitable en-
terprise. by the old-fashioned lawn
or garden party, that the flower show pre-
sents itself as a novel and interesting form
| of entertainment for this season.
AMY SCHUYLER.