The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-29
THE SEASON OF VIOLETS
HIGHLY SCENTED FLOWERS THAT
ARE IN STRONG DEMAND.
Exhibition of White and Purple Vio-
lets and Boston Ferns at the
Indiana Floral Festival.

Violets are just coming into season at
the greenhouses of the city and they are
retailing at . cents each, with a strong
demand at that price. The early indications
are that violets will be in greater demand
this winter than they have been in pre-
vious seasons, and purchasers are already
so eager after them that the growers are
coaxing the plants to produce the blooms
in greater number The retail florists are
making them into large bouquets for brides
and young men paying some extrava-
CANT prices for punches of generous size for
their sweethearts. These flowers are much
in demand too, for dinner favOrs. The
florists say the price of vioets is regulated
by the demand that is making them scarce
and by the trouble experienced i'm growing
them The violet requires more patience
than any other flower in a greenhouse and
one plant is not abundant producer of
the blossoms. The plants are CLEANED OF
their flowers early every morning and they
are of good color and highly scented a
they appear on the counters of retail flor
lists. Most of the violets sold in Indian
apollS come from the greenhouses of the
Smith & Young Company, wholesale grow
ers, near Irvington. Besides trying to sup
ply the demand of the retail trade the
company is preparing To make large ex-
hibit of viOlets at the Indiana floral festival
next week. 1t has one greenhouse. about
100 feet long, that contains nothing but
violet plants and hundreds of the flowers
are being cut each day from them. The at
moSphere Of this greenhouse is heavy with
its violet perfume. The single flowers have
stems six and eight inches i'm length. Guam
titles of violets with double flowers are
now busting into bloom for exhibition at
the flower show and a portion of the ex-
hlbit will be made up of white violets,
variety that is newer than the purple OF
the same shape as the single purple variety
and as mighty scented
"A grower of ViOlets. said Mr.. Young
docs not wonder why these flowers are
so much in favor They are the daintiest
blossoms in a greenhouse and the grower
soon gets his heart as we'll as his hands
into the work of cutivating them"
Another exhibit al the flower show that
Is expected to be of interest TO women
will be that of Boston ferns. The Berter-
mann Floral Company has greenhouse
that is well filled with these plants and
will have an extensive exhibit OF them at
TomlinSOn Hall. indianapolis women have
been buying Boston ferns like hot cakes
for some time and the demand for them be-
comes stronger as cold weather approaches.
They are particularly favored by women
who live in flats and apartment houses al
though thousands of them have been sold
to private households. The Boston fern
seems to be taking the place of the palm
as an indoor plant. They cost from 30 cents
to s. each. and they are hardy and easily
cared for. All they require is a little water
every day and an occasional sun coaxeS
new leaves into life. They are dainty and
clean and look well a dining table
as they do in a parlOr. They grow rapidly
and possess many of the good qualities of
the palm. Some of the Boston ferns ex-
pand their leaves until they reach width
of twelve feet. The plants become very
DuShy and even a novice can have much
success in developing them. In addition TO
the exhibits of Boston ferns, which are
named for the city where the craze for
them originated, many of them will be used
in the general decorations of Tomlinson
Hall next week