The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-21

go well together. In buying flowers they
need not worry about such things. for as
the florist has a great deal of the artist
about him, he can tell what colors blend
well and make pretty combinations.
vIOLETS AND AMERICAN BEAUTIES.
The most popular flower among the mas
culine buyers is the violet This little
flower seems to appeal TO them and is al
ways in great demand during the Christ
mas season. The manner in which they are
put up is in a little box shaped similar to
mans high hat. These boxes are great
ly sought for by young men who wish to
remember their feminine admirers, and are
very appropriate for mere acquaintance,
where elaborate presents would be entirely
out of place. Jardinieres filled with palms
are also bought largely by older men, and
a great many of them remember their
wives with these. Such "a present is quite
expensive, for besides palms there are
various kinds of other rare plants that can
be purchased. and the prices are very high
A new thing in the way OF flowers for
Christmas gifts. and which tends more TO
the design than anything that has been so
far introduced is a loRg-handled basket
which is filled with plants and various kinds
of flowers that have long stems. These
make the most elaborate presents that the
florists have offered. and yet in price they
can be brought within the reach of every
one, for they range from 50 to S25.
The only popular flower that there is
going to be scarcity OF this year is the
American Beauty rose. This, while il is
popular among buyers, is not sought by the
florists, and they would be glad to see the
day that this flower is no longer in demand
by the fashionable set. OF all of the roses
ii is the greatest favorite and most ex-
pensive. The quality and price of it are
wholly determined by the length of it's
stem. and rose of this variety which has
a stem that reaches to the floor is very
valuable. The American Beauty well de-
serves its name. and It's general appearance
suggests richness. 1t is large and of a
brilliant, deep red, and the very way that
the bud is attached to the stem suggests
that its name might imply pride 1t is
often said that the name Of a book has
much to do with its sale. a book having an
attractive title being nearly always popular.
Florists say no doubt the same thing ap-
plies to flowers, and that the name of the
American Beauty rose is half of its popu-
ioiAty' LUZ any with the name Amer1-
can attached TO IL is naturally attractive to
the people Of this country. BY the prices
that are demanded for 1t one would think
that the profit the florist derives is very
great. whereas the profit on the American
Beauty Is smaller than that on any other
flower. The reason for this is that il is i'm
possible for local florists to raise them,
owing to the time ii takes for them to de-
velop and because they would not be COM
pensated for the care which is necessary in
the raising of the plants. All of this va
riety of rose sold in this city comes from
the East and from Chicago, the largest sup
ply coming from the latter place on ac-
count Of its closeness. The florists here
have to buy them from concerns that are
devoted to the raising of these plants and
the prices paid are high. 1t is through these
wholesale concerns that the prices are kept
up, and 1t is for this reason that the florists
would like TO get the American Beauty rose
out of existence. The demand for it, how
ever, does not decrease, but Instead is grow
ing larger all the time. 1t Is on account
of the great demand that there is such a
shortage in the supply this year There is a
rose called the Liberty which closely re-
sembles the American Beauty, and can be
raised by all the local florists. The demand
for it Is growing. and in many cases it can
be substituted for the more fashionable
flower. 1t is much less expensive and sells
from 50 to IS a dozen.