The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-04-05
EAsTER's BEAUTY BLOOM.

CASTERS BEAUTY BLOOM.
DAvsrsts Flowers 81 the opsen Fss-
tfval of ChYAstsnAom.
Easter 10 essentially an artistic hoh-
day and pre-eminently a day of fow-
eYs. Nothing 10 % beautiful AZ the
great spring miracle. the budding Of
ME and bloom out Of the bare, brown
branches that seemed like so many
dead things during winter. Every
bright spring day now the crowds of
promenaders, men and women, big |
and little, show responsiveness to the |
reawakening Of the earth, and florists
windows end sidewalks give promise
Of the abundance Of flowers soon to be.
Preparations for Easter, the crown Of
the flower season, says the Philadel-
phia Times, are begun by the florists
many weeks before the day actually
arrives, and the smartest shops in
town are all receiving their orders
now.
What flowers are the peoples favor
ties? First and foremost the lily, Eas-
people who buy and enjoy the Bermu-
da lilies have little idea what an ex-
tensive business the propagation Of
these lovely spring flowers has become.
The bulbs are shipped from Bermuda
In great quantities during the autumn
and winter and placed in greenhouses
to be developed into the lovely plant
which has become symbolic of Easter.
As to the number Of these bulbs now
produced In Bermuda and shipped to
the United States for Easter purposes
1t is said that between 10000, 600 and
IL, OOO, 900 bulbs were sent last year.
The enormous quantities of Easter
lilies produced happily place plant
within the reach of the most modest
purse. This Easter plants can proba-
bly, be escursd at all prices varying
from 30 cents upward, 30 that hun
dreds Of tbsse jewel-like flowers will
shed their purity and beauty in the
humblest Of homes.
Baster hfies, however, are not the
only flowers Of Eastertide. Perhaps
the most popular flower after the lilly
is the nzalea which is already being
sold in the shops and along the streets,
the prices ranging all the way from 81
to well on up to $50. The azaleas come
In the double and single varieties and
in eolors that deepen from snowy white
through the most delicate pinks to a
vivid rose and deep crimson.
Roses will be depended upon largely
this Easter, while hlacs, the very ex-
pensive product of the greenhouse, and
lilies Of the valley, hyacinths, margue-
rites and very effective yellow daisy
which appears early in the spring will
all be very popular Easter favorites
Easter being the queen festival OF
Christianity, flowers are a chosen me-
dunn for the expression of philanthropy
ic inclinations at this season. You have
the reputation Of being good natured
well meaning man, or you are kind
hearted woman. Then remember the
children in the hospitals, who cannot
share in the sunshine and spring skies
Of Easter day, and the grownup sick
also, for you never saw man or wo
man who was too old to appreciate {
flower and the dear people in the ole
folks home, who have few Casters We
to come, and in remembering them
At last heavenly hand
Give thee, give thee,
Lilies of eternal peace.
1t is a pity that the flowers will no
comply with the needs of the Easte
festival and bloom two months earle
than usual, but happily for the luxuri
Gus Christians of the modern worl,
our florists know how to create an az
tificial spring to match the imaginar
moon, and they also know how to i'm
port from tropical islands the flower
that bloom in their spring a thousan
miles away.
: All through this snowy and frost,
winter fields Of lilies have been grow
Ing for us in Bermuda and are now ex
:, haling their fragrance in city green
u houses. The early Easter, therefore
= will not lack it's fiowery offerings, mo
would it lack them II it should com
y In the middle of January
The flowers that salute the mornin
of this beautiful festival connect u
with the remotest recorded antiquit,
y The oldest Egyptian tombs bear test
mony, both in their pictures and /
their inscriptions, that 1000 years ag
human beings made the same use {
flowers in the religious festival of til
spring that we do in 1902.
!. Before Pharaoh reigned the easter
- people placed flowers upon such altar
70 as they had in token of gratitude an
:. gladness. Wreaths and garlands {
flowers were hung in the temple
Bouquets and mounds and pyramids
flowers were employed precisely {
j they are with us.
It At private feasts a bouquet was O
e fered to each guest on his arrival, al
b we perceive that it was a polite O
It servance for guests to exchange floy
% ers selected from their bouquets.
,e would be difficult to think of any III
of flowers made by US, whether in pI
vate entertainments or in public Ger