The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-05
FLOWERS ON STEAMERS.
Thousands of Dollars Worth of Re-
 membranees for Passengers.
n the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
 When the Kronprinz Wilhelm sailed for Europe last week her main saooon looked like a flower show. A New York florist who was there to see friend off, said that the display did not cost a penny less than sf5,000. While this was probably record. he said, 1t was noth- ing unusual at this time of the year for an Atlantic liner 10 go to sea with anywhere from $500 to Sl ,OOO worth of cut flowers on board as parting gifts. It all depended on the prominence or the popularity of the passengers Like every other New York luxury, this one in- ereases in proportion every year.
 The chief steward on one of the big White Star boats told how such an enor- nous quantity of flowers is disposed of after the vessel gets past Sandy Hook. They must be removed from the saloon. of course, before the first meal. An es- pecially elaborate piece is taken to the music room for exhibition, but the ma jority of the flowers are sent to the cab ins of the persons for whom they were intended.
 Flowers for passengers are not taken to the cabins when they reach the vessel, unless specially marked. Most of them are intended as surprises to the recipi- ents who know nothing about them un- til they see them in the general display In the saloon. It occasionally happens that lover, who has some bunch of flowers of sentimental significance that he does not want the throng of passengers to see, has sent it to his lady loves cabin, so that she will see 1t after the last good- byes have ben said But such cases are exceptional. Most of the flowers are talk en to the saloon.
 Many passengers have not room for their flowers in their cabins. Others are made sick by the smell of them at sea although very fond of them on land. If passenger wishes flowers kept fresh, she can make an arrangement with the cabin steward and have a different bouquet at her seat in the dining room or fresh corsage boquet daily for the remainder of the voyage. The cold storage facilities on the modern ocean liners make almost anything possible in this respect By working together and sharing their emol- uments the stewards can do as they please.
 The fancee of a rich New Yorker who went abroad last summer found a mag nifcent bunch of violets on her table every morning during the voyage, just as she had ben accustomed to at home There was no card attached, but she seemed to know. for she buried her face in the violets and blushed very prettily when friends at the table chaffed her After her morning promenade she sent her violets to the steerage, usually ask ing the ships doctor to divide them be- tween sick women who could not get on deck.
 number of flowers on shipboard get to the steerage before the voyage is over but not until their charm and freshness are gone. On a recent voyage of the Cedric a girl persuaded a young man of her acquaintance to wear in hls button- hole one of the roses that had been sent to her After one round of the deck where he met one or two friends who had been across before, he was observed to throw the rose overheard and secrete himself in the smoking room for couple of hours It is about as absurd to wear boutonniere at sea as it is to wear high Silk hat. There is nothing to prevent man from wearing one if he wants to, but few do.
 Flowers can be kept fresh in the cold storage room until the ship (unless she is a slow one) reaches Southampton or Liverpool. This Is seldom done unless passenger has some special object in making present on the other side Fresh flowers all the way across are good enough even in these days of progress OId ocean-gofng travellers smile and say. What next?'