The sun., 1903-03-22
FUNERAL FLOWERS COST MUCH
GROWTH OF THIS BRANCH or
THE FLORISTS TRADE.

IL Amounts to Seven.tenth OF the Annual
Outlay for Flowers In the United states
Odd Designs and Mottoes-"Crape
Chasers" and Their Grim Specially.
sThe large number OF floral designs
requiring six or eight carriages to convey
them to the cemetery, sent to the funeral
of the late Patrick Diver Of New York was
a good demonstration Of the extent to which
this particular branch of the industry has
reached" said an old-time florist the other
day. .And that was but one Of many
thousand cases for whenever a promi-
nent man dies his friends and relatives honor
his memory with profusion Of floral trib-
utes.
sThere il no other country in the world,
not except France. where so much money
is spent on funeral flowers az in America.
Taken in the aggregate. the purchases Of
blossoms In one form or other, as tokens
Of respect for departed Ones amount to
about seven-tenths Of the annual outlay
for flowers in the United States.
Probably the largest sum to date, spent
privately for this purpose, was for floral
designs in connection with the funeral
Of the wife OF one Of New York's wealthy
citizens. On that occasion between SIS 900
and $40 900 was expended, some OF the in
dividual wreaths costing 500 each.
Contrast that with the conditions ex-
listing forty years ago, when, II a florist took
in 500 annually for funeral work, as it is
termed he considered himself lucky. Then
the custom was in it's infancy in the coun-
try: and the florist business itself here .
little over half a century old.
AT first the custom was favored only
by the very wealthy, among whom it grad
ually grew in popularity. until one day in
the sOs the request was made by the
relatives Of a rich man deceased, Please
omit flowers That had a baneful effect
on the business for time. However. the
custom was taken up by the other people
and reassumed by the rich. until to-day
there is probably not funeral in America,
among rich or poor, without it's comple-
ment Of floral tokens; and that despite the
appended words in obituary notices. omit
flowers
.In modern times the character OF the
designs has greatly changed. The cross,
anchor, star. crescent. wreath, gates ajar,
and SO forth, have supplanted the loose
flowers and cypress garlands OF old Some
tiful; others equally grotesque; and In place
of the simple wild flowers Of olden days,
the most costly greenhouse products are
now employed
In the early days Of the florist trade In
America. wooden hoops wound with
straw were utilized AZ a groundwork for the
foral wreath; and pointed staves. SINH
larly entwined, for crosses. Then the
aR.t..
permitting Of any pattern. and OF being
hlled with moss IN which TO stick the tooth
nick supported nj ems Of the flowers used
In making the design.
A great impetus was given to this class
OF trade in the o0s 10y florist who inaugu-
rated, or first exploited, the now universal
custom 81 working into designs some in
sfription, suitably lettered, such as Al
Re.i Mother. Our Daring, ac. Storl.s
are told la the trade about quecr mani
festation. of this custom
.klyout the tim. when notices were
frs, used on noral tributes there died Ia
New York young man Who was q meint,er
Of several faSl -Slde organizations, each
on. Of which sant.d Ia Guido the other
in TIA. makeup ~ ils horal offerings Ia the
m.mory IL the departed One oIInInil i.s
intnlsi,,i With the task 81 SELECTION after
full dslitr-ration, chose q wreath, giving
the horlsi Ii,sirusF ioils Ia inSofit~ lbnf-.n
m. Mas q hTliA PTot..is ~ Ia the ln.
AlIllfulHlat"ns.s ~ tho wording ssis of
49,. t,,F aid Ih.,- M. ,n.o,,ua i,,,
n.,,u, ,.,o5.s. an. ,a.,.,,., ~ a,',
dso.a.--d bioll,.T Hs ~as ll.o saii,o rlsid
thfuush siJ thf"ush
sl .,,,,,,dlil.a- llsla-rns tllai tho ,i,,slo.s
,..'ti'' 1. ~, M, fl, 49,, ,,,.,. =,
m "" -. 49,, ,.' -. a..
l.s,s,.s slih ds..sn i"' - i1i'.i-l "i .
A - ~ Ma
sff'f'f = -. 49, -.
'A~ ~ - '...... . "a. IA -'..f
sflss''s 49, ~. -. ..I...
hHht ~" 80
a. ,a. 800 H. iai 80 a., ~ .s,,..ssJ a Ia.