Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-02
FLOWERS FOR EASTER
PLENTIFUL SUPPLY OF BUDS AND
BLOSSOMS.
Enormous Sums Spent for Church Dec
orations and Floral Tributes
Azaleas Popular.

Coincident with the arrival of Easter
comes the thought of the beautiful spring
flowers one sees on every side and for
which large sums of money are spent an
nually. The churches must be supplied for
altar decoration and my lady" must have
a bunch of fragrant blossoms for her CIR
die. For weeks past the florists have used
every art known to the craft for forcing the
blossoms. and they have been successful to
a large degree, for there is abundance on
all sides with prices ranging from the
moderate to the extravagant. Prices, in
fact, range from 25 cents up to as much as
one is willing to pay. and the choice of
flowers extends from the modest violet-and
one may get very nice bunch of one hun
dred for $2-to bouquet of orchids the
price of which is limited only by the thick
ness of the purchasers pocketbook.
But whatever may be the price paid for
particular gift, the total amount of
money paid to florists in Washington dur
ing the week just ending is enormous
While the violet and the azalea remain
the favorite flowers there are several nov
elites this season which have attracted
much attention. Chief among these is the
blue hydrangea, which is imported from
France, and the yellow and pink heather,
also imported. Orange blossoms are more
popular this year than ever before. and the
large rambler rose has been brought to
state of perfection which the growers have
never before attained
Azaleas cry Popular.
In the azaleas themselves. which have
done more than anything else to crowd out
the gifts of cut flowers a few years ago,
there are novelties this year in the manner
of training them in the way they wouldn't
go if left to themselves Most frequently is
seen the conical shape, growing up like a
young spruce tree, with large rounded base
and tapering to beautiful pink white or
pink and white point.
There are plenty of roses, too, but the
demand for them was by no means as
great as ii was a few years ago, say the
florists They explain the change in flower
FASHIONS by the greater satisfaction which
is generally derived by the recipient of pot
ted howers, which will not wilt like the cut
flowers in a few hours
nave been in the flower business for
tWenty-three years." said a local florist to
Star reporter today, and 1 never knew
the lilies to be finer. The backward sea-
son and late Easter have been an advan-
taSe. When the season is early and the
Easter late it is difficult to keep the flow
ers back long enough. This year they
have come on naturally and are in prime
condition"
Japanese Growing Lilies.
The Easter lily is usually regarded as the
exclusive product of Bermuda, but japan
is now taking the lead in lily culture.
Within the last year half a dozen enter
prising Japs have gone into the lily bust
ness in New Jersey, and their flowers are
declared to be the finest in the market this
season. The Japanese lily, Lilum longi-
forum, is, as the name indicates, longer
than the Easter lily. 1t has six petals in
stead of five, and pure white pistil in
stead of the polen-loaded stamens which
are so apt to shake off their yellow burden
and Sully the wilderness OF the Bermuda
flower. These lilies last about twice as
long as the Bermuda lilies, it is said, and
cost much more For that reason the Ber-
muda lily is usually preferred for church.
es, since the flowers have to be used In
large quantities, and it is not important
that they should last Both these flowers
are grown from bulbs brought from the
different countries indicated by their
names. The blossoms themselves have.
never been imported from Japan, and are
coming less and less from Bermuda.
great many other flowers seen in the
Easter market are of foreign origin. Aza-
leas and rhododendrons come from Bel
GUM, and crimson ramblers, spree japon-
lea and mimosas are Japanese. They are
imported in dormant state In July and
forced in greenhouses they are wanted,
some of them being brought out for Christ
mas and others for Easter. This is much
less costly process than growing them en-
tirely in this country, owing to the cost of
labor and coal here.