Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-03

w. schools and public build
 ings. Way behind the times 50 far, it seems that it will be long time before it catches up, if it ever will catch up. Even its little neighbor, Naugatuck, about one-sixth its size, could give it long points in this respect. And every place on the Naugatuck division, from Bridgeport up, appears to be in the same peculiar and unexplainable rut Meriden, which is far behind Waterbury in ev- cry. other respect, Is away ahead of it in this matter of public ornamenta- ton. Bronson library park, that ought to be, and very easily could be, place of beauty and joy until the Consolidated railroad company runs it's new tracks alongside of 1t, Is nothing but big bIotch of faded green. And the Green itself, which costs the city considerable bother and expense every spring, is at its best, lounging spot for few, and an experiment. station of individual taste in window and verandah gardens where necessarily ones inclination must be limited very much, there is no great display. Here and there one will see few flowers in bloom on the main thorough fares, but the idea and fancy is ex- tremely slow in developing.
 This state of affairs is emphasized by the fact that there are only few florists to supply Waterbury's sixty thousand people with flowers. The foremost of these is Alexander Dal- las, who has the largest greenhouses in the city on Union and North Willow streets. Mir Dallas has been in busi- ness here twenty-eight years. Before coming here he was in business six years in Bridgeport. At the time of his arrival here James McWhinney was the only horticulturist in Water bury and his place of business was on Union street, where Mir Dallas is now. In fact they are the same be- cause Mir Dallas bought out MT Me Whitney and developed the business SO satisfactorily to himself and his patrons that in few years he found it necessary to extend his premises, and this he did by purchasing more land in the rear.
 The Union street greenhouses are remarkable for their fine product in palms, ferns and lilies. and for deco ratiye purposes MT Dallas's palms are without equal in the state. The bulb department is one of his greatest brides, for there the best that Holland and France can produce are developed into flowers. For years MT Dallas has been steady importer of rare bulbs from these countries, which are. fa-, nous the world over for their fine productions and excellence in variety. Another of his specialties is cut flowers. There are two ways of put ting cut flowers on the market, as there are in every business, but the great extension of Mir Dallas busi- ness is proof positive that he has the right way.
 The North Willow street green houses produce mostly roses, violets and chrysantheums and cut flowers. The taste for flowers has been so steadily developed through d the A in- street greenhouses proved to be far inadequate to the demand and a large tract was purchased on North Willow street.
 In his collections of mementos Mir Dallas has some very pleasing letters from many of his customers for the excellence with which he did their work. He does large business in decorating for weddings, unquestion- ably the largest in town, while his business outside of town is growing rapidly. Mir Rockwell, special minis ter to China, whose marriage took place in Litchfield, acknowledged MT Dallas proficiency as floral decora tor in very nice note. But this is only one of many. For funeral as well as wedding purposes Mir Dallas furnishes floral decorations. In fact in any way that flowers are used Mir Dallas services are constantly in de- mand His greenhouses are covered by sixty thousand square feet of glass and were he given ground taxes free for year he could not tell how many miles of hot water piping are used to keep the proper temperature under the great glass roofs. He employs about dozen men and clerks the year round. but if his business con tinues as it has been during the past few years he will have to engage more land and more help.