Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-30
FLOWERS In JAPAN.
Even the BcEEar VIII Spend His Last
Coin For n Blossom,

Even the BcEEar VIII Spend His Last
Coin For n Blossom.
Americans and Europeans may have
y love for flowers, but the people of
Japan show in many ways that beau
tiful blossoms ill much larger place
IN their hearts than in those of any
! tther people. From the members of
The royal family 10 the poorest besgar
in the streets the love seems TO be i'll
ua,e. In the palaces of Tokyo there
IRE exquisite vases of every dcscrip
ton, which are daily filled with rure
blossoms. Blu, the peasant in his paper
nut is quite as particular to fill his
bamboo vases with some blossom.
Should one chance TO stay mt hotel
more than twcnty-four hours he VIII
plcniSh those which greeted him on hiS
arrival. Even The half naked cody
will have Il flower of some kind stuck
behind his ear. AT every corner and
all along the streets there arc numer-
Gus Hover merchants, and il is seldom
that Japanese bcggar will hesitate
10 part with his last COS to purchase
| Il blossom. Parents choose flower
names for their daughters. and Jap
anesc lady always adorns her person
with the flowers which are appropriate
TO the season.
h No visitor 10 the land of the cherry
Eblossom festival has failed to describe
this most important occasion. The
| opening Of the season is the blooming
of this Hover. and it is IL NATIONAL Holt
day. Thousands of people. dressed in
their best, wander about all day under
the arch of ovcrliangrS rose red trees.
| refreshing themselves with tea or rice
wine III The tea houses or buying soil
vcnirS of The occasion mt the many
little shops erected for the day. Each
owner Of Il cherry orchard has his own
private festival and sends out invita-
lions Ornamentcd with cherry bios
SONS 10 his especial friends. All sorts
OF games are played. and in the even
Ing thousands of lantcrus are hung
on the trees. The royal court invites
The nobility and the diplomatic corps
10 garden party. 1t Is also the sea-
son for family picnlcs. which are looked
forward 10 throughout the year by the
""iI'i'l 'iiSNcS. 'JIIS 100 soon Is the
cherry blossom festival ut an end.
The Japanese cherries are not in
tended to he eaten. but their value is
simply in the blossom. 1t is the most
iuXuriant bloom of all and of such i'm
portance that before the bursting of
The blossoms the fact is advertised in
all the local papers. The cherry tree
sometimes grows as tall as au oak.
and during the time OF bloom 1t Ia so
alden with flowers that not vcstige OF
leaf is visible Tie flowers have also
singular and delicate perfume.
Japanese women have Il pretty Gus
tom or making their dresses CORE
! spond TO the flowers which are In sea-
| son. AT the cherry blossom festival she
| wears kimono embroidered with the
| flower so much In evidence then. When
| the azalca comes. this garment Is re-
placed with one covered with effective
sprays OF the varicolored azaleas, and
this in turn gives way before the wis
taria and chrysanthcmum.
In the arrangement OF their flowers
'hr people, 9f Japan show great artistic
taste. Each separate bud Is allowed
its chance TO be admired. A single
flower held by II crystal vase makes n
feast for the eyes which Is not forth
coming when dozens Of the blossoms
are crowded together and their indi-
vidual charm entirely lost.