Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-10
SOCIETY AND FLOWERS
JOHN KING DUER COMBINES
THEM FOR MONEY.

NEW YORK, March e.-John King Duer,
cousin of Mrs. Clarence II. Mackay. and
member of the 400" has gone into trade
He doesn't say it Is the fault, exactly, OF
the Harrimans and the Vanderbilts. but
because he doesn't want to build railroads
and hasn't the money nor yet the inclina-
ton to buy seat on change.
So he has established himself in a shop
where flowers and plants will be sold by the
piece or by the dozen. And although he Is
descended from the old Knickerbocker
stock, he declares that the trade is good
enough for any man. and that he Is going
to prove 1t a profitable business venture as
well
Besides flowers and plants Mr.. Duer will
cultivate mushrooms in his spick and span
new establishment No. ga Madison ave-
nue.. just around the corner from the most
pretentious part of THE Avenue" The
mushrooms will not be raised to give to his
millionaire patrons souvenirs but to
sell at top-notch market prices.
While Mr.. Duer expects and has been
promised the patronage OF nearly every
person socially known in New York. he
says he isn't going to be bit exclusive.
and will be willing to sell one carnation
to shop girl as he would a dozen orchids
to Mrs. Aston.
1T Am Here to Make Money"
"I'm here to make money by selling
posies. and. what's more, I feel confident
that 1 am going to do it," he declares.
When asked II he was going to abandon
society. he said:
why. no; suppose If I am invited to
attend a dinner, say, and am also asked to
furnish the decorations for 1t, 1 will have
quite time enough to jump out of my work
, clothes into my evening toys before the
lights are turned on. Society Is all right,
and intend to make fortune out of 1t.
Asked why he had gone into trade, Mr..
Duer said with smile:
There are several reasons One is be-
cause | haven't the money, or yet the In
clinations of the HarrimanS and the Van
derbilts 1 couldn't. you see own a rail-
road, for they have all been bought up, and,
then, / don't care for that kind of business
anyway. l have always loved gardening and
flowers. and at my country homes near
Hampstead and at Richmond gardening
was my pet diversion. 1 have tired OF
country life, however, and l have been
thinking for two long years how 1 could
live in New York and still be occupied at
some congenial pursuit. My friends know
Ing my love of flowers and my success at
growing them, advised me to go into this
business. and 1t was after carefully plan
ming every step of the way that I came
here and rented this shop. and from now ON
/ will be found at the same old stand every
day.
Congratulated by Friends.
at is surprising how people are changing
their ideas about going into trade. Why,
all of my friends have congratulated me
upon this venture. and they have all as
sured me of their patronage Only this
morning Mrs. Mackay wrote me telling me
what an excellent idea she thought it was,
and so have many more of my friends here.
1.-The professions are so overcrowded and
it takes such a tremendous fortune to do
business on Wall street that. to my mind,
/ have hit upon splendid thing from a
financial standpoint.
"Of course. l shall have nothing to do
with the business end of tt-that l. will
leave in the hands of competent and trust
worthy persons; but when orders for deco
rations for dinners. wedding and other
functions come in shall look to the artis-
tic end and shall personally visit the vari-
Gus places when the orders come so that 1
can decorate in manner suitable to the en-
vironment., In that wayI hope to accomplish
something more than the so-called florist;
in fact, I am not to be florist and you
will notice on all my cards and upon my
flower boxes 1 have scrupulously avoided
the use of that word. I am Just running
a flower and plant shop r
Handsomely engraved cards announcing
his enterprise have been sent out by Mr..
Duer. : His list Is headed-;wtth the Astors
and ends with the Yznagas: