The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-25
Chat U2Itb Inteyeghng B0stonIan
 Noav HI5Itng Ln Birmingham

ful work for music in your city. It i' | not simply the self improvement oi 1 the members of these clubs that count so valuable. The thing that i'm l presses me Is the influence that they are spreading abroad over the city. | intend to tell of their work in every l city that I visit. and am taking back l with me to Boston year book of the | Music Study club which 1 shall show i to my friends I wish that we had such an organization in Boston"
 Reference was made of the strides that Boston has taken in matters liter ary whereby she has placed herself above the other cities of the new world 1 and in @ testing way the Bostonian spoke of the complacency of his fellow townsmen over their learning. Some one said" he remarked, that you can tell a Bostonian anywhere-but you can't tell him anything" At this point someone told of an assertion recently made here by an enth usiast just back from the so-called Hub of the Uni verse" that if one asked @ question of a street car conductor in Boston he might get a s reply quotation from Browning. While that may not be quite true he said. T will say that one finds the most universally courte- ous and considerate men in the Boston car service of any city I have ever visited. That may be the foundation for the assertion"
 The storm heightened Mir. Mason's visit and my delightfu chat with him. His interest in the artistic~side of Bir- mingham will be no small considera- tion in his contemplated visit next spring. The varied interests of our young city bring many distinguished ed visitors, but few are there who have so thoroughly charmed the little circle of musical devotees as did MT. Mason.
 
 Crimson Blossoms at Winter Functions
 For a time during the past winter when at almost every social function it mattered not whether it chanced to be a tea, a bridge party, a dianer or even one Of those gay Christmas dances, one wondered whether the supply of crimson flowers could possibly stand the strain put upon them. For weeks a per feet craze for Richmond roses and poin- settia reigned to pass out only with the first blossoming of the purple and yell low blossoms of spring.
 Where the Roses Come From.
 Yesterday during a visit to MT. Par ker's beautiful conservatories at Helena station, the question, Where do they RI come from2' was answered eloquent ly in the lengths of glass houses filled with long-stemmed beauties. There were hundreds of them almost ready to be gathered though the gardener had al- ready pasesd through on his morning tour garnering those ready for the mar ket This one," said MT. Hauge, the superintendent, Twill be a full, hand some but at about 2 o'clock this after noon. We never allow them to burst into full bloom for, as you know. the Richmond rose is not at its best then" Passing to the next house he exhibited some of his handsome pink roses. Alp portioned off with little aisles between were the Killarney and bride maid roses "The Killarney is considered the hand somer rose, is it not? I asked. "I can not say" was his reply, that there is any preference shown. There Is really little difference in the blossoms. The shape of the petals is somewhat dissim- liar, and the bride maids is a hardier rose than Killarney, but beyond that there is not much to be said" Stopping at this juncture, he gathered a long, healthy-looking stem covered with leaves.
 That is a bit of wild rose" he re- marked. We use the wild roses for grating and sometimes Instead of an swering the purpose in producing finer plants they, on the contrary, take the strength of the plant and leave it a very poor specimen. We have 10 watch closely to prevent this from happening With the branch of the wild rose in hand he proceeded with an explanation of grating, which Is one of the most important used by the rose grower.
 Aesthetic Birmingham.
 These acres of good earth devoted to the culture of ornamental plants show the claim that beauty has upon aesthetic Birmingham. Thousands of blossoms are brought in every month to make some home beautiful setting for assemblages of fashion, and to char some flower-like woman whose loveliness Is as potent as their own. It Is not only, however, in the greenhouses that gorgeous roses are grown In some of the private gardens of Birminghams homes roses as hand some as any the world over are pro- duced by flower lovers as earnest as any florist. Since the establishment of the "city beautiful" idea, especially, the pride and interest In flower culture has grown apace and the gardens of Bir- mingham this season will be more beau tiful than ever The soil of our sec ton is splendidly adapted to the growth of many plants, but especially to roses. Indeed Chicago florist visiting here not long since. made the assertion that Bir- mingham has the finest rose growing soil fin the world. When Haugs was asked as
 
 he said: Tt is just 8 good clay soil. No artificial agencies are introduced" And looking at the richly tinted leaves and stems of the long-stemmed howers felt that here is another of Birmingham $ natural resources of which to be proud.
 The Popular Carnation.
 Carnations are the most popular of the greenhouse flowers. When we entered the houses set apart for them the large num- Der made this quickly evident. There was a yeritable wilderness in sight. Rich est crimson shading through the varying shades of pink to purest white and with the intermediate stripes and dots that are so fascinating in some of the old varieties. MT. Hauge interestingly de- scribed the processes through which the carnatlon must pass before obtaining its growth, and when he had finished the rarity of successes with 1t as a home grown plant was fully demonstr The first little tender plants were shown in their hot bed. then in tink pots not much larger than thimble. after which they are transplanted to the three-inch pot hen to the outer beds. and finally back to the beds in the greenhouses where they attain their full perfection. Thus the amateur would find the greatest difficulty in growing It and prefers to buy from the professional dealer.
 The Easter Lily.
 Easter lilies crowded together in one corner of a damp low building where were palms and bright-colored flowers made a white blotch against the green These said MT. Hauge, "require much time for growth" Illustrating with some tiny plants which he says have been started for next Easter. "The florist must be foresighted," he continued. Hook at fhia Ettla Ilanf ie