Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-15

the London florists make up their bouquets for
weddings in the form of sheafs and garlands.
Their prices in no way approach the charges
we know so well. The best illustration of this
is the gardenia at sixpence twelve cents).
while here in America they are dollar each,
and more. when scarce.
The Malmaison carnation is gorgeously
lovely flower. like a rose in its richness and
size, its perfume rarely pungent The per-
fume of the English flowers is possibly due
to the lack of an ice supply and the dislike
the Briton has for refrigerated things. Our
flowers nearly all pass many days ia cold stor-
age, which impartS certain dry waxllke
grandeur to the blossoms, and. like stage SUM-
sets are far more stunning than Natures best
efforts. But there is none of the buoyancy
left which is one of the chief charms of
freshly cut bloom.
England's famous climate is always quoted
as being the reason for the extent and beauty
of their floral products; but it is difficult to
understand why country such as this. pro-
ducing the most lavish of fruits. should have
dearth of flowers. Possibly the famine is
caused by some of the same forces that affect our
supplies of meat. poultry, and dairy products.
not keep the glory of the springtime from our
streets. For the Easter holiday, thousands of
lilies come from Bermuda. their buds packed
in cotton to keep them back until the festival.
In the poorer neighborhoods hucksters' carts
peddle the omnipresent geranium; but not
the sturdy splendid plant it is when well
grown. The moving markets show patheti-
cally forced slips, pa1pably made to sell to the
injudicious poor. And they % sell and reap
good profit to the merchants. Could we have
more flower markets, with prices ranging like
those of London and Paris, the poor would be
among the most steady buyers. People would
fall in line by degrees. women would throng
with children. and squares and streets sadly
in need of this adjoining would become radiant
and inspiring.
To quell the clamor of those who are always
bowling for utility. and the business end of
every venture that has only beauty to recon-
mend it. such markets might be made to COM
bine the food products that lend themselves
so finely to attractive showing. in these days
when live lambs gambol in their pens and
trout flash through tanks in their season.
There might be mushroom beds and violet
FARMS incubators; features that would de-
termine the interest and even draw those frolic-.
some enthusiasts who now and then put forth
a plea for permanent circuses in the big towns
Such marts would do credit to our country.
which is in soil and possibility great flower
garden. certain sections approaching an out
put uneQualed the world over. 1t would re-
deem US from the too oft repeated hoot at our
ingrowing commercialism, and would change
the stilted ideas of the growing generation as
to these beautiful earth wonders that are
known to-day only as they come home in boxes
tagged like hams.
And the American woman. for whom a
great and lovely rose has been named. would
cease to fasten on her breast the manufactured
posies that nowadays make shameless confess
sion of our poverty of spirit. rather than of
purse. If we 60 on pinning these false puffs
and braids to our heads. and hanging sham
beads about our necks with celluloid lilies on
our near-sea1 coats. what a terrible creature
the Baby of the Future is bound to bel