Evening journal., 1915-05-24
CITY Prepares TO
HONOR VETERANS
Plenty Of Flowers This Year
For Graves of the Nations
Defenders
MEMORIAL TO
DEAD COMRADES

Wilmington florists are preparing
for the sale of flowers for Memorial
day, and state that they will have
large number of beautiful blooms on
hand by the time they are needed.
There will no doubt be scarcity of
popular blooms at this time Of the
year. The lack of peonies. however,
according TO local florists, will be
made up by an abundance of cOlum
bine. mock orange blossoms, ger
aniums. roses, carnations and other
flowers.
The florists say that many of the
hardy outdoor plants have been
given a set back by the cold rains of
the past several weeks. A large
number of residents of Wilmington
have peony plants in their gardens.
but they say that the buds will not
be open in time for Memorial Day. A
number of the plants are being forced
so as to make them bloom earlier.
The price will be from five to ten
cents each for peonies.
The most desirable. as well as
cheaper plant. considering its bloom
ing qualities at this time, is the ger
anium, and florists have already re-
ceived large orders for these sturdy
blooming plants for Memorial Day.
Geranium plants of exceptionally fine
variety are selling from 10 to 20
cents each. Wilmington florists have
been experimenting with new color
geranium, which is proving very
popular. The color varies from the
usual red geranium in the respect
that IL has a tint of purple.
There will be a good supply Of
roses and carnations. The roses will
retail at $3.50 to $3.50 a dozen for the
most acceptable varieties. Carna-
tions will sell from 60 cents TO SIPS
a dozen. Among other plants that
are being disposed of at this time
and which. in most cases will be
planted on the cemetery plots, are
verbenas, petunias, pansies, migno-
nettes, heliotropes. cannas and
dwarf alyssums Some of these re-
tail as low as five cents each. Ten
and fifteen cents are asked for the
larger specimens.
With the approach Of Memorial
Day the caretakers in the cemeteries
of this city and vicinity are busily
engaged in getting the graves and
burial plots in shape for their adorn-
ment with the floral tokens. Memoir
ial Day is the one day of the year
when sad reflections concerning the
lives of departed loom up in the
lives of many. Thousands of flowers
and plants will be used that day.
Patriotic organizations. veterans
and societies are getting their plans
into shape with the objective view
Of arranging one Of the most elabO-
rate and impressive celebrations in
the history Of Wilmington. Graves of
the heroes who lost their lives under
the flag will be decorated. memorial
meetings will be held and other
events are on the program. which
will make the day one long to be
remembered.
The annual memorial services of
the Union Veteran Legion will be
held in the Irish-American Hall to-
morrow evening. The choir of Union
Methodist Episcopal Church will sing,
and the pastor of that church, the
Rev w. f. Corkran. will deliver an
address. During the year two mem
bers of the legion have died They
are Jacob B. Smith. who was a past
national commander-in-chief, and
who served during the war as a
member of the S7th Pennsylvania
regiment, and John B. Kelley. who
was a member of the First Delaware
Battery.
Members of the G. A. r. and of
other patriotic societies will attend
services in Bethany Baptist Church
next Sunday. The final meeting of
the joint committee to make arrange
ments for Memorial Day observance
will be held tomorrow night
Many veterans and members of the
Ladies Auxiliary. G. A. r., attended
service in Union NJ. e. Church yester-
day morning. The Rev. w. F. Cork
ran was the preacher.