New-York tribune., 1915-03-27
CHURCHES FACE LACK
OF PALMS THIS YEAR
Crop of Southern Greenery Almost a Failure
Owing to Unexplained Blight Many
Holv Week Services Planned.

Palm Sunday tomorrow may find
many people without palms. The crop
usually plentiful, is almost failure
this year. The failure is due to
blight. What causes the blight sci
cntists are unable 10 say. SO great -
the palm trade for Palm Sunday that
New York dealers own their own
plantations in Central Florida. TINS
season the usual number OF palms
were brought to New York, TO be dis
tributed from here throughout the
country. Soon it was discovered that
the stock ch ngcd color and then de-
cayed. Efforts have been made during
the last few weeks to stop the lnroads
of the blight. but without success.
Practically all of the palm supply OF
the country is handled from Barclay
Street. in this city, and one dealer
there said yesterday that people IN the
churches tomorrow may reckon them
selves fortunate If they have anything
at all. Some that will be given out
may be dscolored. This viii be due
TO the fact that the demand far eX-
ceeded the supply of really good stock.
One Barclay Street firm recently re
ceiyed fifty tclegrams from every part
of the country asking if palms could
be had in good condition. Ii was I'M
possible to fill orders.
The usual number Of palms passing
through the New York market * about
250,000 heads. The greater part OF
this number is used in and near New
York. While Barclay Street handles
others, bringing them from Florida,
supplies intended for New York and
the Middle West are usually sent
direct. Each of the 250,0OO heads con
tains from five TO seven stalks. An
even dozen heads form a bunch, and
these are sold at - cents q bunch. Oi
course. the bulk are sold 10 Catholic,
Roman and Greek churches, but more
and more Protestant churches are or
dering and using palms. Many orders
from Protestants had TO be denied by
Barclay Street yesterday.
Until two years ago the habit OF
worshippers was TO carry away one or
more palms in the rough. The plan
took q great number, and rough palms
were not -vailable FOR decoration.
Above all. :hey could only be carried
in the hand. Two years ago the first
large orders were filled for palms made
I'D into fancy shapes. SO rapidly has
the demand grown that New York will
take and use tomorrow $4,000 pack
ages Of palms in fancy shapes. Ine
most popular shape Is the cross.
These fancy palms are worn in hat
bands, on dress fronts and in button
holes. Plain squares Will be seen IN
some measure, and there will be some
in fancy cuttings, like saw teeth.
Women will be given palm rings, small
and in groups of three each, TO be worn
on dress fronts. OF course, Palm sun
day and the palms come from the in
cident o. Christ's entry into Jeru-
salem.
The number Of churches in New
York. C-tholic and Protestant, TO OBJ
serve Palm Sunday and Holy Week Will
be far larger this year than ever. At
tendance at Lenten services has been
much greater this year. due IN part to
serious thinking by the people owing
to the war, and because Of this feeling
Baptist. Presbyterian. Reformed. Con
gregational and Disciples churches viii
this year Join Catholics. Episcopalians
and Lutherans in such Observance Of
tomorrow and Of next week as New
York has never before seen. II was
said yesterday that the Billy Sunday
revival has something 70 do wit. the
change on the part of the Protestants.