The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-15
CANDLE INDUSTRY
STILL FL0UR|SHfS
Product Taken Mainly by Churches
But Also Used as Deco
rahODs.

| IN Inese Gays when iSht I'D thUuSuN
of in terms of electric or gas lamps
which. by some stretch OF Imagination,
| can be said to rival the sun, 1t will
doubtless surprise more than one per.
son to learn that the average daily ex-
penditure for candles in this country
| alone this year will be about s87, 1000.
In other words. it is estimated that
| the 1917 production OF candles in the
| United States will total $4,000, 0oe
| and. allowing for 800 business days
in the year. the average given above
! is reached
| Before going any further, 1t might
| be just as we'll to point out that prob
| ably only a small proportion OF ths
candles that have been. or will be,
bought In this country for years -
used solely for purposes OF illumina-
ton. Most Of them fill unitarian
needs-such as those used by plum
! bers and other artisans-or to servo
| decorative or religious ends Far and
away the largest proportion Of them
| is used for the last purpose. Not long
| ago upwards of 80 per cent. Of the
! candles produced here were used In
| Catholic churches, and 1t Is said hya
men who know that about 80 per cent.
OF the American output Is still used
crease is not due to any reductions
in the Use of candles by the churches,
| but rather to an increased produc-
ton OF candles in this country and
a rapid increase in the last few years
| in their use in homes for decorative
purposes.
/ SO rapid has been the increase In
the demand for decorative candles
that the msnufa cturers appear to be
having trouble in meeting It. Som0
| idea OF their use for the beautifica.
| ton of homes may be gained from
the fact that a certain wealthy wo-
man in this city spends about 81, 600
a month for them. most of her needs
being filled by candles made up especi-
ally for her. She is said to have al
J wonderful collection of antiouo
italian. Russian. and French candeIa-
bra, in which can be used candles
ranging from FIVE and half inches In
| length to four feet. the diameter OF
the latter about eauailing the length
of the former A peculiarly antique
color is desired ny the woman in ques-
ton. which Is obtained by painting or
staining. but the average purchaser
has a leaning toward bleached wax
! candles OF a snowy white hue. She
Is one OF the few persons perhaps
who use candles both for illumination
and decoration, electricity and gas
being banned in her house so far as
j light Is concerned.
With the growth OF the demand for
decorative candles the manufacturers
have laid themselves out to cater to II.
| 80 that II is now possible TO get caudle44
which Wip ~ IN witty the farnish.nEx
OF almost any room, The result has
been a marked increase in their use
| on dining tables, In boudotrs drawing
rooms. music rooms. sun parlors, &c
Not only can they he obtained In :
wide range of coiors-inciuding red,
pink. light, and dark blues green
olive green. brown lavender. orange,
yellow, old gold. old rose. black and
white and creanl--but they are also
offered in art noveau and period efs
| fects. such az the Adam, Colonial. and
Renaissance. Period Colonial effects
are especieifvS y favor at the moment.
/ Not only ara candles increasing In
| favor for use In city homes. hut there
| is a growing demand for them for
| country homes and bungalows, where
| their unitarian and iIluminativo
qualities both come into play In ~
| great many cases In more than ~
| few instance, they ara used in prefer
! ence to lamps and lanterns. this often
| being true of camps The result has
| been increased business for shops that
sell them. and 1t IL said that the biz
| department stores take in tidy SUM
Of money annually from the sale Of
candles ranging from five to eleven
inches In length. and averaging thre0-'
| fourths OF an inch In diameter.
In size the modern candle ranges
! from the two-inch by three sixteenth.a
Inch variety that Ia used on Christmas
! trees and birthday cakes to the six
foot by three and a quarter Inch
twentypound type that IL often seen
| in churches. In form and coioring
| they can be had all the way from
limitations OF ears of corn to simuta-
! tons of pine cones. with surprising
~ real representations Of pieces ~
cherry wood. oak. white birch, DO.
also among the novelty offerings. In
| decorations they range from hand
! painted floral effects to decalcomania
transfers of birds and figures. Other
decorations are pasted or tackled on.
as may be required by the nature a.
the trimming. Decorations Of TIKI
| Kind include red-winged blackbirdat
| hIuebiris birds OF Paradise, forget-3
| me-nots. Dutch boy and girl and Colo
| NAL figures. and card-tahle candies
bearing heart, diamond. spade. and
! club figures. In striped effects thGyss
| can be obtained In black and white.
| blue and white, and in the nationals
| colors. College flags and letters m
| French flags. separately or crosso4ss
are to be had In full and accur1t4s
colorings as other candle decoratiOn9s|
For the sentimentally inclined thero@
are candles OF bayberry wax that aF4E
said to give off an odor equal In p0~R
tency to that of roses or violets Ia n
| melting the hearts OF shy maidenx Fur
those whose beliefs run to the SUPERB
natural, 'mystics.' or GUESSING, candlem@
are supplied These are quickhurn1n&
candles Of Christmas tree size. bdnd-@
| ed with different coIors. vot44a
| describes all the good or i'll that VII
come If the candle stops burning - ~
certain color and the object Of st1oeEs
use Is to see. in this manner. what 01S
| future holds In store. Some OF fANq
are made so that they 90 out alMnM1a
at once. while others will B1rn Aau~M&
to the base. The extinguishing vt G1
flame Is apparently governed by uo4l
! pulation of the wick In the c0uroo *
manufacture. but there II nothing c.
The candles themselves thatsinAtc4
at which color they will 20 out 49,