The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Ort0n Blooms
Will Surpass
Past Seasons

SOUTHPORT, March 11-While
the volume of tourist travel to
Orton is expected to be greatly
reduced this spring, Jim Ferger,
the new plantation manager, feels
assured that there will be an
enormous increase in the number
of local visitors. One thing of
which he is assured is that the
tourists and other visitors to the
far famed Brunswick county gar
dens will see an unprecedented
wealth and bloom in plants and
flowers this year. The plants were
never in better condition than they
are now.
Mr.. Ferger and the owners, Mr.
and Mrs. ]. Laurence Sprunt, are
enthusiastic at the prospects for
flowers this season, and they have
reason to feel gratified at condi-
ticns.
After seven or eight years with
practically no rainfall in this Sec
ton of the state, the past winter
has brought frequent and gener-
Gus rains. 1t is understood that
the precipitation during the past
six months has already equalled
all of that which fell during the
preceding six years. While Orton
has wonderful sprinkler system
of its own the artificial watering
could not and did not compare
with it's beneficial effects of flow
erS.
Adding to the promise of flow
ers which the abundant rains have
brought is the fact that continu-
Gus cool spells since the first OF
the year have retarded, without
injuring the buds. They have been
slow in their preparations to bloom
and with practically all danger
from cold over the flowers, espe-
cially the camelias, are opening
out into the most perfect blooms
and coloring that visitors to Orton
have ever seen.
The camellias, winter bloom
ing flower, should be at their
best the week of the 18th. At a
flower show at Georgetown this
past week, Jim Ferger, plantation
manager, and his wife, carried
home a double handful of blue
ribbons. won by Orton camelllas
and other flowers and plants. len
davs ago the same success attend
ed the exhibition of 81 varieties OF
the Orton flowers at the show al
Charleston. Darlington, Conway
and various other South Carolina
cities are facing competition from
the Orton flowers this and nex'
week.
In all cases the entry OF the or
ton flowers in competition at the
flower shows in the neighborlnf
state is result of direct invita-
tions. For years the gardens doWr
the South Carolina coast nave beer
famed as the most beautiful, any
where in the south. Last year the
flower lovers in South Caroilns
have been clamouring for exhibits
from Orton, and they are begin
ming to constitute heavy volume
of the visiting patronage:
While the South Carolina gard
eners are all apparently ready tt
swear by their own azaleas, many
of them have been heard to frankly
admit that Orton is unsurpassed
anywhere for it's collection OF near
" four hundred different varieties
of canellias. At that Orton !:
rot far behind any place VIII
azaleas and the thousands OF othe1
flowers that grace its grounds.
A few azaleas will bloom at Or
ton this month, the peak OF the
Towering season will not come or
until April. This year the peal
should really bring something II
beauty. The rains, resulting II
both growth of plant and bud
leaves the blooming season ap
preaching for the azaleas with as
surance that this year will be out
| standing in the beauty offered.
cHIA - y