Afay 22, 1920 



HORTICULTURE 



413 



THE CUSTOM OF GIVING 

 FLOWERS. 



"When Jenny Lind was in Vienna, 

 years ago, a lover learned millinery 

 and floristry so that he might sew In 

 her hat daily three red roses as a trib- 

 ute to her art. He might have sent 

 huge baskets to her over the foot- 

 lights. But his method was more deli- 

 cate. And Jenny Lind was pleased. 

 Princess Metternich, too, used to wear 

 flowers in her hat, according to a 

 prominent florist, who trimmed exotic 

 millinery for her daily. 



"Muri Silba, tlie pianist, who sends 

 her flowers to a hospital, declares that 

 Americans are far behind most 

 European countries In the art of pre- 

 senting flowers to musicians and ac- 

 tresses across the footlights. 



"American men orders flowers in 

 large quantities, to he passed over the 

 footlights ostentatiously by indifferent 

 ushers," she says. "In Europe flowers 

 are thrown on the stage, and are im- 

 mediately acknowledged by the smile 

 of the artist. Or they are presented 

 in some other way which shows per- 

 sonal thought and effort on the part 

 of the giver. 



"In France, as in Germany, flowers 

 are given not for their size and con- 

 spicuousness, but always with some 

 potent meaning. They are given per- 

 sonally; they are selected with 

 thought. Charlotte Wolder, the sing- 

 er, expressed a preference for fresh 

 picked violets. An admirer went off 

 to the Riviera and arranged to have 

 fresh picked violets sent to the sing- 

 er by courier every day. Fiuri was an 

 Italian singer. A lover of hers sent 

 down into Italy so that she might 

 have the small white daisies she was 

 so fond of. 



"In Italy they are impulsive flower 

 givers. Here, as in Spain, they were 

 wont to decorate the carriages and 

 horses that draw the artist; to throw 

 flowers on the ground before the 

 horses, or even to unhitch the horses 

 and draw the carriage with ropes or 

 flowers. In Rumania, too, they were 

 exuberant and extravagant in their 

 gifts. They threw flowers from the 

 windows so that they fell upon the 

 head and all around the artist. The 

 gift was impersonal. It was not made 

 with the hope of rew-ard, but as a 

 tribute to the artist. 



"In Russia, in the old days of aris- 

 tocracy, there was something besides 

 mere disinterestedness in the passing 

 of a few posies over the footlights. 

 Flowers, seemingly Innocent, were 

 often merely used as a camouflage for 

 more costly gifts. Sometimes a pair 

 of slippers with ruby buckles or a 



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pearl neck lace was concealed among 

 the flowers which the singer received 

 in full view of the audience. Russians 

 were very lavish in their gifts of 

 flowers. 



"In Russia the indufitry of flower 

 cultivation was in advance of most 

 other countries. Russia, tor example, 

 was the first country to develop the 

 forcing of lilacs in Winter. But can- 

 dies too were used as a camouflage 

 for less innocent gifts. Candies to 

 ladies were often wrapped in hundred 

 ruble notes. 



"There are two countries which 

 have not the custom of giving flowers 

 to artists, " added Muri Silba laugh- 

 ingly. "One is Iceland, where they 

 have almost no flowers; the other is 

 Japan. And in Japan the giving of 

 flowers is considered to be too per- 

 sonal to be made personally; flower 

 gifts are made in privacy." — New York 

 Evening Sun. 



GENERAL NEWS NOTES. 



Samuel Murray, of Kansas City, is 

 sending out cards containing a notice 

 to the effect that his store will not be 

 open Sundays hereafter. He announces 

 that he will make late Saturday de- 

 liveries, and e.\presses his apprecia- 

 tion of the public's consideration and 

 co-operation. The leaven is certainly 

 working throughout the country, and 

 the time is bound to come when the 

 florists store which keeps open on 

 Sunday, except under special circum- 

 stances, will be a rarity. 



Mr. I. Rosnoski, of Chicago, is repre- 

 senting the American Bulb Co. on an 

 Eastern selling trip. 



The T. Li. Murphy greenhouses at 

 Celina, Ohio, have been purchased by 

 Roy F. Meissa, of Ada. It is under- 

 stood that Mr. Meissa intends to ex- 

 tend the business as rapidly as pos- 

 sible. 



