230 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



sold for one-third more, but the greater quantity now 

 grown has lessened the price. P. H.], the same per dozen 

 for Violets, while Camellias vary from one dollar each, 

 when scarce, to twenty-five cents when plentiful. At 

 Christmas and New Year's, 18G6, Camellia flowers were 

 frequently sold for two to three dollars each. [Now Camel- 

 lias have no sale at all as individual flowers to be retailed, 

 and sell very slowly at from five to ten dollars per hundred, 

 to be used in mixing in large pieces. P. H.] The price 

 of hand bouquets varies from fifty cents upwards. What 

 florists call good hand bouquets sell at about five dollars, 

 extra fine from five to ten ; occasionally they bring still 

 higher figures. This writer has sold not a few at fifteen, 

 and, on rare occasions, has received twenty dollars for a 

 hand bouquet ; and that from men who knew well the 

 usual prices of flowers. To give the uninitiated some 

 idea how these things are used, we may mention having 

 seen a belle at an evening party in New York, carrying a 

 bouquet in each hand, while three others were strung 

 from each arm as trophies of her prowess among the 

 simpler, if not the softer, sex. Of course this display 

 could not last long ; the very weight of her attractions 

 would speedily compel her to surrender, for, be it remem- 

 bered, those eight bouquets certainly contained about 

 sixty Camellias alone. We have known rich and fashion- 

 able belles even more favored than this, and have heard 

 of one having fifteen splendid hand bouquets sent for one 

 occasion. We have never, however, heard of another 

 showing such muscular prowess in their display. Baskets 

 of flowers commonly sell for five to twenty -five dollars, 

 stands from fifteen to fifty, extra large stands from fifty 

 to a hundred. [Baskets of Orchid flowers are now 

 coming into use, and of course, from their rarity and 

 the expense necessary to produce them, the price can 

 only be within the means of the wealthy. It is safe to 

 say that a basket, costing ten dollars in Roses or other 



