A Unique Flower Sale 
we with other persons were 
requested to wait so as to 
avoid overcrowding the 
rooms where the flowers 
were on view. When my 
turn came I perceived in 
mounting the stairs the pow¬ 
erful and subtle fragrance 
of the bulbs which was 
diffused throughout the 
house; and on reaching the 
reception-room I stopped 
there to inhale the perfume 
from pots of freezias set 
about in the great bay win¬ 
dow; then ascended to the 
floor above where I was 
fairly overwhelmed with the 
beautiful vision which con¬ 
fronted me on every side. 
In the large drawing¬ 
room and set about in every 
available place, upon the 
mantel shelf, tops of book cases, tables and stands, 
and completely filling from top to bottom the great 
bay window, converting the room for the nonce into 
a veritable greenhouse, were any number of potted 
bulbs in full bloom. Here were massed jonquils 
and daffodils of deep golden hue; Dutch, or 
the common hyacinth, of delicate shades of blue, 
pink, lavender and primrose, white and rich crim- 
son; dainty 
white Roman 
hyacinths and 
grape hyacinths 
of a deep blue 
and of white; 
narcissi of sev¬ 
eral varieties, as 
the Polyanthus 
of a deep shade 
of yellow, the 
Princeps of a 
faint straw color 
with its center 
of a darker hue, 
the P o e t i c u s, 
pure white, hav¬ 
ing its yellow center fringed with a sprinkling of red 
and dear to so many people from its old-time asso¬ 
ciations. The Narcissus is frequently called the 
Chinese lily because the Chinese grow it so generally 
in this country as well as in the flowery kingdom. 
T. heir favorite manner of cultivating it is to place the 
bulbs in an ornamental bowl filled with stones and 
water. The object of the stones is to keep the 
plant in place and as the stalks grow up tall and 
slender narrow strips of red colored paper are 
fastened around them so 
as to keep them from falling 
apart. 
In the center of this fairy¬ 
like looking apartment, and 
most becomingly attired in 
a green silk gown which 
harmonized perfectly with 
her lovely protegees, stood 
the hostess, Mrs. Deland, 
the lady to whose fertile 
brain and willing hands this 
interesting occasion was 
due. Her face flushed with 
the excitement and interest 
of the affair she now ex¬ 
tended her hand in courte¬ 
ous, hospitable welcome to 
some new comer or then 
hastened to take some plant 
from an attendant with 
which to replace some bulb 
which had just been sold. 
On one side of the room sat a lady with a tin box in 
which were deposited the proceeds of the sale and 
from which change was made, while in different 
parts of the room were other ladies who were 
assisting in the function and answering the numerous 
questions showered upon them as to the how, when 
and where of everything pertaining to the sale, even 
to the age not alone of the bulbs but also of their culti¬ 
vator as well. In 
the hall separa¬ 
ting the front 
from the back 
apartments, in 
which latter were 
the bulbs in 
reserve, stood 
two neatly at¬ 
tired maids em¬ 
ployed in doing 
up the plants as 
fast as they were 
sold. Beside 
them on a stand 
were wrapping 
paper, twine 
and pins. Well dressed women,fwith an occasional 
man, kept constantly coming and going, their arms 
laden with bulbs as theyFleparted. 
Altogether it was a most animated and entertaining 
scene, and as I stood in one corner quietly absorbing 
it all, the thought came to me what an infinite amount 
of patience, planning of details and deep interest in 
humanity as well as flowers this beautiful display 
meant, revealing to a student of human nature almost 
as much of the character of the well known authoress 
A BUNCH OF JONQUILS 
63 
