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Show Pfenpoocil 111 r trtvl'tv mTi b ' ffr, y EV."- fwl Z3iStw- W 1 V-?" T is difficult to Imagine America's Si H c rf J- . f. " x"f- t t annual Memorial day without 1 t , j ,2 A :X V v C Memoria! day, always hereto- flowers. Indeed, Decoration day, ' &C V " "A fore a serious Problem to the other name by which this ttfV2& V' - ' ' ' "-4 public-spirited , "t,zenB t a spring commemorative festival is T$P?&r C rA charge of to work so offen designated, carries an in- ' VT ,f- 'J 1 could only plead with the LM timatlon of how dependent this Vfe pePle kTwp y of sad memories is upon the Hfl VA A 4 ifM f65"; Pflr,v h. bright-eyed blossoms that serve, l-' v ; Jkijf 7tj SfM f , 1 TJl X-t as the most appropriate of all' . fO'r-.y&,J&J usually found that the.rmoY tokens of remembrance. To be " J V Htf rPC Tf, ln the -T, flags are also made use of 1 eTdf 1" mH ... , . , . . 5 v c if . -r- - 5 or-'i ' t In time for the starting or uie BesS, but n marking the graves of fallen heroes N. 'wTr S VV Parade at the scheduled hour, whon, it u desired to honor on this occas.on &TSjJ i ' f t 1 V . ? .V, 7 The bringing of flowers to the After all however, it flowers which are mos ff Vji f larger cifies on Memorial day extensively relied upon to express the sentlmen M K , fj-- k S",r2 M has been further simplified by of tie occasion. And m the broad term "flowers L X. , ,f , ,J the fact that in many local-are local-are included the flowering plants, the ivy and n U , - fZOWf itie3 special flower traing are other of nature's products that are. employed to operated by the steam rail-ialy rail-ialy 6 Wr6athS Whlh S popu,ar 0n Memt1" ITJ 8 Aro roadg and the lnterurban trol- All told there are infinitely more flowers used II r'' " ' -X TS- "' on Memorial day than are employed at Easter, ufafT """ " " 1?$?&f rX' V3,7;:ri and yet the general public does not hear so much J- f r - - 'SfJl of the Memorial day "flower trade," nor have h f "3 ff "-""1' V1 its magnitude so conspicuously brought home. II f j' ? s t , . J 4' " w , IN jl The explanation is found, of course, in the cir- jj, , f f $4 i 'Hi' 'JJt - ' s ll cumstance that the Easter flower trade is almost L,! tV'&J4'fc&' K"- " 4H ? I wholly in the hands of the professional florists fe 4 tStM llEv, ' :r,l ?'V-.lSf-f,f:' " ' H day is found in the practice ley lines in order to convey the tons of blooms Lr 'A V ld ' 1-1 of setting afloat huge baskets needed for the great memorial ornamentation. . : Vi, lVA,.iMll ; . . if , And Kneaking of the lnterurban elec'Tic lines - jr-' : thorras ?ribu to"" U may'bf aded that these roads new make it I - - - the imican saioT who possible to decorate with flowers the graves of -4 r, vi2feU tiven up their lives for soldiers in many a country cemetery which, un- ' .bJ:::7 have given up tneir lives lor conditions, could not readily be Lk noeweS,tsar8areld Sly " HZ nn of the organizations of vet- : rZCXA oflu760'f3 sjagrhet J eran- and other bodies that aim to see to it that Memorial day, always heretofore hereto-fore a serious problem to the public-spirited citizens who have charge of this work and who could only plead with the people of the community to get their donations of flowers to the town hall early, hut usually found that their most emphatic "appeals were insufficient insuf-ficient to get the posies to the rendezvous in time to permit of their proper arrangement in time for the starting of the parade at the scheduled hour. The bringing of flowers to the larger cities on Memorial day has been further simplified by the fact that in many localities local-ities special flower trains are operated by the steam railroads rail-roads and the lnterurban trol- T Is difficult to Imagine America's annual Memorial day without flowers. Indeed, Decoration day, the other name by which this . spring commemorative festival is - B0 often designated, carries an in- (jpi-Tye timation of how dependent this 4&iiLt8y&? day of sad memories is upon the 4S2pWi'" bright-eyed blossoms that serve , 1 Jyfvvi ' as most appropriate of all tokens of remembrance. To be sure, flags are also made use of extensively on Memorial day not only- in the ornamentation of dwellings and places of business, busi-ness, but in marking the graves of fallen heroes whom it is desired to honor on this occasion. After all, however, it is flowers which are most extensively relied upon to express the sentiment of the occasion. And in the broad term "flowers" are included the flowering plants, the ivy and other of nature's products that are. employed to form the wreaths which are so popular on Memorial Memor-ial day. All told there are infinitely more flowers used on Memorial day than are employed at Easter and yet the general public does not hear so much of the Memorial day "flower trade," nor have Its magnitude so conspicuously brought home. The explanation is found, of course, in the circumstance cir-cumstance that the Easter flower trade is almost wholly in the hands of the professional florists day is found in the practice of setting afloat huge baskets of miniature ships laden with flowers as a tribute to the American sailors who have given up their lives for the Stars and Stripes. These flowers are quickly borne out of sight by the waves. ley lines in order to convey the tons of blooms needed for the great memorial ornamentation. And speaking of the lnterurban elec'Tic lines It may be added that these roads new make it poFsible to decorate with flowers the graves of soldiers in many a country cemetery which, under un-der the old conditions, could not readily be l cached by members of the organizations of veteran:, vet-eran:, and other bodies that aim to see to it that no soldier's grave is unadorned on this significant occasion. Almost every known variety of flowers that bloom in the spring is employed to a greater or less extent on Decoration day, but naturally the wild flowers of the season are especially popular for this purpose. In the sections where the season is sufficiently advanced the roses and peonies are great favorites on this occasion and in the cooler climes violets and the hardy "pinks" are used extensively. In the more southernly states the yellow jasmine and the honeysuckle make admirable Decoration day festoons and at Arlington and other great national cemeteries it seems as though Memorial day has been timed to find the gorgeous purple wistaria at the climax of its glory. The mountain laurel is another floral favorite that lends itself to the purposes of the holiday, but of course it is not obtainable In all sections of the country. In recent years the use of natural flowers on Memorial day has been supplemented by the extensive ex-tensive use of artificial flowers, particularly in the form of wreaths or designs emblematic of war-time badges or flags. However, the "art flower designs" of the present day are Indeed a revelation as compared with the crude attempts of some years ago. Some of the Decoration day designs are executed in metal, tinted to counter-felt counter-felt nature, and this form is of course very permanent, but most artistic effects of lastin.e character are also being obtained by means ol fine waxed crepe paper flowers. Such designs are being employed to an increasing extent un-dpr un-dpr all circumstances where it is necessary tc send Memorial day designs long distances. However, How-ever, the White House at Washington, which sends such remembrances ' to various parts ol the. country, always employs natural flowers from the president's conservatories. to whose interest it Is to make their activities occupy as large a place as possible in the public eye. At Memorial day, on the other hand, the regular flower marts, although they have a "rush season" In consequence of the holiday, supply but a fraction of the flowers that are placed on the graves of the nation's warriors. The vast preponderance of the flowers that are used to express the love and gratitude of the people of the republic on the yearly-recurring Memorial day are home-grown posies whose cultivation cul-tivation with a view to such ultimate use is as much a labor of love as is the strewing of the blossoms on the graves. Or, at least the flowers are for the most part garden blooms rather than the frail products of the hot houses. Indeed the selection of May 30 as Memorial day in a large proportion of the states of the union was made primarily because it was an occasion when spring was presumed to be In her most attractive garb and W-hen the spring floral harvest Is at its height. Similarly the southern states, being assured as-sured an abundance of flowers at yet earlier dates, have, as much for this reason as for any other, chosen as Memorial day dates that seemed to mark the culmination of the floral flood In their respective states rather than strict conformity con-formity with the date at the end of May, which is so universally observed in the eastern, northern north-ern and western states and in the more northerly of the commonwealths of Dixie. This will explain ex-plain why certain of the states, notably thosa of the Gulf of Mexico, observe Memorial day days or weeks in advance of the remainder of the sisterhood of states. The use of flowers on Memorial day Is varied and appears to be growing more so as time goes on. At first suggestion of the occasion the reader is apt to think only of the custom of placing plac-ing bouquets and wreaths in garlands on (lie grassy mounds beneath which repose in their last dreamless sleep the boys In blue and gray who gave up their lives In defense of their flag. But as a matter of fact It Is a long-established custom for the American people generally to choose this occasion to place specially elaborate decorations upon the graves of loved ones, even though those whose memory is thus honored had naught to do with the stress and strife, the sacrifices of which Memorial day is primarily Intended to commemorate. One of the comparatively new uses of flowers on Memorial day, which has grown greatly In recent years, Is the custom of placing wreaths of floral festoons or other similar tributes upon the statues which have been erected in the various American cities to our wnr-timo heroes. At the national crrpilal, where there are more than two dozen such statues, the pedestals aro ulso draped with American fliRH. This decorn-'.lon decorn-'.lon of tli e statues In parks and public buildings throughout tho land Is, of course, quite aside from the usual placing of tributes at tho graves of these self same hcroen. Another Interesting Hi bcou'.lful new use of flowerg on Memorial and mayhap float out to sea, but the sentiment of the occasion is served. As death has year by year remorselessly thinned the ranks of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Confederate Veterans and other organizations or-ganizations of one-time soldiers there has of necessity been a change in the plan of bearing flowers to the cemeteries and decorating the graves of those who have answered to the call of "taps." The approved plan was to have in each community on the significant day a procession proces-sion to the cemetery In which the principal participants par-ticipants were little girls dressed in white, each carrying a huge bouquet or basket of flowers and, marching beside or behind these flower bearers, an equal number of veterans, each with a wreath of evergreen or holly or ivy on his arm. When the procession arrived at the cemetery ceme-tery the participants distributed themselves throughout the burying ground until 'a little girl with flowers and a veteran with a wreath stood beside each grave marked with a tiny American Hag. Then at a prearranged signal ail the flowers and wreaths were placed simultaneously upon the graves of the comrades whom death has "mustered "mus-tered out." This impressive ceremony, and there could he nothing more appropriate, Is yet followed In countless communities, but there have had to be many modifications. For one thing the graves to be decorated have become much more numerous, numer-ous, whereas the number of surviving veteran"' who are able to march to the cemetery with their wreaths has dwindled appreciably. A solution solu-tion has been found, in many places, by drafting for tills task members of the Sons of Veterans or other organizations made tip of children of old soldiers and also veterans of the Spanish-American Spanish-American war, many of whom are comparatively young men and who are sufficiently numerous to decorate the graves of their own fallen comrades and also the resting places of the heroes of the earlier waia. Another factor that has operated to inlluence a charge in the use of flowers on Memorial day Is (he growth In Ihe size of ninny of our cities. In towns and small cities it. Is si ill practicable for the Decoration day host lo march to the cemetery, ceme-tery, but In all the larger cilies It has become very much of a problem. In many Instances cemeteries are so remote from the central part of the city" that it Is nnwlso to ask aged veterans to attempt to march and out of the question to allow flower girls of tender years to trudge through the streets for hours at a stretch. Consequently it litis become be-come customary under such circumstances to convey the flowers In quantities to tho cemeteries and there distribute thoni to those who are to participate in Ihe decorating program. For this delivery of flowers the modern motor car has proven a most convenient vehicle and In nil our largo cities on the morning of Memorial day one may now see the heavily laden "flower cars" spinning along on their way to the cemeteries. The speedy horseless vehicles have also proven a boon In the collecting of tho flowers for |