One hundred years ago
THE passion for flowers spreads fast in England, the suit of 'Sanders v. the Duchess of Montrose', decided this week, being a mere illustration of its extent. It was proved in the evidence given before the Queen's Bench Divi- sion, that the Duchess agreed to pay £1,000 for one thousand orchids, and finding them too white, ordered two hundred more of rarer colours, and higher average price. Mr Sanders was fortunate in his customer, but we be- lieve all florists admit that their trade is prospering beyond all precedent, while the cheaper sellers in the streets can hardly supply the demand. Whole stalls loaded with chrysanthemums are cleared in an hour, the people buying them in single flowers as well as small bunches; and it is noticeable that buyers appreciate the rarer and more subdued colours. Nothing, indeed, has improved in the past thirty years like the taste of the commoner sort for colour. You have now to go very low indeed to reach those who agree with the old peasant woman who said, — 'None of your gaudy colours for me; I'm for plain red and yaller.' The improvement, too, has taken place in spite of the most desper- ate efforts of the advertisement dealers to educate the general eye in hideous- ness.
The Spectator, 24 November 1888
Previous page
