THE GLORY OF THE MARKETS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 924, 17 September 1910, Page 11

THE GLORY OF THE MARKETS.

SPRING FLOWERS. We. have' seen them in the streets, barrow, loads of beautiful golden bulbs not long since whispering and nodding gaily in their gardens as .tbey drank in the sunshine, and furled with the breezes, but never-did they look so much the concentrated essence of brightness, of sweetness, and lof spring as they did in tho gloomy, dingy mar-kot-place yesterday, morning. Amidst the' ■■■ wilderness of sacks of cabbages, turnips; carrots, and endless bundles of pink,' rhubarb, they, shonei out like an oasis of heaped up gjold, welcome- visit' 'ants -in a - most utilitarian' corner of the oity, while every now -and again some' one or other would'stroll away from.: the circle that was' intently absorbed in /the buying'.of potatoes and other, prosaic thing's, to. gloat over their beauty, for a' few seconds. '

They are kept'till'/the very end of the sale,' and meanwhile one strays close ,to them, wandering from one huge box or basket to another, unable to tear oneself .away, ■ even though one may have to wait hours till their, turn co'mes, to be ..sold. If everanything fills tho heart to overflowing with greed and: unbridled- coyetousness it: is flowers, especially, spring -flowers, and io see the beautiful things in such huge quantities is more than a moderate' allowance, 'of . equanimity could stand. Every variety of the daffodil arid nar--.cissi family appeared :to be there,' and perfect'blooms at that, seemingly 'nothing the! worse for. their journey in: from the Hutt. Twice a week, Tuesdays and

•Friday's, , the gardens ..are robbed, and the', hearts., of,, the 'dwellers ,in- the;'city gladdened exceedingly by -the' sight, and,; as an / almost inevitable /consequence, .the possession of them. ; .the sale; of the. "c.aiiots," •JlPaßbaggMj"' the', "lettucee," .and all' the-, other useful but uninteresting things: over ' which the Chinamen have been intently.clustered, is"neAt'ing :its end, for. a man begins to open ;up the; boxes and' the' baskets, : greataud small, and to- lay. the flowers out in bundles upon 'a long table. -Their beauty is: a'ifeast • to' the eye and to ' the soul :as .they 'lie there in their; strangely;, ih.congruous.'surrbiuiaings.' It . is, quite possible that .their' future destination may. 'be' ever still • more "incongruous. At any rate, wherever they, go,' 'they fulfiLtheir'-'mission (at least we; suppose it is ;their'V mission) - of looking beautiful,'.' and; giving "pleasure to the . beholder. /Not -only : bulbs .are displayed, but .piiik: magnolias,'. delicately .fragrant ,roses,-heath, .the garden buttercup, violets,' pplyanthi, freesias, and gorgeous aiemonns. Most of'tho buyers are those foivthe florists'' shopsj for boardinghouses or restaurants, barrownien, . fruiterers, : Chinamen, '. and a few odd buyers who have found out that this is- one . .way .of buying.'flowers Evidently, from what one •'was ' ■ there is; an immense, amount; to learn about the art of buying at auction sales —even=.of- flowers. Rushing in ignorantly or: impetuously one only succeeds in - sending; up the price ' for . oneself— an - exceedingly foolish thing to do— whereas an experienced .buyer comes in 'calmly at tlie end -and 'walks - off with . twice as much, as tlie other, and with less , money paid for .-, his spoils, usually.'• :. ' :. •/ ■

■ Prices varied a good. deal : . - Several bundles of trumpot daffodils of fiftyheads each went for one and fourpeuco, or one' and sixpence, : Ayhile twelve bundles .of narcissi, and ■ trumpet . daffodils, each separate bundle being composed of twelve' Dowers, ,went : . in some cases for .two .shillings, ..A great' : many. of the' flowers wens bought iu huge quantities.' Four... dozen bundles of •-primroses'.' went for one and tenpence, while a , dozen bundles of anemones, each bundle numbering twelve flowers,-went for one and tenpence. ' Freesias could ;be bought' at fourpence a bunch, but as a - rule went in several bundles, as did the violets, polyarithi. (very lovely ones. they were, principally,: golden brown, and with a delightful scent), and: some,-gorgeous' pansics. Several times' one watched great-quantities of bulbs -being banked up on ono sido,-bought by somo dealer for week-end'decorations, an eagle eye being kept .upon the.- bundles as lie .gathered .them - together, to see that his arithmetic was not elastic. In the strenuous , oxcitement of bidding, the auctioneer's ankles must' havo suffered at times, for .the "bidee"(if ono call use suoli a word) did ■ not scruple to dig a'finger iiito him, .not very gently either, 1 or even pinch, if necessary. By .Saturday afternoon there would be a wide dispersal of those flowers — some into. different homes about Wellington, some to sick friends or into various hospitals, and somo beneatJj the open sky at the cemetery.'