Roses That Never Fade

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 January 1911, Page 4

Roses That Never Fade

AUTISTIC FLOWEIIS MADE BY JAPANESE.

For a number of years the greater part of Japanese artificial flowers imported into England were imitations of cherry and peach blossoms, bought by people in this country for use in decorating rooms done in Oriental style (says a London contemporary). As this industry was, however, rather limited, the ingenious Japs decided to imitate the Western flowers as well, and in this they have succeeded admirably. The rose is, of course, the favourite. The particular species the Japanese have chosen to imitate are the William Allan Richardson, Gloire de Dijon, and the. ordinary moss rose. An exquisite white species, called the Kaiserin, also affords an opportunity for Japanese artistry to exercise its genius.

While the statement may seem incredible, if is. nevertheless, true that the Japanese imitations of roses are so perfect- as practically to defy detection. The Japanese process is something like this.

From the .steins of shrubs abounding in Japan the pith is taken and. passed through certain chemicals capable of. preserving it indefinitely. Later this is shaved off in pieces no thicker than a rose's petal, dented carefully into shape, and then coloured.' In combining these petals groat care and exactness are observed : nor is the scent, regarded by the Japanese as the spirit of the flower, overlooked. The majority of these artificial roses have quite a delectable perfume, exactly corresponding to that of the real' flower.

The Japanese imitation violets are made of pith too small to he used for the making of rose potals. Their manipulation is equally clever, and they, too, are scented. The stems are wrapped in purple tinfoil and tied at the top with a cord and tassel of tlifi same shade. With many of these violets there are no leaves whatever, and therefore nothing to pin the faith to as to whether they are imitations or not. FreqiierViy such a hunch of violets may he seeii lying on a. table in some fashb.i.vble drawing-room, aiul as frequently exclamations may be heart! as to their beauty.

They are especially in demaiu* for wear while motoring, inasmuch as the real flower is soon withered by the wind. Under an evening wrap, too. they sustain any amount of pressing, and they are not in the least, as real violets are, apt to lose their scent.

It is a curious fact that the imitation chrysanthemums, the irises, the wistaria, the cherry-;, and plum blossoms sent from_ Japan and modelled 1 after the native species are not made with: the same perfection attending the representation of the foreign roses unci violets.