People and Their Doings.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20567, 19 March 1935, Page 6

People and Their Doings.

A Tale of Fifty Years Ago About a Horticultural Freak : Why

CHANCE COPY of the ‘Star’ sent

me by a friend ” was the inspiration for the following racy story, which was enclosed in a letter this morning from a Sydnev resident who uses the initials B.G.:—

In the “Christchurch Star” of February 23 appears under fiorti cultural correspondence a question by T.S., Timaru, about a Blue Jay gladiolus. This calls to mind an amusing episode in the history of Ashburton horticulture that occurred fifty years ago. The town was growing fast, and prosperous citizens were making nice homes and laying out gardens, spending both money and spare time in friendly rivalry. There were the annual horticultural shows in the old Town Hall. (Incidentally, it was the period of the biggest gooseberry competitions.) One fine day a well-dressed stranger called on some of the principal amateur gardeners with wonderful bulbs, the new blue gladioli, just arrived from America. lie had only a limited stock; would sell no more than four to any one person; the price was 10s for the four; and would only sell to garden enthusiasts. He sold the novelties like hot cakes, and left to “ tour the colony.”

JN DUE SEASON the bulbs grew #nd in due season the feverishly-expected flowering began to develop. Of course, the topic was now public property, and all the town was interested. But, alas! The wonderful blue gladioli turned out to be the common sort that grows in everybody’s garden, and it was surmised that the enterprising stranger had gathered the bulbs from the heaps of garden debris that was commonly thrown over the fence among the tussocks of vacant sections. (Blue gladioli were not known at that period.) Those townsmen who were not favoured by the stranger indulged in much hilarity on the result becoming known. The annual

Sailors on Warships Wear Bell-bottomed Trousers : A Cat that Saved its Mistress.

show was soon due, and one of the clever victims donated a £lO prize for the best Blue gladiolus bloom. And there was one entry. And it was awarded the prize by the visiting judge. It was a Blue gladiolus, the judge declared. The exhibitor was Miss Clark, of Tinwald. This bright young lady had steeped an ordinary gladiolus in deep blue ink, which produced the tinge. The donor of the prize protested, but in vain. And the town rocked with laughter. Crowds flocked to see the prize bloom, the secret being out. sS? YV HY does a sailor on a warship wear bell-bottomed trousers, why does his collar have three rows of tape, why does he wear a black silk handkerchief, why does he always salute the quarterdeck, and why does he wear a blue jean collar? These are all common questions heard among civilian visitors to a naval vessel. In a booklet prepared by the officers of H.M.A.S. Canberra, which will visit Lyttelton at the end of the month, it is stated that trousers are made with bell bottoms to facilitate their being rolled up when the owner is scrubbing decks, although some people contend that the fashion is a relic of the days when a bluejacket wore a canvas petticoat. The three row’s of tape on the collar are generally supposed to commemorate Nelson’s victories at the Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar, but a more likely reason, although one without any appeal to sentiment, is that the tapes introduced purely as an ornament. The wearing of a black silk handkerchief is popularly supposed to be in memory of Nelson, but its origin really dates back to earlier days, when a handkerchief was worn round the forehead when a ship was in action, to prevent sweat running into the eyes. It is often said that the custom of saluting the quarterdeck dates from the time when a crucifix was carried there, but it is more

likely to have originated from the habit of touching the forelock to the quarterdeck, which has always been the seat of authority. The custom of wearing a blue jean collar has its origin in the times when pigtails were the fashion, and grease had to be kept off the sailors’ jumpers. 9 9 9 THE WHOLE, Christchurch regards its cats without enthusiasm, though with toleration—except in individual cases. One Canterbury town, however, takes a just pride in its feline product. Akaroa is famous for its lovely grey French cats. But not all the cats in Akaroa are grey. One aged black cat belonging to Mrs Rhodes in Benoit Street, is of special interest to the S.P.C.A., and that society has a photograph of the cat among its records. It has achieved this distinction because about a couple of years ago when Mrs Rhodes’s house caught fire the cat wakened its mistress and saved her life. There are many instances, of course, of a cat assuming the role of a watch-dog. One Christchurch lady who sleeps on the verandah with the cat at the foot of her bed has, on a few occasions, been wakened by the hissing of the cat, which thus announced the presence of a prowler of the human variety. © 9 9 CIXTY YEARS AGO (from the “Star" ° of March 19. 1875) Dunedin, March 19. —“ Only an abbreviated edition of the 4 Can Can,’ ” said an enthusiastic spectator, was presented at the Princess Theatre by the sisters Duyalli last evening. The dance, says one critic, as danced appeared to be highly enjoyed, and drew forth great applause.