BANQUET TO GARDENERS. 53 
this ideal in the open air; but by the judicious employment 
of cold houses, and temperate houses, and tropical houses, 
—or stoves as our English friends would call them, — sub- 
stantially all may be realized. There is a prevalent notion 
that the growth of flowers for the market is one thing, but 
that the maintenance of a conservatory for the adaevineah 
of a gentleman’s home is entirely another matter, so far as 
the money question is concerned. It is hardly necessary 
for me to state my own views on this point, but I trust that 
I may be pardoned if I say in passing that I am far from 
being convinced that similar business supervision of expense 
and ‘methods in the two cases would not produce very 
similar results in the end. We have with us this evening 
a gentleman who has for many years been associated with 
the floral business of this city, and who is perfectly com- 
petent to teil us what is necessary to insure practical suc- 
cess in the commercial growth of flowers. It is my 
privilege to introduce Mr. J. M. Jordan, Past-President of 
the Society of American Florists, who has kindly agreed 
to speak to us on ‘‘ the commercial florist.’’ 
MR. JORDAN. 
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: This is a task assigned 
to one who has had some little experience in the practical 
workings of commercial florists; but just how to present the 
question it is difficult for me to determine. The commer- 
cial florist’s occupation is a very ancient one. We cannot 
tell exactly how long ago it was followed, because we read 
of the commercial florist in Grecian mythology. We have 
an account, as I believe, of the first florist that ever at- 
tempted to make a livelihood by selling flowers. There 
was a lady, supposed to be a beautiful Grecian artist in her 
way, Logena by name; and the legend runs on that this 
beautiful lady gathered wild flowers and wove them into 
garlands and sold them in the market, or, more particu- 
larly, in the Athenian places of sport and merriment. 
Ba oak Sk 
