MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 55 
American origin. Bench culture of cut flowers — a feature 
in which we have unquestionably achieved a high degree of 
perfection — has not proven very satisfactory in England 
because of the weather conditions. Bulb-forcing on a large 
scale is common, at least in the immediate vicinity of Lon- 
don, and has become a highly successful and specialized 
industry. Outdoor formal bedding of tulips and hyacinths 
is very general, and the results obtained by planting narcissi, 
scillas, snowdrops, crocuses, etc., informally in lawns, are 
very wonderful, far surpassing anything that we have here. 
On account of the ideal weather conditions the cultivation 
of hardy perennials comprises no small portion of the 
florist’s business, and it is indeed a very poor garden that 
does not possess a good and varied collection of such plants, 
while in this country our knowledge of them is almost en- 
tirely confined to paeonies, phlox, iris, and hollyhocks. 
‘Alpine and rock plants, of which we know practically noth- 
ing, are especially featured by some of the leading rms. 
To sum up: In America, floriculture is practised on a 
larger scale, but in England the people have a wider and 
more intimate knowledge of plants and their requirements 
and the profession as a whole is on a much higher plane. 
OTTO BOGULA, ’97. 
RETAIL FLORISTS’ STORES 
The retail flower business of to-day is quite different from 
what it was in the past. A few years ago it was considered 
outside the florist’s trade to carry anything beside flowers or 
material directly connected with them; but now the up-to- 
date florist will supply the sun-parlor not only with plants 
but also with bird-cages, chairs, tables, fountain pga 
Idfish, and artificial flowers, while for the en he wi 
urnish cement benches, sun-dials, gazing glo , and many 
other novelties. Moreover, such a diversified stock does not 
in any way interfere with the sale of fresh flowers, but rather 
encourages it, as it attracts a wider class of people into the 
store. 
A retail flower shop should at all times be a place of 
beauty. The plants in the store should be fresh, the pots 
covered, the cut flowers neatly arranged in vases or baskets, 
and the workroom separated from the salesroom by at least 
a screen. 
Buying. — A good buyer is of the utmost importance in 
conducting a retail business. The proprietor should do his 
