224 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



other flowers combined. It was the bright, crimson and fragrant 

 rose General Jacqueminot — commonly called "Jacque" — which first 

 sold at what was considered at that time extravagant prices among 

 flowers. When it was first ottered for sale in the winter season 

 all that was asked for it was $1.00 per dozen, but a genius with the 

 commercial instinct highly developed quite commendably succeeded 

 in bringing the price up to $2.50 each. 



At the time of the first convention of the Society of American 

 Florists held in Cincinnati in 1884, a trade paper was born, and the 

 society and the said trade paper have been going hand in hand ever 

 since, and have had a wonderful ettect in developing commercial 

 flori-culture. The paper to its sitockholders was a paying venture 

 from the start, a substantial dividend annually being declared, and 

 continued doing so even after a rival entered the field. And within 

 the past two or three years another and a third weekly publication 

 devoted to commercial floriculture has been started. While the 

 stockholders in these weekly publications may not be making much 

 money in their enterprise, the profession at large and the public indi- 

 rectly are reaping the benefit therefrom, because each paper is try- 

 ing its utmost to give the best possible service for its respective 

 subscribers for the price of its year's subscription. 



A year or two ago and for several years past. Begonias could be 

 bought at Christmas for 50 cents apiece. The past Christmas — 

 that of 1899 — Begonias growing in the same amount of soil, less 

 than half a peck, were sold at $8.00 per plant. Some plants of the 

 same variety in smaller sizes were selling as low as $2.00 each, but 

 none sold lower. In explanation: It was not so much that times 

 were better than last year to warrant the increase in price, nor was 

 there much dittereuce in the method of culture, but it was the offer- 

 ing of a new and very meritorious variety that caused the difference 

 in price. The variety referred to is of French origin, and is a cross 

 between two distinct species, namely, Socotrana and Dregii, and it 

 is so nearly what may be termed a mule in floriculture that seed- 

 bearing flowers are very rare indeed; so much so that instead of 

 forming seed it goes on producing beautiful pink mule flowers in 

 vast numbers, and remaining cheerful and bright much longer than 

 it would do if the usual number, for begonias, of seed-bearing flow- 

 ers were produced. I may state in passing that there is what is 

 well known as male and female in the floral kingdom as well as 

 there is in the animal creation. In some families of flowers the 

 male and female organs are complete in the same flower, though in 

 the begonia the male and female flowers are distinct and separate 

 individuals. 



Flori-culture has become firmly fixed as one of the recognized in- 

 dustries, and will continue to be so for all time; but the difficulties 



