The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



J87 



weakness, but we have oil 111 ImhikI a vm^i 

 difference in the keeping' .|ii;iiiiy ui lliu 

 same variety flora dillVnui •^iouim.s. 

 There is much to be discoveieil about t)ie 

 best nietliod of keeping carnations. Jn 

 the majority of stores it is impossible to 

 keep tiicm for a reasonable length of 

 time and consequently niui'li loss is a 

 sure result of any special display. It 

 appears to us that the carnation society 

 would do well to offer premiums for the 

 best histers in each color; this might be 

 conducive to more consideration for that 

 very important matter. The bursting 

 calyx or weak stem are very little use on 

 the retailer's counter; the rubber band 

 and the wire are adjuncts of the past. 



We see many beautiful kinds on the 

 market today which have a tendency to 

 hang their heads, and whilst this weak- 

 ness disqualifies them for particular vase 

 work, yet the hand of a good "maker- 

 up" can easily remedy the fault. This 

 brings us into the artist's department, 

 where we can see how carnations can be 

 put up to show to best advantage and 

 more of them sold in exclusive designs, 

 giving much more satisfaction to all con- 

 cerned. In the first place, let us state 

 that the ideal salesman of today is the 

 best bluffer, and the best artist the most 

 retiring of individuals; both may be es- 

 sential to a business success. The percent- 

 age of each" largely depends on the qual- 

 ity of your trade. Artists in the flor- 

 ists' stores of today are sadly in the mi- 

 nority, as compared to the clerks or sales- 

 men, and yet there is no distinction, no 

 just recognition; 'tis only the few who 

 dream of the beauty that is possible and 

 endeavor against overwhelming odds to 

 raise the florists' business a little higher 

 than that of general merchandise. The 

 most successful florists have not built 

 their reputations upon the rock of cheap- 

 ness; the rock was rather artistic abil- 

 ity, the cement used might have been 

 reasonable price, but quality of flower 

 and make up are the gi'eat pillars he de- 

 pends on for the material superstruc- 

 tures. Any one may sell the material for 

 a boutonn-iere or corsage bouquet, but 

 not every one car. arrange fnem properly. 



That's why we must claim a better 

 recognition for the artistic element in our 

 business and separate the artist's coun- 

 ter far away from the "cheap John" cut 

 flower bargain stand. The possibilities 

 in decorative art with carnations as the 

 sole or principal material are unlim- 

 ited; they are fit for almost every occa- 

 sion, and we hope to see the day when 

 they will be used more generally and 

 exclusively in design work. A wreath of 

 white carnations could be made to equal 

 if not exceed in beauty a wreath of any 

 other flower, and what is grander than 

 a handsome basket of carnations? The 

 garland on the wall, the curtain on the 

 window, the loose panel cluster, the 

 hanging shower basket, the parlor vase, 

 the dining table, the debutante's bunch, 

 the ball bouquet, the dude's boutonniere 

 — yes, the hundred and one forms recog- 

 nized and unknow-n to decorators. 



The praises of the debutantes of fif- 

 teen years ago come back to us as we 

 write of the dainty round bunches of 

 Grace Wilders with cluster of yellow 

 Marguerites at the bow side; they were 

 made not to damage glove nor dress, 

 and during the dance were hung on the 

 arm by a loop of ribbon. 



But the artist brings us back to his 

 workbench again to tell us that there 

 are several tones of color still wanting 

 and others lacking strength. He sighs 

 for the old Buttercups and wants to 



kii.iw aliiiiit the yellows; he raptures 

 ii\n 111'- lighter self colors and doubts 

 the ui.-,doiu of deviating into stripes; he 

 loves the still' stem for the tall vase but 

 he also is charmed by many a beauty 

 that modestly liangs its head. A few 

 buds, a duster of their own foliage, is 

 of more value to him than all the dull 

 black green asparagus or trembling 

 adiantum in your greenhouse; he stops 

 to ask why don't carnationists grade 

 their flowers the same as rosarians? 

 Why, oh, why, are they stripped of ev- 

 ery bud or leaf of their own? The future 

 will cast an occasional glimmer back on 

 the shadow of the past, and the present 

 derive its best from the two. Hail to 

 the carnation I May it always grow in 

 beauty; mav it always be Where needed. 

 IVERA. 



NEW YORK. 



We have heard of no complaiirts in this 

 section in regards to Christmas trade 

 except from the wholesalers. It appears 

 that the growers have a way of haunting 

 the wholesale district at Christmas time, 

 comparing notes and is'suing fully loaded 

 insinuations. The man who produces a 

 little e.xtra fine stock knows how to ex- 

 tract blood from a stone, the poor or 

 medium grower suffers to feed the rapac- 

 ity of the tip top. Our advice is, get on 

 top with cabbage if you cannot with roses 

 or violets, etc., etc. 



It is pleasing to record that the volume 

 of trade. is yearly increasing. Prices 

 were high, very high, and when the grum- 

 bling is simmered down money was made, 

 and plenty of it, by almost every one in 

 every branch of the trade. The plants- 

 men, at least some of them, will know 

 better next time and have more and bet- 

 ter stock to supply the enormous demand. 

 Records were broken in plant sales, and 

 all the good grades of cut flowers were 

 sold at the same old Christmas price. 



Men dealing in greens report splendid 

 trade, and as we have said before, all 

 are satisfied except the element which is 

 unconsciously doing its best to kill the 

 cut flower trade. . Bulbous flowers are 

 late, because, as one of the largest grow- 

 ers informs us, the grower's experiences 

 with early forced bulbs have made him 

 grow sensible. Last year valley went 

 a-begging at any price; this year it 

 brought the unprecedented price of 4, G, 

 yes, even 8 cents, and it will maintain 

 a good price for the ne.xt two weeks. 

 Trumiirl- lia\i a]>|irared, but there will 

 be no L'' I'l iiilip- Imi a few weeks. Lilac, 



whitr I li,rn,|,i. pink sweet peas, 



quinri aihl I ill ^\ (Ilia blossoms and 

 manj- other tit-bits are on the market. 

 The general run of cut flowers are very 

 averagy, and the demand, barring the 

 usual lull after Christmas and New 

 Year's, promises to be fairly good. 



Some very fine specimens of the new 

 pink rose Robert Scott were recently seen 

 among other novelties at the store of 

 Thomas Young, Jr. This rose shows up 

 finely; we would like to see it on the 

 market. Talking of roses, the great rose 

 show of the American Rose Society will 

 be held in the finest rooms in this city, 

 the ball and banquet rooms of the Wal- 

 dorf-Astoria, in March. Schedules can be 

 had from Leonard Barron, 136 Liberty 

 street. Get ready, all of you, with your 

 pets and gems for this great event and 

 let us have an ideal show. Exhibit one 

 bloom if you cannot a hundred; do some- 

 thing for your country and the rose. 



We regret to record the sudden and un- 



timely death of Mrs. Richard Merritt, 

 daughter of the late J. M. Hodgson and 

 wife of one of New 'York's popular flor- 

 ists. She had been ill for some time 

 and passed away on New Year's Day. 

 The funeral took place on Thursday from 

 the home on Park avenge, many of the 

 craft attending. The sympathies of all 

 are given to Dick and his three little 



The bowling fraternity started well for 

 the first game in the new year. 



TraenUl.v....l54 183 IIW Harner 155 liB 168 



Burns 101 l'.)8 153 Lentz 184 1811 1U5 



Slebreelit...l3« 153 15T T.-»ylor Ill liil 132 



Thielmann ..177 lia 18B Elliott Ita 150 155 



Laug 198 177 lac 



J. I. D. 



ST. LOUIS. 



The MarkeU 



The new year was ushered in with 

 the best trade for some years. Stock of 

 all kinds was scarce and the prices re- 

 mained about the same as last reported. 

 The market, too, has been very favorable 

 for the growers and retailers. 



The West End florists expect a large 

 trad'e for January, as this is the month 

 for all kinds of festivities. A number 

 of them have booked large orders for 

 weddings, balls and receptions. 



The downtown florists report good 

 counter trade since th'e holidays, also 

 orders for funeral designs. 



The North and South End florists 

 claim that business has kept up nicely 

 since the great rush of the holidays. 

 The plant trade has also been better 

 than for some years. 



The most noticeable feature in the 

 recent holiday trade was the marked in- 

 crease in the demand for the best qual- 

 ity of carnations, and there is no ques- 

 tion as to this flower gaining in public 

 favor every day. The local carnation 

 growers fully realize this question and 

 the meeting of our club this week will, 

 no doubt, show th'e improvement they 

 have made. The essay by Dr. Halstedt 

 on "New Carnations" will be of great 

 importance to the growers. 



Stock for the past week not overplen- 

 tiful. and yet not scarce, and prices not 

 so high. In roses, American Beauties 

 are fine. Those from Ammann, Herzog 

 and Heinl were among the best, and 

 from $3 to $9 per dozen is obtained for 

 th'e first grade. Meteors are coming 

 better and a fine lot from J. F. Wilcox 

 sold well. Fine Maids and Brides are 

 also coming in from 'V^esey. Kuhl, Heinl 

 and Wilcox, prices on these ranging 

 froiu $4 to $6. Poorer stock sold much 

 cheaper. 



Carnations are selling well and stock 

 is very fine and the supply equal to the 

 demand. Klockenkemper, Dunford, Fill- 

 more and the Udes are sending in 

 some very fine blooms every day. Prices 

 the past week ranged from $2 'to $5 per 

 100. " 



The supply of violets is not equal to 

 the demand. The best Californias bring 

 $1 per 100. Romans and narcissus re- 

 main the same as always, $2 and $3 per 

 100. Smilax is -very fine but the demand 

 slow at $12.50. 



'Various Items. 



R. W. Englert. of Chicago, is now in 

 the employ of the Plant Seed Co. Mr. 

 Englort called on the trade in company 

 with Mr. Roes'o. also late of Chicago 

 and now with the Plant Seed Co. 



John M. Hudson, who opened a store 



