DECEMBER 29, 1S9S. 



The Weekly Rorists^ Review^ 



109 



place as a headquarters for the grow- 

 ers of cut flowers, was hardly to the 

 liking of the best class of the sellers, 

 and steps were taken to establish a 

 permanent market. 



After considerable difficulty, through 

 the lack of confidence among the gix)w- 

 ers, a co-operative company was 

 formed and authorized to do business 

 as The Boston Co-operative Flower 

 Growers' Association. They at once 

 rented a store under the Horticultural 

 Building and started business Sept. 1, 

 1892, with 82 stalls, every one of them 

 rented. The success of the undertak- 

 ing was apparent at once, and the in- 

 creased demand for space soon made 

 them hunt other quarters. They are 

 now comfortably situated at No. 1 

 Park St., under the Park street church. 



The room occupied is about 125 feet 

 long by nearly 50 feet wide, and 

 lengthwise ai-e built three long tables, 

 divided through the middle into equal 

 halves, and each half is subdivided 

 into spaces. Part of these are 4 feet 

 square and others 3 feet square, mak- 

 ing a total of about 130 spaces or stalls. 

 The larger of these rent for $52 per 

 annum, and the smaller at $42 per an- 

 num, the rent to be paid by the quar- 

 ter and strictly in advance, with a lib- 

 eral discount when paid by 

 the quarter or by the year. 

 These stalls are only let for the year. 



Group of Vanda. Caerulea. 



Vanda Suavis. 



and the market year dates 

 from October 1st. About two weeks 

 before the year begins, the choice of 

 selection is sold at auction, and the 

 bidding is very lively, with hardly a 

 space remaining unsold. The income 

 derived from this amounts to the 

 neighborhood of $1,000 yearly, and is 

 appreciated by the holders of the stock. 



The market is open every day, ex- 

 cept Sunday, throughout the year, from 

 6:30 a. m. to 5 p. m. The bulk of the 

 business is done from 6:30 a. m. to 8 

 a. m., and a stranger would be aston- 

 ished to see the amount of flowers that 

 change hand during that time. The di- 

 rectors have several rules which are 

 strictly enforced. Prices are made by 



the grower occupying a stall, and no 

 stall holder is allowed to solicit trade 

 in any other part of the market. 



All flowers which remain unsold can 

 be left in care of the manager, a huge 

 cold storage room having been erected 

 to ensure their keeping. A list of such 

 flowers is given to the manager with 

 the price at which they held and he is 

 authorized to make whatever sales he 

 can during the day. For this service 

 the growers pay to the market a com- 

 mission of fifteen per cent. The mana- 

 ger is also authorized to keep and for 

 sale a stock of the indispensable re- 

 quisites of a retail florist, such as wire 

 work, letters, wire, etc. This is done 

 to accommodate buyers that come in 

 for flowers and are obliged to get home 

 as quickly as possible. 



Mr. W. C. Stickel, of No. Cambridge, 

 through whose efforts, with that of one 

 or two others, the establishment of 

 the market was accomplished, is the 

 president, which office he has held 

 from the first. Mr. E. N. Pierce, of 

 Waverly, is vice-president, and Mr. 

 George Cartwright, of Dedham, is sec- 

 retary and treasurer. A hoard of di- 

 rectors, six in number, together with 

 the above officers, constitute a board of 

 management. They meet once a month, 

 with a meeting of the stockholders 

 once a year. 



A manager, who keeps to his post all 

 day, has entire charge, and upon him 

 depends to a great extent the enforce- 

 ment of the rules and the keeping ot 

 order, and up to this time there has 

 been excellent management and the 

 place is growing in popularity every 

 day. 



When the idea was first talked of the 

 city dealers were very much opposed 



