390 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



AUGUST 30, 1900. 



is looking forward to cbtainins the high- 

 est success in his v/orl; to adopt every 

 lionorable means to increase production 

 and decrease expenses. This can be done 

 ouly by the closest attention to business 

 methods leading tirst of all to a thor- 

 ough knowledge of every detail as to the 

 cost of production. We have found it 

 almost impossible to get any authentic 

 figures upon the last-named subject. 

 Very few men linow what it actually 

 costs to produce stock, as no systematic 

 attempts are made lo obtain facts in 

 regard to this matter. As to tlie cost of 

 houses and other equipment, there is as 

 a rule very little available information 

 on hand. 



These statements are not made in a 

 spirit of criticism, but are brought out 

 simply to call attention to a matter 

 which will undoubtedly disappear with 

 the improvements going on in all direc- 

 tions In connection with this work. We 

 have no doubt that much could be ac- 

 complished in this direction through or- 

 ganization of the florists throughout the 

 country, for ,it present only a small per 

 cent belong to anything in the nature of 



American Florists could In its present 

 position direct. Such organizations could 

 do much towards the establishment of 

 public parks and the general adornment 

 of the home. The great work that Is un- 

 der way in the city of New York is a 

 sample of what might be done on a smal- 

 ler scale in other places and what will 

 no doubt finally result In benefit not only 

 to the people as a whole, but to the flor- 

 ists in particular in the matter of bring- 

 ing about a greater love for flowers and 

 an appreciation of what they stand for 

 In our everyday life. I refer to the es- 

 tablishment of the New York Botanical 

 Garden and the efforts being made to 

 bring this enterprise in touch with hor- 

 ticultural Interests along broad lines. 



In the future the tendency will ini- 

 doubtedly be to specialize more and 

 more. This will be made necessary by 

 the growth of competition, requiring the 

 very highest products of the soil. With 

 greater specialization will come closer 

 attention to every detail of the business 

 and a higher appreciation of many little 

 things which are now allowed to pass 

 as a matter of course. The Society of 



Church Decorated for Wedding. 

 View used by Mr. Kift in illustrating his lecture at New York Convention. 



an organization. It would seem of the 

 highest importance, therefore, to put 

 forth every effort in the matter of nut 

 only strengthening this society, but de- 

 veloping local and special organizations 

 which would have for their object not 

 only the Improvement of the members, 

 but the encouragement of all lines of 

 horticultural work in their respective 

 communities. 



We have already pointed out the im- 

 portance of horticultural socu'ties in the 

 early development of this work, and sug- 

 gested that what was true of them at 

 that time holds true of such organiza- 

 tions now. The societies can arouse an 

 interest In floriculture by meetings, ex- 

 hibitions, and in other ways, which will 

 be felt by those who are looking to the 

 commercial aspect of the case. We be- 

 lieve that this society could uo a vast 

 amount of good by encouraging the or- 

 ganization of florists' clubs and local or- 

 ganizations everywhere, not with a view 

 of making them In any way tributary, 

 but, on the other hand, to have them 

 develop as strong independent bodies 

 along general lines, which the Society of 



American Florists can do much to shape 

 this work, and we trust it may long 

 survive to carry it on. 



TO THE NEW YORKERS. 



We don't know what the commit- 

 tee on resolutions will say officially in 

 their report, but we do know how all 

 felt towards the men who worked so 

 hard to make this convention the glo- 

 rious success it was. This achieve- 

 ment was not done in a few days. 

 With perfect discipline and organiza- 

 tion for months these men have 

 planned it all out, yet scai-cely with 

 all the planning could it have been 

 expected that the whole machine 

 would woi-k so smoothly. There was 

 not an idle man on the committee, and 

 what a great and cool heart in the 

 chair. 



In another column I have jotted 

 down some impressions, but right here 

 I want to say that for magnificent 

 decorations, a continuous round of 

 pleasure, a marvelous exhibition and 

 every attribute that contributed to 

 make this the greatest convention in 

 the history of our society, we are all 

 grateful and thankful to the New 

 York florists individually and collec- 

 tively for their great effort. 



Tired out they were no doubt, hut 

 they will not regret their labors for 

 they sent home hundreds of glad 

 hearts who will not in many years 

 forget the kindness and unstinted 

 hospitality and joy they received in 

 that greatest of cities, New York. 



WM. SCOTT. 



HOW TO MAKE A PRIVATE PLACE 

 MOST ATTRACTIVE. 



By Geo. A. Kobixson, Montreal. 

 [Read before the Canadian Horticultural .Asso- 

 ciation at the Montreal Convention.] 



The subject, how to make a private 

 place most attractive, is one which 

 may be regarded from so many points 

 of view, that it is difficult to decide 

 which should be taken up first; how- 

 ever, outdoor gardening is naturally 

 the most essential in the majority of 

 private places. 



A gardener, upon taking charge of a 

 gentleman's place, should go thor- 

 oughly over the garden, and note what 

 improvements he considers necessary. 

 Planting of trees and shrubs will be 

 the first consideration, and here is 

 where the gardener's art and knowl- 

 edge will be called into play. He must 

 thoroughly understand the nature, 

 growth and habits of the trees or 

 shrubs he proposes to plant. He must 

 naturally be guided by the character 

 and location of the land under con- 

 sidei-ation. Few trees that grow nat- 

 urally in a low, moist situation, will 

 grow well on dry lands, and similarly 

 those that grow well on high and dry 

 lands will not thrive in very wet sit- 

 uations, though even to this rule there 

 are many exceptions. 



I would advise a more extensive 

 planting of hardy evergreen and flow- 

 ering shrubs than has been practiced 

 heretofore. The prevailing idea among 

 gardenei's was that reliably hardy 

 shrubs were very scarce, but of late 

 years the list has been considerably 

 enlarged, until now it contains va- 

 rieties that will please the most fas- 

 tidious, and will be found suitable for 

 all locations and requirements, and for 

 all seasons. 



In planting trees or shrubs do not 

 make the common mistake of planting 

 too thickly. I know some gardeners 

 and employers in doing such planting 

 are anxious to have an immediate ef- 

 fect, consequently they plant closely, 

 with the intention of cutting some of 

 them out as they grow, but, as a rule, 

 that cutting out process is never car- 

 ried out, and the result is a jumbled 

 mass of shrubbery with no individual- 

 ity, and worse than that, every year 

 sees them thicker; they cannot ripen 

 their wood for the next season's flow- 



