290 



The Weekly Florists' Review^ 





vhat 1 





seasons; prices 



There was an increased demand for liardy 

 stocli for outdoor planting. 



Well grown Boston ferns and kentias find a 

 steady market. Ficus clastic-a do not sell as 



: well- as formerly; too many poorly grown 

 plants sold at department stores at low prices 



, seem to have Idlled the uouularity of this 

 plant. 



About the only new carnation to be recorded 

 and shown -at the American Carnation Society 

 at Baltimore, Md., from this state was the 



- Beau Ideal, of the Daybreak order, by Mr. N. 

 D. Pierce, Jr., of Norwood, R. I., who secured 

 a certificate of merit. Quite a number of other - 

 new varieties have been shown by other florists 

 from different sections of the state, of which 

 we expect to hear more later. 



Very little building of a commercial nature 

 has been done this season, on account of the 

 high price of material, although there has been 

 some, and quite a little building on private 



Floral exhibitions are held regularly several 

 Rhode Island Horti- 



lowa. 



To the President and Members of the S. A. F. 



O. H. 



I am pleased to submit the following report 

 for. the state of Iowa: The florists' conditions 

 in general throughout the state have been 

 . excellent tor the past year, and are now in a 

 healthy condition. 



The cut flower trade has been good; potted 

 plants fair. Holiday trade in general has 

 been excellent, especially that of Easter. Many 

 growers report an increase of 25 per cent in 

 prices and business over that of last year. 



A number of new houses have been erected 

 at various points in the state, though many 

 growers are holding back on account of the 

 very high price of glass at this time. 



The 



of 



temperature ranging as high 

 companied by a burning win 

 extremely trying on all plan 



115 degrees, 

 ^have made 

 lite. Field 

 conditions 



spider in out-of-door plants, and we have 

 them by the teeming millions. 



The past winter was comparatively mild, and 

 decorative shrubbery of all kinds came through 

 in good condition. 



The State Fair contained a fair representa- 

 tion of florists' exhibits. Plans are under con- 

 sideration which, if carried out, will add ma- 

 terially to the landscape features of the State 

 ■Pflir grounds. 



- '^ -- ■ — ^ - adopted plans 

 frontage, and 



Nebraska. 



To the President and Members of the S. A. V 



As vice-president of your society for tln' 

 state of Nebraska I take pleasure in submit- 

 ting the following report: 



Judging from the reports ail over the stat- 

 the past year has been one of the most suc- 

 cessful business years for the past decade 

 The result of this has been that flowers com- 

 mand a more uniform price than ever before 

 and all the florists have felt encouraged to 

 build and rebuild and make many improve- 

 ments. The weather, too, during the past year 

 has been very favorable for outdoor culture, 

 plenty of rain falling during the growing 

 months, and no hail to speak of that did any 

 damage. 



The Bermuda Harrisil lily has been another 

 failure for Easter, as fully 40 to 60 per cent 

 were diseased, whereas the Longiflorum (Ja- 

 pan) were not diseased at all, and are un- 

 doubtedly today the most profitable lily a 

 florist can cultivate. 



The annual State Horticultural Show, held 

 last vear at Lincoln, was very creditable to 

 the florists, and a fine display was made. 

 both in cut flowers and plants. These show-^ 

 held annually, stimulate 

 competition among 



mber of the 

 atured rivalry exists 

 among' them all as to who can make the 

 most attractive display. 



The Nebraska Florists' Society, which meets 

 once a month In Omaha, has done good work 

 the past year. A good many valuable papers 

 have been read by its ' " ' — '" 



vation of " ' ' ' 

 gratifying to be able to record tnat its men 

 bership is constantly on the increase. 



During the early spring a Japanese concei 

 opened a store here in Omaha for about t< 

 days, and thousands of Oriental plant curio 

 ities were disposed of without trouble at goo 



that the people are always looking for som 

 thing new and rare. The florists would < 

 well to prepare themselves 



and 



following 1 



of 



Maine 



iirr our florists, the 

 made a very gratify- 

 ;. some reporting from 

 . _ I advance on the pro- 



year. The holiday and memorial trade 

 ■■ " ■ ' * have gener- 



was very satisfactory, and pr: 

 ally ruled high.r. n.drting i 

 lings sold imn-irillv v.-.-ll, in-ir 



vhile su 



of cut flowers. Indeed, all 

 the wholesalers in times ol 



The spring season was rather late for out- 

 door planting, but the stock generally is look- 



sary to get the plants into the field as early 

 as may be to get the best results. 



Two or three things are needed to advance 

 the interests of the trade in our section. One 

 is the growing of more and better fiowers than 

 at present. With present range of prices we 

 cannot afford to buy our stock, and we cannot 

 advance our prices without a real advance in 

 the size and quality of our home products. 

 Another thing needed 



ion with the general society. In th( 

 combination we cannot afford to : 

 But very few Main 



affili- 



hods 1 



11 behli 

 uld 



general effort 

 t.p I H^ ..III ].rir.is in prosperous times to a 

 ^i.iii.l,ti..l ui ..quality with the advance in all 

 othfr lines of merchandise. He who persist** i 

 cutting prices not only injures his neighbor 

 but injures himself in the long run. Let co- 

 operation and progress be our watchwords. 



H. R. MITCHELL. 



New Jersey. 



The past year would appear to have been one 

 3f general progress in New Jersey, and the 

 aggregate result of a successful season among 

 now manifest in the number 

 to their establishments. It is 

 er to get reliable figures 



ninn- mi i i -^ happy augury of a 



tl 1. t> bhould foster and assist 



II III. in New Jersey, one of the 



III. I ].. mill 111 f.-idontial sections of the east- 

 ■-[11 i-un..^. luivate estates predominate, and 

 ouLh \ Lar their number increases. It behooves 

 us as' a society to note this fact, for the own- 

 er.s of these places are substantial patrons of 

 horticulture and it should be within the 

 n e of ou w ork to do son eth ng fo o na 

 n ental ho t u tu e 



For examp e The past w nter by reason f 

 pe u a cond tons ong p eva ng wa r 



effects upon 



mune wh 

 d ness failed 



: ety render g 



md 



\ HERRIN 



Western Pennsylvania 



The I 



trade was better than last 

 quite an increased demand 

 and herbaceous plants. 



Construction of greenhousi 

 season was not very exteni 



" aterlal had some effect 



.St year. Nursery 

 season; there was 

 for hardy shrubs 



difticult 



. The 



places. Respectfully sub 



, C. LUDWIG. 



FLOWERING PLANTS AND THEIR 

 TREATMENT FOR CHRIST- 

 MAS SALES, 



BV \VlLLH.M P. CR.Uc;. 



[Read before the S. A. P. Convention at Buffalo.] 

 Christmas is the oldest and the grandest 

 of our festivals, which "gr^ws mellower and 

 sweeter with the passage of the centuries." 

 It is now universally observed in all Chris- 

 tian countries by the laying aside, as far as 

 may be, of the dreary cares of everyday life, ' 

 by the resting from toil, and the exercise 

 and cultivation of the kindlier sentiments 

 and better impulses of the human heart. 

 How the children dream of the good times 

 coming at Christmas, and how their elders, 

 laying aside selfishness, give themselves over 

 to the giving of gifts and to the 

 maMng of hearts glad. And how ap- 

 propriate are plants and flowers as Christ- 

 mas gifts ! Emerson says, "Flowers are 

 always fit presents, because they are a proud 

 assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all 

 the utilities of the world." But, aside from 

 the sentimental value of Christmas, its 

 effect on the business of the world is mar- 

 velous. All over the world people in all 

 lines of trade recognize the importance of 

 the occasion, and are busy, months in ad- 

 vance, preparing for the great trade of 

 Christmas, and so it very properly comes to 

 pass that we are asked here, in the month of 

 August, to consider, as far as our limited 

 time will permit, what we may best do to 

 have our share in that general prosperity 

 which comes with this greatest of holidays. 

 Some one has said that "bright colors and 

 gladness go well together." and it is quite 

 certain that in plant and flower, in fruit 

 and berry, the brighter colors are 



welcome 



How ipp op 

 he po nsett a 



h nt here and 



of general joy. 

 s the b 1 ant color of 

 I how t blends n w th 

 and the i nglng of the 

 mas ch mes And m azaleas cycla- 

 nd othe Chrstmas plants the pref- 



s la ely fo b ght colo 8 

 II now g e a 1 St of the plants usual- 

 grown for Chr s mas w th only a cultural 

 ' '" " '' ' ' attempt ng ' 



for grow ng 



h h would extend 



e length and 



se so much 



p^ard to al- 



ade papers 



wh ch hive 



f -111 I take 



1 s paper is 



ow ng tride 



nea ly all 



decade w th 



m te 1 knowledge 



