J 24 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



JANUARY 4, 1900. 



couraged aud demanded higher and 

 more perfect types of material. But 

 we wish to be generous, an^l give all 

 a share in the glorious achievement 

 of raising American floriculture to 

 such a high standard. When you 

 come closer to the retailer and study 

 art, you will find that it is of a qual- 

 ity all alone; there is no country to- 

 day where (loral art has reached the 

 standard raised by Americans, and 

 this was made possible only by the 

 production of perfect flowers, for it 

 is to excellence of material almost as 

 must as to refined judgment that 



technical knowledge of and better ap- 

 preciation of i commercial flora, ideal 

 and successful flower shows, a more 

 definite realization of "the survival 

 of the fittest" in everything, a Soci- 

 ety of Floral Artists, a National Hor- 

 ticultural Society, the concentration 

 of specialists in cultivation as well as 

 artists in arranging, in larger and 

 more magnificent 'city establishments, 

 the disappearance of trade or horti- 

 cultural newspapers run by cliques or 

 in the interest of growers alone, the 

 supplying of European flower markets 

 in winter by American growers, a 



View in Hodgson's. 

 NEW YORK STORES AT CHRISTMAS. 



we owe whatever success or promi- 

 nence we may have attained, and 

 though we have accomplished won- 

 ders in the recent past, everything 

 points toward far greater results in 

 the near future. 



We have already got the finest re- 

 tail florists' stores and attachments in 

 existence, the finest flowei-s and the 

 highest prices to be seen or obtained 

 anywhere, but we have much to learn 

 and lots to avoid. A new element has 

 crept into our business only to retard, 

 not to stop, the growth of refinement. 

 The monstrosities which are the fruits 

 of narrow minds and dwarfed intel- 

 lects can be seen like a fungus on 

 every art in every age, but beauty 

 of thought in language or substance 

 remains imperishable through all vi- 

 cissitudes. 



We are destined to see many 

 changes in our business in the early 

 part of the twentieth century: A bet- 

 ter understanding and a closer rela- 

 tionship between retailer and grower, 

 a different system of marketing, bet- 

 ter quality and more variety of all 

 classes of plants and flowers, a more 



paper exclusively devoted to retail 

 florists, home production of everything 

 imported now, etc., etc. 



And there is no good reason why 

 we should not commence some of the 

 great improvements at once. The 

 sooner we realize the fact that this 

 country will neither become smaller 

 nor less an important factor in the 

 destinies of other nations, that the 

 American people will not grow to be 

 less lovers of the beautiful, we will un- 

 derstand that there can never be a 

 market like ours, if we are but equal 

 to it. 



The millstone 'round the neck of 

 a greater prosperity to-day is a wo- 

 ful lack of variety of stock on the mar- 

 ket. We seem to want to dictate to an 

 imperious beauty what she shall wear, 

 whilst nature is busy producing gems 

 which should shame us. 



With this first issue in the New 

 Year of The Review, we would call 

 attention to the important fact that it 

 is the only paper in the world that de- 

 votes a special department to retail 

 florists, and whilst what is written is 



specially intended for retailers, we 

 arg told that there are- very few grow- 

 ers who don't peruse this corner, for 

 what sells best in the market interests 

 all, and if a paper is worth reading 

 it is worth the paltry subscription of 

 one dollar a year. We want you to 

 help us make this department better 

 than it is; we help you, you can help 

 others, and make this year memorable 

 in many ways. 



The convention next August will 

 possibly be the largest gathering of 

 florists and the best trade exhibition 

 ever seen anywhere: it is to be hoped 

 that the retailers will either make a 

 creditable display or see one that will 

 benefit them in many ways. The 

 smallest are often capable of produc- 

 ing the greatest results, and there is 

 no fiorist too humble or too poor to 

 aspire to in some way elevate floricul- 

 ture. We must all understand that to 

 learn is compulsory with the florist; 

 to succeed he must continually study. 

 No man can say that he has passed en- 

 tirely through the school, for in every 

 liranch of our trade there is lots of 

 room at the top. 'Tis well it is so, for 

 that fact will always insure greater 

 effort and higher attainments. 



The observant among us will have 

 noticed many things the past Christ- 

 mas and New Year's day and will bene- 

 fit thereby. The demand for flowering 

 plants will increase, but we must im- 

 prove in cultivation as well as in va- 

 riety. Every dealer will admit that if 

 he had better stock he could have sold 

 very much more. Take ericas; we must 

 have brighter colors: there will be a 

 use for plenty of tall poinsettias, but 

 the short ones in pans will increase in 

 popularity. We must have roses in 

 I)ots: ditto bright colored carnations. 

 And what is the matter with Euphor- 

 bia Jacquinaeflora? Although for 

 cheap work ordinary Chinese prim- 

 roses will do, yet we must have those 

 named varieties, such as Crimson King 

 (a grand color). Giant Pink, Purity 

 and Reading Blue. 



We have long since dispensed with 

 seasons in flowers, but we need closer 

 relation between retailer and grower 

 on what is best. Many and many a 

 good flower has been poorly received 

 in this country because its vitality 

 was low on account of over-propaga- 

 tion. We can afford to be more gen- 

 erous, we can afford to give more en- 

 couragement to the great men who are 

 aiming to reach higher standards in 

 the race of commercial flowers. 



One prominent feature of the plant 

 trade at Christmas was Begonia Glory 

 of Lorraine; it was forced too much 

 and, after a week in the stores, shed its 

 flowers in consequence. Much of it 

 was left on hand, and it is more than 

 likely many retailers will refuse to buy 

 it again: that would be a grave mis- 

 take, because it is a lovely thing, grand 

 in hanging baskets. 



We have noticed that bright*'- col- 

 ors prevail in the florists' windows for 

 New Year's day trade, but regret that 

 much of it is in ribbons. Wintry 



