472 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



MARCH 22, I'JUI/. 



violet is about the worst thing you 

 can have about your store or send out, 

 and every year the nuisance is in- 

 creasing. In the first place, growerw 

 begin to leave flowers on the plants 

 a month or more ahead of time and 

 the retailer gets them in his store 

 two weeks before it is necessary, all 

 despite the fact that no violet will re- 

 tain its fragrance more than a week — 

 most of them only for twenty-four 

 hours. A present of a basket of stale 

 ones is an insult to intelligence. 



There are not quite so many bulb- 

 ous flowers being grown in pans or 

 flats this year. When they are well 

 done they sell readily; the trouble is 



ette, pan>ies, mi.\ed crocus and such 

 things are sure selleis if the price is 

 reasonable. The trouble with most 

 florists is that they spend too much 

 money in ribbons, ba-skrts, etc., and 

 they try to exact big returns for this, 

 in many case.s. unnecessary outlay. We 

 have found most people willing to pay 

 well for (lowers, but not a hundred per 

 cent more than the value of super- 

 fluous trimmings, and we prefer to see 

 the plant rather than the dry goods 

 business encouraged by the florist. We 

 are not averse to the use of adjuncts, 

 it's only when in excess, and conse- 

 j quently a total disregard for art is 

 I adopted that we disagree. We will deal 



Mrs. Bradt as grown at Briar Cliff. 

 [■it--nch stems. 1 



there are not enough bulbs put in the 

 pans, and the varieties, esptcially of 

 tulips, are poorly selected. A pan or 

 small' flat of good Dutch hyatinths or 

 tulips is a very pretty thing when 

 trimmed, and a good profit can be 

 made on them. Cardinal, pink and yel- 

 low are the three most popular colored 

 tulips. White and p.^lo blue in hya- 

 cinths, combinations of red, white and 

 blue in hyai inths Icok well and have 

 lots of meaning, and pans or boxes of 

 mixed jonquils or narclsstis are good. 

 It looks as if there were going to be 

 very few candidum lilies, mo:e's the 

 pitv. Tubs of mixed lilies wou!d be a 

 great seller, so would I.,ilium auratum. 

 Baskets of growing blue cornflowers, 

 edelweiss, freesia, carnations, dwarf 

 nasturtiums, myosotis, dwarf mignon- 



with color combinations and the latest 

 in baskets and bows next week. 



It is important that you have a good 

 man to take care of the watering of 

 your Easter plants. This is a vital 

 point, and don't, p'ense don't, expect to 

 find a man with a head and conscience 

 and the pa.^sivenrss of a slave for five 

 dollars a week. Remember this is near 

 the twentieth century and that you 

 will be a long time dead. We have al- 

 ready too much ignorance in our busi- 

 ness, the small wages offered damps 

 oft the intelligent element; there is 

 more loss through this shortsighted- 

 ness than from any other source. Take 

 even the present time, neglect to prop- 

 erly care for stock may result in tre- 

 mendous damage; this is more particu- 

 larly so and most likely to happen in 



the store. You know very few flowers 

 will stand overhead wateiing. and 

 plants in flower require plentiful root 

 sustenance. IVERA. 



CARNATIONS AT BRIAR CLIFF, 

 NEW YORK. 



liriar Cliff is the romantic uaiue of a 

 beautiful section of country stretching 

 away from Scarborough-on-the-Hudson 

 It is mostly composed of hill and dale, 

 with here and there an assembly of 

 trees or a meeting of laughing Btre:ims. 

 From the summit of the hills several 

 counties are visible, and yonder 

 sweeps the lordly Hudson on its way 

 to the mighty Atlantic. No wonder 

 Washington Irving caught his grandest 

 inspirations from here, for the scenery 

 alone, apart from its historic interest, 

 is well worth traveling a long way to 

 see. In the midst of the loveliest part 

 of this natural panorama i.s Mr. W. W. 

 Law's handsome residence and exten- 

 sive estate, comprising three thousand 

 acres. Immense model dairies and 

 other fancies are established here also, 

 and everything is done to axact the 

 fullest enjoyment as well as the high- 

 est practical results. 



Mr. Law is passionately fond of flow- 

 ers. At first he erected greenhouses 

 to supply his home and his friends 

 with plants and blossoms. The study 

 of flora excited a deeper interest and 

 became, as it does, more enchanting, 

 until finally experiment and ambition 

 led to produce even finer flowers than 

 were procurable on the market. This 

 was comparatively easy where unlim- 

 ited resources were available, and to- 

 day it can be safely said that the fore- 

 runner, the shadow as it were — nay, 

 more, the very model of the horticul- 

 tural house of the coming century— can 

 be seen here. 



You are interested in carnations, 

 every florist is more so now than ever 

 in the history of floriculture. Well, 

 dear reader, if you can, go and see the 

 carnation house at Briar Cliff. If you 

 cannot, then imagine yourself with us. 

 We are standing at one end of a mag- 

 nificent glass palace, it is fifty feet in 

 w-idth and three hundred and six feet 

 in length; it is three-quarter span and 

 twelve feet at the ridge; it is of iron 



^ frame and every modern appliance; 



* thin iron pipes are the only supports, 

 and the view right through the house 

 is entirely unobstructed, everything is 

 light and fresh, but what an entranc- 

 ing sight, what a galaxy of color radi- 

 ating from perfect forms to glorify the 

 divine flower. Every bundled ar.d fifty 

 feet is occupied by a different variety, 

 a distinct color, the whole arranged to 

 bring out the best contrast and all the 

 value in individuality. 



The best varieties of carnations dis- 

 seminated up to last season are on trial 

 here, and though all are grand, in their 

 highest state of perfection, yet many, 

 it seems sad to think, must be discard- 

 ed or relegated to mere stock benches. 

 The hunt for ideals causes many a 

 pang of regret as well as many a throb 



