474 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



JIARCH 22, 19lK). 



houses, each 100x20, it would keep you 

 both fairly busy; more so if you grew 

 bedding plants than planted out crops 

 like roses and carnations. You can 

 build a good deal of glass on tie lot 

 described, but four or five acres is 

 much better. While starting in the 

 country why not have enoiujh land? If 

 you intended to put buildings on the 

 land the seller is most times satisfied 

 with a payment of 25 per cent and the 

 remainder to run on a mortgage, which 

 would be a good one, if you bought the 

 land right. Good soil is of the gieatest 

 importance, more so than location, but 

 you should look to two things, viz.. 

 that the houses can be built running 

 east and west and that you have ample 

 drainage for stoke holes, etc. 



No. 4. The running expenses of two 

 houses, 50.X20. after being stocked 

 ■would depend on your ability, it 

 would not be enough to keep one man 

 busy, but you had better reckon your 

 time and in addition $125 for fuel and 

 $50 more for pots and incidentals. 



No. 5. The one "that has worked at 

 the trade for some time" is the only 

 one that should attempt to run the 

 greenhouses. When you have grown 

 to a large firm the other one may be 

 called in as bookkeeper, if he can af- 

 ford to wait. 



No. 6. This is answered by the last. 

 Decidedly, if you are determined to 

 start, don't be encumbered bv anyone 

 especially one who knows nothing of 

 the business. 



No. 7. If you are up in building vour- 

 self and practical in heating vou might 

 build these two small houses with 

 heating and shed all complete for oc- 

 cupying for about $1,200. 



In conclusion, if you have no capital 

 It would not be advisable to start in 

 such a small way as there would be 

 a great likelihood of always running 

 in debt. Your profits would not be 

 enough to get you out of debt. If you 

 have confidence that you are an expert 

 at the business and can borrow capi- 

 tal, go into it large enough so that you 

 can use your ability to advantage and 

 progress. 



NEW YORK. 



Amalgamat'on Rejected. 



The past week was a most important 

 one in the history of the florists' busi- 

 ness in New York. A scheme was 

 sprung to amalgamate the New York 

 Cut Flower Company, now doing busi- 

 ness at 119 West Twenty-third street, 

 and the Cut Flower Exchange at the 

 Thirty-fourth street ferry. The for- 

 mer is a combination of large growers, 

 organized a few years ago for the pur- 

 pose of dispensing with the services of 

 commission men, the latter is a market 

 composed of most of the small growers 

 on Long Island. 



The Cut Flower Companv have to 

 either renew their lease or vacate this 

 year, and the Exchange have two 

 more years before their lease expires 

 It was proposed by the large growers 



that the present corporations be dis- 

 solved, and that they both combine 

 and open a new flower market at the 

 southwest corner of Thirty-first street 

 and liroadway. A special meeting of 

 the stockholders of the Cut Flower Ex- 

 change was held at their market on 

 Saturday morning last, and the propo- 

 sition was put before them and defeat- 

 ed by a stock vote of 18tl tor and 198 

 against. 



Never was there a more exciting 

 meeting held anywhere, it was pathet- 

 ically picturesque. Here in the oldest 

 and largest cut flower mart we have in 

 the country, men were gathered to- 

 gether who have been identified with 

 the flower business since the old days, 

 aye, back to forty years ago, who have 

 struggled and toiled on, winter and 

 summer alike, working like slaves dur- 

 ing the day, preparing their flowers at 

 night, and arriving at the market at 6 

 a. m.; we have known most of them 

 for over seventeen years. God only 

 knows how they stand it, some of them 

 can but grow ivy leaves and candytuft 

 in the tumble-down houses — the night- 

 mares of their lives— whilst others 

 have splendid establishments and are 

 famous for the quality of their prod- 

 ucts. These men, and women, too, are 

 of all nationalities, but the majority 

 are Germans. 



Some years ago they formed a cor- 

 poration, put their hard earned little 

 moneys into the venture, and have 

 prospered. Success, no matter how 

 small, is capable of bringing content- 

 ment to those who have little or no 

 pleasure in life, and any seeming de- 

 vice which threatens to destroy that 

 success is met as a foe and fought most 

 bitterly. This was the case on Satur- 

 day, the "well-to-do" element were 

 willing to try their luck with the new 

 venture, but the poorest dreaded the 

 scheme with the full weight of des- 

 peration. To them it was a case of the 

 sharks and the little fishes, and his- 

 tory and experience taught them to be- 

 ware. It even went so far that these 

 small growers were determined to 

 open a market for themselves should 

 the scheme of amalgamation succeed. 

 It would seem assured that there will 

 always be a market near this ferry, 

 yet that there will be a new one on or 

 near Broadway. 



Sooner or later we suppose New 

 York will have a creditable plant and 

 flower market, that is inevitable, and 

 there is nothing impossible to a united 

 florists' wish here. The present system 

 and the new proposition is, and would 

 fall short of the requirements. If we 

 could but eradicate the feeling of ven- 

 omous distrust which seems to per- 

 vade and guide the actions of certain 

 elements in our trade, poor New York 

 might at least be a more pleasant place 

 to live in. Some have lived so well, 

 though, that they have become com- 

 pletely blind to the "live and let live" 

 signs. There's an end to every rope. 

 Let Us have more honest good feeling- 

 it's badly needed in these short lives of 

 ours. 



A Plant Market. 



The New York Market Florists' As- 

 sociation held a meeting at the Clin- 

 ton market restaurant, March 15th, It 

 was decided to open the season on Sat- 

 urday, March 24th. The above is com- 

 posed of plant growers from New Jer- 

 sey and Long Island. Clinton market 

 is the only plant market we have in 

 New York; it is situated at West and 

 Canal streets. The season opens in 

 March and closes in late summer. 



New York Gardenes' Society. 

 The New York tiardeners' Society 

 will hold its quarterly meeting and 

 carnation show in the parlors of the 

 New York Press Club, 34 West Twen- 

 ty-sixth street. New York city, on the 

 afternoon and evening of March 27th. 

 Mr, C. W. Ward has offered a beauti- 

 ful silver cup for the best collection of 

 carnations, twelve flowers of each va- 

 riety, three of the varieties must have 

 originated with either Mr. Ward or Mr. 

 Dorner. F. R. and P. M. Pierson have 

 offered a prize for the best display of 

 carnations. The Florists' Review, 

 through its eastern representative, of- 

 fers Wm. Scott's grand work, "The • 

 Florists' Manual," for the best fifty 

 carnation flowers, not less than three 

 varieties. This prize, value $5, is of- 

 fered in this class to give the man with 

 a small place a chance with the big 

 one, and keen competition is expected. 

 The publishers of American Gardening 

 offer two years' subscription to that 

 paper for the best seedling carnation. 

 All the above classes are confined to 

 private gardeners. Certificates of 

 merit will be awarded to meritorious 

 new carnations exhibited by commer- 

 cial growers. 



This is a chance to all to have the 

 very highest recognition given to their 

 products. The New York Press Club is 

 composted of the brightest men in the 

 newspaper and literary world of New 

 York, the entire pre.'s of the city is 

 represented here, and we feel it is only 

 necessary to state that every courtesy 

 and every opportunity will be afforded 

 the entire floricultural communitv to 

 exhibit their best that day. Mr. John 

 A. Hennessy and Col. A. B. de Frece, 

 the chairman of the house committee 

 and chairman of the entertainment 

 committee of the New York Press 

 Club, have graciously tendered the use 

 of the club's room for the day, and we 

 hope all will send an exhibit of their 

 new carnations. Any flowers sent to 

 Jas. I. Uonlan. at above address, on the 

 27th of March, will be carefully staged 

 and attended to. 



Various Items. 



Everyone expects a very good Easter 

 trade. At the present time wheels go 

 slowly. 



Mr. Thomas Young, Jr., intends to 

 visit London and Paris this summer as 

 usual, but denies that he intends to 

 open branch stores in those cities. 



New York will be a place of much 

 interest next week. We hope to see a 



