386 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



ArcusT :.'l. 19Ui. 



This state is makiiig rapid progress in 

 some lines, notably in raising fruit. In 

 1890 there ivere in the state in rounfl 

 numbers 1,250,000 apple frees; in 1900, 

 6,500,000; peaches increased in the same 

 time 30 per cent; plums, prunes and 

 pears increased more than threefold in 

 ten years. Value of manufactured to- 

 bacco in 1890, $4,375,000. In 1899. 7,000 

 acres were devoted to small fruits alone. 

 There were 5,600 acres of strawberries, 

 the total yield for 1899 was 10,700,000 

 quarts. This business was started only 

 twenty-seven years ago and is increa.sing 

 rapidly. Large '-sections of the state are 

 within a belt where frost is not known, 

 but the florieultural establishments are 

 not keeping up to the pace set by market 

 gardeners. By the census statistics for 

 June,_ 1900, only fifteen establishments 

 are given with ninety acres of improved 

 land. Value of land, buildings and im- 

 plements, only .$27,000. Value of prml- 

 ucts, .$2.5,000; e.xpended for labor, $4.imi(i. 

 This is a small showing for such a large 

 and fertile state. It is earnestly hoped 

 and it is confidently predicted, tliat the 

 gathering of the S. A. F. in the south 

 will be of inestimable value, not only to 

 the south in general but to the horticul- 

 tural world at large. 



It is up to the florists and nurserymen 

 "f the state of North Carolina in parti- 

 <-uIar, and to the south in general, to 

 take advantage of the present opportun- 

 ity by putting their shoulders to the 

 wheel and prove to the florists of Amer- 

 ica and the world what they can do and 

 will do for the advancement of the no- 

 blest and grandest work, horticulture. It 

 has been proven that this state can grow 

 tuberoses to perfection; the choicest 

 kinds of dahlias will increase threefold 

 faster than in any other known place, and 

 lily of the valley is indigenous to the 

 state. No doubt that it can be successful- 

 ly grown and be much better ripened 

 than that which comes from Europe. The 

 demand for first-class pips the i)ast five 

 years has been enormous. 



A gentleman, an acknowledged author- 

 ity, says all kinds of tulips, narcissi, 

 freesias, tuberoses and the general col- 

 lection of Holland bulbs can be grown 

 in this state successfully for commercial 

 uses. Ehododendrons are native here 

 and they luxuriate in the ravines and 

 dells of the mountains. The foundation 

 is right here, with water in unlimited 

 quantities, and it teems as though the 

 grandest collection the world ever saw 

 could be raised here, but we still keep on 

 importing at high cost with 60 per cent 

 added for freight and customs duty, 

 ■nith a shortage at the present time in 

 Europe. MilUons of Manetti are im- 

 ported yearly at a cost of not less than 

 $12 per thousand on the average to 

 the consumer. They can be grown, and 

 are to a limited extent, in South Carolina, 

 and are as easy to grow as watermelons. 

 Again we are buying from Holland 

 large quantities H. P. budded roses, 

 anywhere from three to eight inches from 

 the gi-ound, taken from wet land in an 

 unripened condition, not even losing their 

 foliage in some eases, before being 

 packed for shipment. They lie around 

 the vicinity of New York till spring, are 

 then sent broadcast to auction rooms, de- 

 lartment stores, and other places to be 

 distributed to the public usually with 

 such unsatisfactory results as to be a 

 positive injury to this branch of the 

 business. In numerous instances clematis 



and other vines, Indian and (Jhent 

 azaleas, and a general collection of 

 shrubbery are kept in storage so long 

 that they are practically useless for orna- 

 mental or any other planting, and a sure 

 di.sappointment to the last purchaser. 

 Ordinary kinds of shrubs and the native 

 evergreens in suitable sizes for immediate 

 planting were not easily found two or 

 three years ago. Red oak and pin oak 

 coulil not be found in the eastern part of 

 the country to plant a boulevard in 

 Massachusetts, and this is the land of 

 har<l wooded trees. North Carolina. Low 

 budded H. P. roses can be and are grown 

 in South Carolina. Samples sent to Mas- 

 sachusetts last winter were all right; 

 nice plants, well ripened ; forced for Eas- 

 ter, and were satisfactory to those con- 

 cerned. A consignment of Crimson Eam- 

 lilers from the same state arrived in Mas- 

 sachusetts in the pink of condition, wood 

 well ripened clean out to the points, the 

 best forcing plants we had for the spring 

 of 1902. 



Another class of bulbs we have been 

 importing of late years at heavy cost and 

 little profit, with little prospect of get- 

 ing anything better. I refer to the lilium 

 bulbs. The Bermudas are unreliable. 

 The Japanese are decidedly worse this 

 year. From press rejxirts the outlook in 

 Japan is very discouraging. One grower 

 in my section forced about 60,000 bulbs 

 for last Easter, with over 50 per cent 

 loss by disease partly, and apparently, 

 by no care being given to selection. The 

 Department of Agriculture at Washing- 

 ton has been earefuly looking into the 

 matter and .says some of the causes are 

 indiscriminate propagation and in a 

 great measure lifting out of the ground 

 before they are ripe. 



Here is an opportunity for the bulb 

 grower of the south. Now what will the 

 florists and nurserymen of the south do? 

 The S. A. F. is here to talk and advise 

 with you on many important matters 

 in regard to this great and growing in- 

 dustry. We hope and we feel confident 

 that an impetus will be given to the 

 business within the south. We want to 

 receive your oills of lading and some of 

 the products of this vast territory at our 

 feet, the "Sunny South." We liope for 

 more and closer business relations with 

 our friends and co-laborers from the 

 great south. Let progress be the watch- 

 word in floriculture and horticulture in 

 every branch. I believe most firmly in 

 the future greatness of American horti- 

 culture. Our markets are unlimited. I 

 see no reason why we cannot become a 

 nation of exporters as well as importers, 

 and compete with Europe and Jajian. In 

 the past five years horticulture has ad- 

 vanced more rapidly in the United 

 States than at any period in history, and 

 is exciting the admiration and wonder of 

 the horticultural world. In round num- 

 bers, June 1st, 1901, the number of 

 florist establishments in the United 

 States was more than 6,000 with 43,000 

 acres of improved land. The value of 

 land, buililings, and imi)lements was 

 $52,000,000, value of the product about 

 $18,500,000. The same date, number of 

 nurseries 7oO, with 52,000 acres of land, 

 value of land and buildings, $8,500,000. 

 The imports of seeds first five months 

 1902, value $1,630,139. Exports same 

 date, $1,536,350. 



So the florists, nurserymen, and seed 

 growers in America are importing more 



than is exported in the same line of 

 goods. This is not as it should be. 



Mr. Wm. E. Smith then read his re- 

 marks on the bulb situation. 



Remarks on the Bulb Situatioa. 



To help find a commercial home for 

 bulbs that can be grown in this country 

 instead of being imported, has been in 

 my mind for some years. This is a mat- 

 ter 1 consider of great importance, and 

 worthy of careful consideration by this 

 society. I have made an effort to ob- 

 tain information as to the value and 

 quantity of Eonian hyacinths, tulips, nar- 

 cissi, and lily-pips imported annually, 

 but have failed. I addressed a letter 

 to the lion. Secretary of the Treasury, 

 wliich he promptly referred to the Bureau 

 of Statistics. Mr. O. P. Austin, chief of 

 that bureau, furnishes the following 

 table: 



"Imports of value on orchids, palms, 

 dracEenas, crotons and azaleas, tulips, 

 etc., for consumption in the United 

 States, by principal customs districts, 

 and all other districts for the year end- 

 ing June 30, 1901. 



Year Ending June 30 J90J, 



"Orchids, palms, drac»nas, crotons 

 and azaleas, tulips, hyacinths, narcissi, 

 jonquils, lilies of the valley, and all 

 other bulbs, bulbous roots or corms, 

 which are cultivated for their flowers: 



Custom Districts. 



New York, N. Y $415,101 



Boston, Mass 41,555 



Philadelphia, Pa 137,651 



Chicago, III 40,363 



All other districts 129,788 



Total $764,458 



Treasury Department, July 22, 1902. 



(No quantities stated.)" 



"Treasury Department, July 22, 1902. 



"(Mo quantities stated.)" 



Mr. Austin says, in a letter addressed 

 to me, that he had requested the collect- 

 ors of customs at New York, Philadel- 

 phia, Boston and Chicago, for any fur- 

 ther information they could give but 

 owing to the classification they could not 

 furnish separate information on the arti- 

 cles asked for. 



We beg leave here to acknowledge th^ 

 kind courtesies of- Mr. Austin. Mr. 

 Powers, cliief statistician of the census 

 office, also kindly endeavored to secure 

 information for me on the same subject, 

 from leading firms in the various cities, 

 but for the same and other reasons he 

 failed to elicit reliable information; 

 enough, however, was obtained to make 

 it an object that those bulbs, of easy 

 culture, not requiring extra skilled labor, 

 cau be" grown successfully somewhere in 

 the United States, and the quantity used 

 can be doubled and made an object of 

 interest. There are numerous other 

 bulbs imported, that can and will before 

 long be grown by enthusiastic experts 

 in this country. We have tlie advantage 

 of cheap land as against cheap labor. 

 Already the gladioli, freesias and tube- 

 roses are exports. Of the latter the 

 large output of $4.5,000 is not all for 

 florists' purposes, I am informed. Grease 

 and glass, at Grasse, near Nice, consume 

 an immense quantify of tuberose flowers, 

 and a monopoly from natural causes se- 

 cures this, and will secure others as ex- 

 ports. An interesting and instructive 

 article on this subject can be found in 

 Appleton's Popular Scientific Monthly of 



