778 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



APRIL. 7, 189S. 



aces and two kings," representing a 

 full house. Next! 



In the window, which is always 

 tastefully decorated, was a stunted and 

 dwarf cherry in full bloom, quite 

 unique. 



Auctions. 



The auctioneers' innings have come 

 again, and quantities of imported nur- 

 sery stock and miscellaneous home 

 grown nursery and florists' stock are 

 falling under the hammer and good 

 prices are realized. 



Mr. W. J. Elliott, who wields the 

 gavel for William Elliott & Son, is a 

 "chip of the old block," and eloquently 

 sustains the reputation of this house. 



Mr. John P. Cleary, of Cleary & Co.. 

 who wears a straw hat and has a 

 "blanket" catalogue of large propor- 

 tion, prefers knocking down lots to 

 Spaniards and denies the rumor that 

 he will shoulder an improvised ham- 

 mer and start for the front. 



PHILADELPHIA. 



Business Brisk. 



Business has been very brisk the 

 past week. Easter plant sales are 

 ahead of last year, and if the weather 

 this week is reasonably clear — not 

 seasonably, for it is April — there is 

 every indication that this will be a 

 great Easter. Enormous quantities of 

 flowering plants have been sold at 

 good prices. Despite war rumors there 

 is a general feeling of confidence 

 among the retailers. 



Plant Novelties. 



The best novelty offered is Crimson 

 Rambler rose, Robert Craig being the 

 leading grower. So confident was Mr. 

 Craig of this rose's future as an East- 

 er plant that he filled two houses with 

 it, and the result has fully justified 

 his faith. The plants, many of them 

 enormous specimens, covered with 

 bloom, have all sold at most encour- 

 aging prices, many of them going to 

 other cities. Hydrangea monstrosa is 

 also attracting attention, the plants 

 being dwarfer than Otaksa and seem- 

 ingly freer bloomers. Both genistas 

 and deutzias are more than usually 

 good this season, W. K. Harris hav- 

 ing both in fine shape. Spiraea is 

 hardly so fine, as a rule. It is thought 

 that it has been grown on poor soil 

 abroad. Azaleas are very fine, espe- 

 cially the plants carried over summer 

 here. Many of the azaleas are greatly 

 improved in appearance by having 

 the lower shoots tied down. Lilies are 

 not especially good, except the Japan 

 grown, which have perfect foliage, 

 though not very large blooms. The 

 general effect is however pleasing. 

 Some excellent rhododendrons are 

 seen. The best daisies are the yellow 

 of which Albert Woltemate has a su- 

 perb lot. Tulips are very fine, espe- 

 cially the doubles. Valley is good but 

 Von Sion is rather poor. 



Cut flowers have sold pretty well 

 and it is believed that good stock will 

 be scarce by the end of this week. 



Penn. Hort. Society. 



The Spring show of the Pennsylva- 

 nia Horticultural Society opened on 

 Tuesday and lasted four days. It was 

 an exceedingly pretty show, the only 

 chance for the critic being Lord By- 

 ron's idea of woman — a good thing 

 and therefore ought to be not small 

 but large. Secretary Rust deserves 

 great credit for the exhibition. The 

 quality was above the usual high 

 standard and there would undoubted- 

 ly have been more but that the flor- 

 ists are too busy now for shows. 



The Exhibition. 



Albert Woltemate arranged a beau- 

 tiful group of orchids for effect. Hen- 

 ry A. Dreer showed some interesting 

 novelties. W. K. Harris had some ex- 

 cellent genistas. Francis Canning had 

 fine Bellis perennis, myosotis and the 

 tallest lily I ever saw. Westcott's 

 Nurseries made a fine decoration and 

 so I might go on did time permit. 



The cut roses and carnations were 

 the crowning glory of the show, 

 Messrs. Heacock. Anderson and Bur- 

 ton showing excellent roses — Beau- 

 ties, Brunners, Maids. Carnots and 

 Victorias. H. Weber & Son sent Mrs. 

 Robert Garrett. Flora Hill, Victor and 

 Empress attracted much attention, 

 Messrs. Craig. Herr, Swayne and Gra- 

 ham being large exhibitors. Pennock 

 Bros, and Jos. Kift & Son made up 

 some beautiful designs. 



John McCleary, gardener to Wm. 

 Wei^htman, made a fine exhibit of 

 vegetables grown under glass and R. 

 Kaighn, Ellisburg, N. J., one of vege- 

 tables wintered in cellar and grown 

 in frames. Lack of time prevents a 

 more detailed account of the many 

 other excellent exhibits. 



The weather was rainy on the 

 opening evening but the second day 

 brought out a more encouraging at- 

 tendance. 



Florists' Gun Club. 



The Florists' Gun Club team won 

 the State championship at Readiug 

 on Wednesday, defeating three other 

 crack teams and breaking 126 out of a 

 possible 150 targets. The score was as 

 follows: 



Anderson 22 



Burton 17 



Bell 19 



Cartledge 22 



Hallowell 23 



Park 23 



126 

 Mr. A. B. Cartledge also shot well 

 in the open events winning one and 

 tying for first honors In another. 



H. Waterer has invented a clever 

 device for drawing off water from tlie 

 bottom of a large vase which should 

 prove a decided advantage, avoiding 



the necessity of taking the plant out 

 and turning the vase upside down. 



J. W. Y. 



BUFFALO. 



Weather Conditions. 



It is sad to see frost and snow just 

 now after the beautiful and balmy 

 March, we shall never forget, still 

 is better to have these chilly days 

 now than the end of the week. If it 

 will warm up the last three days of 

 the week we will forgive everybody. 

 We are all confident that Easter will 

 bring us a fine business. It certainly 

 can't be called very bright just at 

 present but there is generally a lull 

 before the storm. 



Easter Supply. 



Church orders that were once so 

 prized and coveted cut but a small 

 figure now in the aggregate of our 

 business. The demand for our flowers 

 and plants now is on a healthy basis 

 and likely to last. Good people be- 

 lieve that bright and pure and sweet 

 flowers are the most cheerful things 

 that can enter the home and fortu- 

 nately many think that their friends 

 have the same t.nste and so there is 

 an exchange of good feeling and to 

 this we must attribute a very large 

 share of our patronage. "Tis twice 

 blest, it blesseth him that gives and 

 him that receives." The author of the 

 quotation is dead and to mention his 

 name will do him no good and I am 

 not on speaking terms with any of 

 his descendants. 



There is scarcely any kind of stock 

 that will be scarce. Roses are at their 

 very best and he that thinks the 

 public is going to be fleeced with ex- 

 orbitant prices will get left. Violets 

 are in fair supply and good quality, 

 considering the past warm weather. 

 Bulbous stock is plentiful everywhere 

 but in the scarcity of carnations it is 

 all likely to go. Carnations are really 

 scarce. They are a crop that no one 

 seems to attempt to control as there 

 is always a good demand for them 

 and from supply in our locality and 

 calls from hundreds of miles away 

 there is without doubt a serious 

 shortage and whosoever has good 

 ones is lucky. 



Of plants there is a great abund- 

 ance and we believe our city was 

 never so well supplied. Without at- 

 tempting a description of each estab- 

 lishment I can say that I hear of no 

 places where the stock is far off from 

 being on time. We have the stuff, we 

 need the weather and we confidently 

 expect the customers. 



We have been among the pastures 

 for the last two weeks and missed 

 what few visitors there were. Mr. Vick, 

 of Albion, N. Y.. was one, and if you 

 please who should walk up Main street 



