June 5, 1909 



HORTICULTURE 



811 



Flower Market^ Reports, 



As predicted in tliese col- 

 BOSTON umns, the Memorial Day 

 trade of Boston far ex- 

 ceeded any previous record for this 

 patriotic holiday. 1907 was the banner 

 year heretofore but 1909 has left it far 

 in the rear. The florist did business 

 this time under the most favorable 

 conditions of weather. Never was a 

 more lovely day provided for any cele- 

 bration at any time of the year iuid 

 the cool pure air of the days preced- 

 ing it made the handling of flowers an 

 easy proposition for the wholesale 

 shipper. The out of town demand was 

 cared for in an orderly and expeditious 

 manner, prices having been generally 

 fixed two weeks previous and adhered 

 to, as a rule, something that is always 

 desirable but not so easily done on 

 other special occasions as is possible at 

 Memorial Day. The shipments to out- 

 side points were so heavy that the 

 market was left almost bare on some 

 lines and late demands by local florists 

 were filled at pretty stiff prices which 

 caused some expostulation on the part 

 of the buyers. This shortage was at- 

 tributed by some superficial observers 

 to the cool dark weather in the early 

 part of the week. So much the better, 

 if so, and the stock was greatly bene- 

 fited in quality thereby, but had it not 

 been for the unloading by the industri- 

 ovis wholetale shippers, the fiual short- 

 age and "record breaker" piices would 

 never have materialized. The variety 

 of material in the market and the lines 

 most in demand did not differ in any 

 great degiee from that of previous 

 years. StocKS sold well when good but 

 there were a good many very poor 

 ones in evidence. Carnations were on 

 the whole, the best sellers. The medi- 

 um and lower grades of roses led and 

 the top quality American Beauties had 

 to associate with the cattleyas and 

 gardenias in the neglected corner, the 

 outlet for this class of goods being 

 very feeble. Astilbe sold well. There 

 were the usual complaints about 

 "sleepy" carnations but they might 

 have been much worse. The handsom- 

 est flower oitered, in the opinion of 

 many, in this market at present is the 

 Pres. Carnot rose as supplied to Welch 

 Bros, by the Springdale greenhouses. 

 These are from houses which are al- 

 lowed to freeze up after Thanksgiving 

 and are again started into gi'owth 

 early in February, after a severe cut- 

 ting back. The present is the second 

 and best crop, the first crop having 

 come in at Easter. It is impossible to 

 supply the demand for these superb 

 flowers. 



Early reports indicate a 

 DETROIT greatly increased demand 

 for our product lor Dec- 

 oration Day as compared with other 

 years. The almost complete lack of 

 out door flowers caused a heavy short- 

 age in roses and carnations. Stock, 

 snapdragon and cold frame tulips were 

 most welcome substitutes. Some 

 wholesalers were compelled to curtail 

 shipping orders from 25 per cent to 30' 

 per cent. The slight advance in prices 

 for Decoration Day will drop away this 

 week. A couple of days of good wea- 

 ther will bring a plentiful supply of 

 first-class stock to this market. 



Memorial week 



PHILADELPHIA trade on the 



whole was very 



satisfactory. An immense volume of 



^OaTvv** 



b u SI i n e s s was 

 done, and prices 

 held firm all along 

 the line. Theie 

 was no glut in 

 any staple, and on 

 one or two items, 

 notably c a r n a- 

 tions and peonies, 

 there was a dis- 

 tinct scarcity. The 

 untoward weather 

 held back peonies 

 two or three days 

 — just enough to 

 make the flush of 

 them miss the 

 great occasion. 

 Carnations were 

 away up, bring- 

 ing in some cases 

 as high as six 

 . dollars, and put- 

 ting them for the 

 minute distinctly 

 ahead of roses of 

 similar quality. 

 Roses were in 

 fair sup pi y — 

 probably less than 

 usual for the sea- 

 son — but prices 

 remained normal, 

 the demand not 

 running specially 

 on these. The 

 1 o v/ e r priced 

 grades of roses 

 were the best 

 sellers, as was to 

 be expected in 

 Memorial week 

 business. The lily 

 of the valley mar- 

 ket was weaker than usual, for obvious 

 reasons, and the same may be said of 

 cattleyas and gardenias. These three 

 latter items, however, will have hard- 

 ened up by the time this appears u\ 

 print, as the June bride will then be 

 the star attraction in the social firma- 

 ment. The sw-eet pea holds its own 

 remarkably; quality good, demand 

 good. Some good lilac sprays are com- 

 ing in from northern and eastern 

 points — notably Rhode Island. There 

 are lots of snowballs, mock orange, 



Cattleyas, Valley ^nd 



Fragrant June Roses 



and Paeonies 



for the Bride to Wear 



We mention below a few of these and other 

 specialties. 



Order now and push them. No retailer should 

 allow it to be said : " Asleep at the post." 



SWEET PEAS 



Lavender, Pink, White and Flesh; 7Sc. to $l.oo. 

 VALLEY 



In unlimited quantities; $3.00, $4.00. 

 CATTLEYA MOSSIAE 



Per doz,, $6.00; per hundred $50.00. 

 GARDENIAS 



Per doz.., specials $3.00; 1st, $2.00. 

 BEAUTIES 



Specials per doz. $3.00; per hundred $20.00. Plenty of 

 mixed grades, $1.00 to $Z.OO per doz. 

 RICHMOND, KILLARNEY (Pink and White), JARDINE, 



MARYLAND. Specials $12.00; F $10.00; X $8.00; 



1st $6.00; 2nd $4.00. 

 KAISERINES, MAIDS, BRIDES 



X $S.oo: 1st $6.00; 2nd $4.00. 

 PAEONIES 



1st quality, Pink and White mainly, $3.00 per 100. 

 Fancy and Novelties, $5. 00 and $8.00 per 100. 



S. S. PENNOGK - MEEHAN GO. 



1008-1620 Ludlow Street 

 PHILADELPHIA, 



PA. 



iris, and other outdoor subjects 

 around, but far less in volume than 

 usual at this season. Many more 

 peonies and carnations could have 

 been sold Friday and Saturday it 

 they had been in sight. 



Washington, D. C, reports that the 

 usual Decoration Day rush tor flowers 

 of all kinds occupied the dealers Sun- 

 day and Monday. No trouble was ex- 

 perienced in selling any kind of a 

 flower. 



WHOLESALE FLOWER MARKETS.-to D^Kk^l^oNLv. 



CHOCINNATI 



Jun 



DETWIT 



May 31 



BUFFALO I PITTSBUR*. 



May 31 I May 31 



Roses 



Am. Beauty, Fui. and Sp. . 

 " Extra 



No 



" Lower grades 



Bride, 'Maid, Golden Gate, F. & S 



" " Low.gr 



Killaniey, Fan. &Sp 



" Lower grades 



Richmond, Fancy & Special 



" Lower grades 



Chatenay 



My Maryland 



CARNATIONS 



Fancy and Novelties. 

 Ordinary 



MtSCELLANEOUS 



Cattleyas 



Ulles 



Uly ol the Valley. . . 



Mignonette 



Sweet Peas 



Gardeniai 



Peonies 



Da 



Stocks 



Snapdragon 



Adlsknturo 



^nllaii 



Asparagus Plumostifi, strings 



" " & Spren. (100 bchs.) 



