March 23, 1907 



HORTICULTURE 



385 



A Model Establishment 



The accompanying illustration shows 

 the front windows and book-keeper's 

 office in the new wholesale flower es- 

 tahllshment of Welch Brothers, Bos- 

 ton, which was described at length in 



these columns a few weeks ago. Visi- 

 tors from all sections have expressed 

 the sentiment that this place, so com- 

 plete and modern in its every equip- 

 ment, is a credit to the flower busi- 

 ness. We think our readers who no- 



tice this picture of one corner of the 

 vast establishment will endorse the 

 compliment. Many will recognize in 

 the stately figure seen standing by Mr. 

 Welch, the well-known ex-president of 

 the S. A. F., M. H. Norton. 



DON'T BE TEMPTED. 



Every year during the month of 

 March we experience a glut of a more 

 or less long duration in the cut flower 

 market. Many an otherwise reliable 

 dealer has been tempted to reduce his 

 rates to the retail buyer in conse- 

 quence of the temporary low prices 

 of the wholesale market. This condi- 

 tion of the market being only a few 

 weeks before the high water mark of 

 Easter values appears is a bad tempta- 

 tion to the weak-kneed and narrow- 

 sighted retailer. The general public 

 does not nnd cannot realize the condi- 

 tion of the wholesale market, but they 

 will consider the florist who offers 

 carnations on March 15 for 36 cents 

 per dozen and asks for the same goods 

 $1.00 to $1.50 two weeks later, as 

 nothing short of a robber. Don't be 

 tempted; the buying public will not 

 resent an advance of 100 per cent., 

 but rightfully mistrusts you if you ad- 

 vance 400 per cent, for two days. If 

 you have more than you can sell or 

 you are bound to buy out the whole- 

 sale house because the prices are low, 

 make use of this time to be charitable 

 and give your surplus to the hospitals 

 and orphan asylums, etc., but preserve 

 your credit with your customers by 

 iipholding on honest prices. 



FR. DENZBR. 



HEARING ON EXPRESS RATES BE- 

 FORE THE INTERSTATE COM- 

 MERCE COMMISSION. 

 The hearing on the complaint made 

 by Secretary Ste-nart of the S. A. F. 

 last year against the increased trans- 

 portation rates on cut flowers exacted 

 by the United States Express Com- 

 pany finally came up before the Inter- 

 state Commerce Commission at Wash- 

 ington, on Friday, March 15, and con- 

 tinued two days. Attorney Frank 

 Lyon appeared for the complainants 

 and testimony was given by Frank L. 

 Moore of Chatham, N. J., L. M. Noe 

 of Madison, U. M. Schultz of Madison, 

 L. B. Coddington of Murray Hill, F. 

 H. Traendly. Now York, A. Farenwald 

 of Roslyn, Pa.. A. J. Guttman, New 

 York, and President W. J. Stewart of 

 the S. A. F. Cost of special delivery 

 service in New York city and reduced 

 receipts because of the wagon express 

 which has operated in competition 

 with them for several years were given 

 bv the attorney for Piatt's corporation 

 iis th" reason for the high charges 

 which, it was shown, are almost 

 double those charged for similar serv- 

 ice by other express companies. The 

 attorneys have now been given thirty 

 days in which to file briefs based on 

 the testimony given and the decision 

 will then be given by the Commission. 



SIMPLE FAITH AND "SOUR" NEWS. 



Ciur simple faith lu this column being 

 the exclusive source of information on 

 ."-ome subjects to our Boston contemporary 

 is, we are glad to see, properly appre- 

 ei;\ted; but why drag in cats and canaries? 

 Aesop tells about a certain fox and some 

 sour grapes — the rest you knew. News Is 

 like grapes to some editors, sour if not 

 obtainable while fresh. 



The above oracular effusion which 

 appears in the March 16 issue of our 

 bumptious New York contemporary, 

 under the caption of "The Week's 

 News," acquires its principal value 

 from the following note which ap- 

 pears lower down in the same column, 

 which was cribbed, word for word, 

 from the news column of HORTICUL- 

 TURE of March 2, page 266: 



"M. H. Norton has accepted a nositlon 

 ns repicstiitativc for F. W. Kelsey of New 

 York ill eastern \e\v England territory. 

 Mr. Xoiton has a wide acquaintance among 

 the nroiirletors and gardeners in the many 

 large estctes on the north and south shore 

 :ii.d stfi'ts on hi.s duties wtlh excellent 

 prospects.'' 



Alas, for the waning reputation of 

 that New York column as an "exclu- 

 sive source of information." "Sour- 

 ness" and mildew evidently have no 

 terrors for some folks. 



HORTICULTURE: 

 Kindly discontinue my ad.; sold out. 

 HENRY S. iPENNOCK. 



