November 19, 1910 



HORTICULTURE 



703 



THE RICE SILVER ANNIVERSARY. 



A notable event takes place in Phila- 

 delphia during Thanksgiving week. 

 This is the celebration of the twenty- 

 fifth or silver anniversary of the found- 

 ing of the firm of M. Rice & Co., who 

 have done so much toward the wonder- 

 ful development of the florists up to 

 the present time on the American con- 

 tinent. 



In the commercial cut flower busi- 

 ness of the great metropolitan centers, 

 North America has achieved a develop- 

 ment unknown and undreamed of else- 

 where in the world today. And M. 

 Rice & Co. have kept pace as an auxil- 

 iary and helper in this wonderful man- 

 ifestation. Not only that; but they 

 have in many cases been ahead of the 

 times, and pioneers in new fields. 



One of the secrets of the success of 

 this firm was given to the writer un- 

 wittingly some years ago by the head 

 of the house, M. Rice. He was asked: 

 "How do you know so well what these 

 retailers want?" •Why," said Mr. 

 Rice, "don't you remeiuber the days 

 long ago, when you could see me at 

 a Christ liias or Easter or other rush 

 holiday occasion, back of the counter 

 in Eugene Weiss's or Robert Craw- 

 ford's helping them out like an ordi- 

 nary workman?" 



"Yes," said I, "but 1 thought that 

 was just fiiendship." 



"It was," replied Mr. Rice, "all of 

 that and sincere— I liked these men 

 and I enjoyed the work but the benefit 

 was not ail theirs. I came to have a 

 thorough knowledge of the inside 

 workings and problems of a modern 

 flower store; I saw where an improve- 

 ment could be made here; a saving 

 there; I could imagine how the pub- 

 lic would take to a budding idea and 

 reserved that for the future for my 

 clieni's benefit, and my own; and so in 

 the course of years I became really a 

 part of the retail business, as well as 

 a wholesaler, and could readily judge 

 what would go and what wouldn't." 

 "So, you see," he concluded, "I got as 

 much good out of the helpful spirit in 

 the long run as my friends did." 



It was in 1SS5, on the Monday before 

 Thanksgiving that M. Rice first 

 launched his "saucy bauble boat" on 

 the bosom of the unchartei-ed business 

 ocean at 72.5 Arch street, in Philadel- 

 phia. He had the enormous cash capi- 

 tal of something like sixty dollars— 

 and hadn't the faintest idea where the 

 first month's rent was to come from. 

 The items dealt in were: Cape flowers, 

 immorielles, and chip baskets. A mod- 

 est variety, surely! 



The firm has undergone several 

 changes during the twenty-five years, 

 and has been in various localities. In 

 1S99 B. Eschner was admitted into the 

 firm and in the following year (1900) 

 the building at 918 Filbert was occu- 

 pied entirely— for salesrooms, storage, 

 and manufacturing. This was an am- 

 bitious and daring stride; but business 

 grew so rapidly in the next five years 

 that even this was outgrown; and the 

 property at 1220 Race street was ac- 

 quired, where their present seven- 

 story and basement building was erect- 

 ed, and which is now used exclusively 

 for their constantly increasing busi- 

 ness—beside much outside storage. 

 Every state in the Union is represented 

 hy florists as customers on this firm's 



books— as is also Canada, Mexico, 

 Cuba. South America, the Philippines. 

 Hawaii, and many other distant parts. 

 Mr. Rice mikes an annual pilgrimage 

 to Europe — and whereever a good nov- 

 elty is likely to be found— and says 

 that of late the centers of fashion, 

 like London, Paris, Berlin and Vienna, 

 now look on the flower trade of Amer- 

 ica as almost of equal importance to 

 The millinery in the extent and variety 



M. Kick 



of its lequirements. commanding the 

 best thought ard efforts of the world's 

 greatest a lists in decorative ideas. 



P. J. Farney is the western repre- 

 sentative of the house, with headquar- 

 teis at Chicago. Arthur Zirkman, C. 

 Shackerman and Robert Schuck are 

 also anrong the well-known ti-avclers 

 for the firm and are widely known in 

 their various territories. 



G. C. WATSON. 



l^^^^^^^^^^s?^*^ < tm 



"The Aiihiiie lias liven severely tested, 

 liaTing: passed expectatious. Used it upon 

 meal.v tiiig. scale, fly and spider witbout 

 ir..iiiry to the foliage whatsoever. For red 

 spider used it one part to 15 parts water 

 with the best possible results. I consider 

 Aphine is far ahead of any insecticides T 

 have used in England, having had good 

 experience witli same there." 



"The above is the report of my green- 

 house foreman, and from my own observa- 

 tions the results are eminently satisfactory 

 in every respect. You have at last put on 

 the market an Insecticide that does all 

 claimed for It and more." 



(Signed) JOSEPH ROBINSON. 



Supt. to Colgate Hoyt. 



Oyster Bay, Long Island. 



$2.50 per gal. $1.00 per quart 



Manufactured by 



APHINE MANUFACTURING C3MPANY 



MADISON, N. J. 



If your business demands 

 a good article in lily bulbs 

 you cannot do better than 

 to buy Horseshoe Brand 

 bulbs. They are produced 

 by the best growers in 

 Japan, and are positively 

 the cream of the crop. 

 Selected carefully, graded 

 and packed by experienced 

 Japanese, registered and 

 sent to this market for 

 those who are particular 

 what kind they buy. Our 

 prices for November are 

 as follows: 



FORMOSAS 



MULTIFLORUM 



CICANTEUM 



Pacific Coast Distributing Agents 



MacRORIE-McLAREN COMPANY 



esttaDk BauUinst San Francisca. Calif onii*. 



f.o.b. New York, Cincin- 

 nati or Chicago. You may 

 have 5 per cent, for cash 

 with order during Novem- 

 ber only. Order now for 

 delivery from Cold Stor- 

 age during 191 1. 



A Catalog Free 



Ralph M. Ward & Co 



12 West Broadway 

 NEW YORK 



Not How Othsap 

 B«t How Good 



