2K 



II H T 1 C U L T U H K 



Jaiiuury 2, 1916 



Flower Market Reports 



brought from 6o to 75 coiits und were 

 well cleaned uj) while we hear thai 

 ill otluT cllios tlii'v sil lliiiiKs loo 

 high at the start and by that error 

 busted the market and let outsiders 

 capture It We hear Uiat Chicago 

 started special Beauties at $1 and 

 wound up with th cents. .Nothing like 

 that happened here. .All the same, 

 growers generally will not get any- 

 where near 1913 returns, on their gen- 

 eral products. 



Tlie florists are 

 SAN FRANCISCO just winding up 

 their Christmas 

 rush, and to say that business lias 

 been up to expectations is putting it 

 mildly. With fair weather, tlie down- 

 town district has been thronged for 

 the last four days, and during that 

 time the florists, both wholesale and 

 retail, have hardly had lime to eat or 

 sleep. The full returns for the Christ- 

 mas trade will not be known lor sev- 

 eral days, but an enormous business 

 has been done, not only down town, 

 but even in the small shops in outlying 

 districts; and any fear that the de- 

 mand would run to cheap goods seems 

 to have been without foundation. In 

 fact, it is impossible at the moment to 

 report any particular line as a leading 

 feature, aside from the usual liolly and 

 greens, and the heavy movement of 

 potted goods of all descriptions. 

 Azaleas, both European importations 

 and those from the Japanese gardens, 

 have had a very large sale; and so 

 have poinsettias, some of the latter of- 

 ferings from local hothouses being 

 fully equal to anything from other 

 quarters. Hegonia and cyclamen plants 

 also have found a great demand, and 

 orchids in pots have attracted consid- 

 erable attention. As for cut flowers, 

 roses are about at their best, and a 

 ver)' large cutting has been practically 

 cleaned up. bringing very good prices, 

 with little distinction as to varieties. 

 .\ considerable part ot the local cut 

 was of course taken for northern ship- 

 ments. Warmer weather has helped 

 the violets a little, but hardly in time 

 to give an adequate supply for the 

 shipping trade. Carnations have ad- 

 vanced, as expected, with hardly 

 enough to meet the demand. Lily of 

 the valley has been quite plentiful up 

 to Christinas eve. and is not likely to 

 run short in tlie few hours remaining, 

 though they are moving well. Some 

 very fine large gardenias have come 

 in. and are quickly snapped up. The 

 cut of orchids has been fair, but will 

 be closely cleaned up. 



Christmas business 

 ST. LOUIS this year was, from re- 

 ports, as good as any 

 heretofore. The plant trade was even 

 greater than any we have had. Near- 

 ly all the retailers were sold out or 

 anything in the plant line by Kriday 

 noon. The high quotations on cut 

 flowers early in the week had caused 

 the store men to lay in an extra sup- 

 ply of blooming plants and push them 

 instead of cut flowers. I'oinsettias, 

 azaleas. Lorraine begonias and cycla- 

 men were the leading plants in de- 

 mand and good prices were obtained 

 tor them. Weather conditions on 

 Thursday were good for delivery, 

 needing only light covering, but on 

 Friday it was close to zero and many 

 deliveries were reported frozen. On 



Pulverized Sheep Nanu 



^ From Big Feeding Barns 



Jo Aduhewtion-NoWeed Seedsi 



^1jt3.>- 



Sheep's Head Manure is the clean- 

 est in America. Here are the big 

 covered corrals of tht? railroads, 

 where the sheep are unloaded and 

 •«>. kept from 6o to 90 days to fatten 

 for the Chicago market. 



■^o, » ^o- We Guarantee 



THIS i.s THE im.AM) our product to be absolutely clean 

 «i AK.xNTKK,> piuE _ ^^ ^^j^ ^^^^,^ ^, ^^^^^ adultcra- 



tion — nothing but sheep manure — dried and pulverized 

 for easy handling, and all the weed seeds killed. 



Some of the largest growers in the Kast have used our 

 product for years. 



Shipped in 100 lb. sacks Write for quotations and freight rates 



NATURAL GUANO CO. 



Aurora, 111. 



815 River Street 



Friday morning tbe tlower prices 

 came down and the demand increased 

 somewhat — the market afforded every- 

 thing in season and at the last minute 

 plenty of it. This holding back of the 

 stoclt by the growers lauscd these 

 conditions and they are alone to 

 blame. All seemed to have forgotten 

 former experiences in this respect. 

 Hoses were a glut. Beauties came 

 down from %Vl to $S per dozen. Car- 

 nations also suffered badly in the cut. 

 There was a scarcity in Komau hya 

 cinths. sweet peas and violets. These 

 alone cleaned up. Paper Whites, lily 

 of the valley and poinsettias were in 

 plenty at usual prices. The plant 

 grow'er had a harvest this year but the 

 cut Uower growers were not happy. 

 After inspecting the ditferent retail 

 establishments after the rush of l''ri- 

 day we can safely say that the florists 

 of this city are well satisfied with 

 their holiday business. 



The holiday busi- 

 WASHINGTON ness in the Na- 

 tional Capital was 

 exceptionally good and reported to 

 have been better than that of last year. 

 Several of the florists report having 

 made more large sales than ever be- 

 fore and this is accounted for by the 

 fact that the jieople gave fine flowers 

 rather than the more expensive pieces 

 of jewelry. Practically all of the 

 stores had to double their forces. The 

 snow storm of the day before served 

 to delay deliveries to some extent, but 

 everything was pretty well cleaned up 

 by noon of Christmas day, although 

 many plants were frozen while on the 

 wagons and automobiles. All plants 



sold well. There was a heavy demand 

 for Begonia Glory of Cincinnati, in 

 sizes from $1..50 to $5. Cyclamen and 

 azaleas also were popular. There were 

 hardly enough poinsettias to go 

 around. American Beauty roses 

 cleaned up very well. Orchids and 

 gardenias were sold out. Violets and 

 sweet peas were in extra heavy de- 

 mand. Lily of the valley was one ot 

 the few flowers that did not bring 

 more than the regular price. Pussy 

 willow made its appearance for the 

 holiday trade, but met with few buy- 

 ers. The two flowers that hung fire 

 were narcissi and chrysanthemums. 



Canal Dover, Ohio. — With workshops 

 niiining • one-lhird to ono-lialf time, 

 everyone com|)laining of hard times, 

 we are away ahead of 1913 in local 

 sales. Christmas very good. Carna- 

 tions first call; roses in good demand; 

 I)ot plants in increasing demand. Box- 

 wood and holly wreaths freely called 

 for. Now for the largest Valentine 

 Day, Easter and Memorial Day in our 

 history. C. Bktsciieu. 



VISITORS' REGISTER. 



New York— W. R. Pierson, Crom- 

 well, Conn. 



Boston.— H. F. Winter, of New York, 

 representing Sutton & Sons, Reading, 

 England; J. .1. Lane, of Garden Maga- 

 zine, Garden City, N. Y.; L. W. Wheel- 

 er. Gilroy, Cal. 



The next meeting of the New York 

 Florists' Club will be on Jan. 11, when 

 the interesting ceremony of installing 

 officers will take place. 



