December 11, 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



763 



elusions. At the exhibitions and in other places that 

 have come under our notice we have seen enough to con- 

 vince us in regard to these three specialties that among 

 the novelties now ready or soon to be put out there are 

 varieties that in one or more respects will sliow a ma- 

 terial advance over the older sorts. In the development 

 of the forcing rose we think we can see a greater evolu- 

 tion going on than in any of the other florists' flowers. 

 Without specifying varieties, we can discern distinct ad- 

 vances in the qualities of fragrance, form, persistence 

 and uniformity Of bloom and the welcome extended by 

 the public to the diminutive flowered classes shows a 

 gratifying tendency to break away somewhat from the 

 the monotonous preference for bigness which prevailed 

 in times past. Tiie same is equally true in regard to 

 the chrysanthemum, as evinced in the rapidly growing 

 appreciation of the .smaller flowered types and this 

 popularity is being handsomely stimiilatecl in the way of 

 pompons and singles of purer colors, better fonned 

 flowers and improved habit of growth for cutting. In 

 the carnation, tlie most welcome advance appears to be 

 on a line imperatively needed if the carnation is to re- 

 tain its place in the flower market — that of inherent 

 good kec|)ing quality after being cut. If the In-bridists 

 can do this and, retaining all the other good points 

 characteristic of the modern carnation, restore this 

 'grand old trait which had so much to do with the popu- 

 larity of the pioneer sorts, the building of more carna- 

 tion houses can go on without fear of over-production. 



Grevillea robusta 



The Grevillea is a valuable decorative plant bccau>:e 

 of its graceful, grayish foliage. The plant is a native 

 of Au.stralia and in nature attains a height of 1-50 feet 

 It is used in California and Florida as a shade tree. 

 Some species make useful timber trees. It is a very rapid 

 grower and will stand a considerable amount of drouth. 

 It will also stand some frost. 



In the nortli, it is used in window boxes, baskets, and 

 other receptacles and is a good conservatory plant. For 

 decorative purposes, the plant is seldom used over five 

 feet in height. After it attains this height the lower 

 leaves begin to drop off and the plant begins to become 

 ragged looking. ^ 



The Grevillea is propagated mostly by seed sown late 

 in winter or in spring (March). As soon as they are 

 large enough to iiaudle, the young plants should be 

 transplanted into small pots and shifted as they gro\v. 

 When they reach the tliree-inch size, plunge them to the 

 rims in a frame until they are ready for the five-inch 

 pots. The plants will stand much hard usage and neg- 

 lect and will not need to be shade<l. Tliey require fre- 

 quent repotting as thoy are rapid growers. A cool tem- 

 perature is best for them — say 50 degrees. It does not 

 pay to carry the old stock over from year to year and 

 fresh stock should be propagated every year. The ono- 

 year-old plants make the best specimens, but rapidly 

 deteriorate in decorative value after that. 



There are two varieties of G. robusta — pyramidalis 

 and Fosteri. The latter has silvery foliage with red 

 instearl of yellow flowers and it is also a stronger grower. 

 G. Banksii and G. glabrata are used to some extent in 

 Europe, but in this country G. robusta is practicallv 

 the only one grown. C. E. Wii.dox. 



.\inh(Tsf. 'Mass. 



A Christmas Story With a Moral 



For generations, national, state and local agencies 

 upheld by the pro rata contribution from every one of 

 us. have been working hard to increase production in 

 horticulture. Production increases of course; how about 

 distribution ? 



Wliafs the use of production without distribution? 

 We don't seem to move nmch on the distribution propo- 

 sition. 



For instance: (This is the story) We called on on& 

 of our best gi'owers one day and suggested that in view 

 of the fact that he had one of the finest lots of well- 

 grown stock, well finished and just right for the market, 

 he ought to advertise it. He looked at us with that 

 .super-wise air, and said, George, we don't have to ad- 

 vertise. Good goods sell themselves! 



Good goods sell themselves ? My lord ! 5Iore people 

 have fallen by the wayside on that fallacy than anything 

 else I can think of. Good goods do not sell themselves^ 

 If j'ou have the good goods haven't you got to tell people 

 about it? There are very many ways to do this. Yon 

 can send men out on the road ; you can exliibit ; you can 

 use many different ways — the cost of same being all a 

 charge on distribution. 



The late Godfrey Aschuiann once told nic: (This 

 is the moral) that he could go anywhere around this 

 old city and buy first-class well-grown stulf from grow- 

 ers wlio did not advertise, for twenty-five cents and sell 

 it for a dollar. Did that show that good goods sold 

 themselves ? No sir. It showed that the good advertiser 

 was the fellow that sold the goods and reaped the lion's 

 share of the profit, and it's not only peojde like Aseh- 

 mann but every big house. They advertise, spend their 

 good money and get the trade. When they see a bargain 

 they are quite justified in picking it up because they 

 have the outlet which the non-advertiser hasn't. 



The science and practice of distribution is the big: 

 thing for the trade to get busy on at this minute. Pro- 

 duction without its corollary is no good. And don't for- 

 get that the cost of distribution may be as great if not 

 much greater than the cost of production. What a. 

 thing costs to produce has nothing to do with the cost 

 of marketing it. 



You ean't divorce the two propositions, production 

 and distribution. Advertising is just as much one of 

 the legitimate costs of production as food and clothes 

 for the kid until it is able to earn its own living. 



If you have a good thing you must tell them about it 

 — and to buy a thousand tongues you must remember 

 that the laborer is worthy of his hire. 



AVisiiing you all a Merrj- Xnias. 



6^-{^>^./-'^^^-ri 



