HORTICULTURE 



Vol. XXX 



DECEMBER 13, 1919 



No. 24 



THE TALK OF THE TRADE 



Within a few years Lilium regale 

 will be the leading florists' lily of the 

 country. This is a prediction which I 

 make with a great deal of confidence. 

 It may be that members of the trade 

 will not agree with me, but that will 

 be because they are not very familiar 

 with the lily and its possibilities. I 

 think that the future of the Regal lily 

 will not be questioned by those who 

 saw it blooming at a meeting of the 

 Horticultural Club of Boston last week. 

 It was exhibited by William Anderson, 

 the well-known superintendent of the 

 Bayard Thayer estate at Lancaster. 



Last fall Mr. Anderson potted up 

 bulbs which he had been keeping in 

 cold storage and in exactly twelve 

 weeks he had them in bloom. Never 

 before has this lily been forced for 

 blooming so early in the winter. Mr. 

 Anderson had expected to have the 

 flowers in blossom by Christmas, but 

 they came along faster than he had 

 anticipated and he has found it neces- 

 sary to retard rather than to push 

 their growth. He says that forcing 

 was a very simple matter. The potted 

 bulbs were kept in a cold frame until 

 strong growth had been started. After 

 that they were moved to a house 

 where the temperature was about that 

 of a carnation house and where they 

 developed their flowers rapidly. 



One feature of the experiment was 

 the fact that cold storage bulbs forced 

 with perfect satisfaction. It becomes 

 evident, therefore, that the bulbs can 

 be handled in such a way as to meet 

 all the requirements of the florists' 

 trade. Mr. Anderson believes that the 

 flowers can be forced for any week In 

 the year. There is no reason why they 

 shouldn't be ready for the market at 

 Christmas and be in plentiful supply 

 to meet the Easter trade. The lily It- 

 self is beautiful enough to sell without 

 difficulty and Its fragrance Is one of its 

 strong points. I know of no bulbous 

 plant which offers greater opportuni- 

 ties to the florist than the Regal lily, 

 and if I am not mistaken a lot of 



money is going to be made through 

 this flower the next few years. There 

 will be money not only in the sale of 

 the blossoms and the potted plants 

 hut also In the raising of bulbs, for 

 they propagate readily and will reach 

 flowering size in three years from 

 seed. 



The bulbs which Mr. Anderson 

 forced for blooming this fall were 

 four year old bulbs, but of a second 

 size. He says that he could have 

 forced three year old bulbs just as 

 well. This successful experiment no 

 doubt will open the eyes of many 

 people in the trade and unless I am 

 greatly mistaken the call for Lilium 

 regale will grow by leaps and bounds 

 as soon as its unusual value for flor- 

 ists' purposes becomes recognized. 



Business considerations have a sur- 

 prisingly obliterating effect. Only a 

 few months ago men were declaring 

 that never again would they buy a 

 German product. Yet right now they 

 are trying with all eagerness to get a 

 portion of the German goods which 

 are now coming into this country. A 

 considerable amount of .German goods 

 is on sale for tlje Christmas trade. It 

 includes baskets and other material 

 such as Germany was wont to send 

 over here for the florists' trade before 

 the war. 



Immortelles have come from France 

 but in far smaller quantities than in 

 former years. The bulk of the stock 

 seems to be in the hands of Bayers- 

 dorfer in Philadelphia. Owing to the 

 shortage, the price is naturally higher 

 than ever before. In former years 

 Immortelles sold for twelve cents 

 a bunch. Now they are bringing 66 

 cents a bunch, and there isn't enough 

 to go around at that price. 



An Interesting development result- 

 ing from the shortage is the sale of 

 loose Immortelles in bulk. When they 

 are being made up there are a great 

 many heads which have a small piece 

 of stem attached but not enough for 

 making up into bunches. The Bayers- 

 dorfer people hit upon the idea of sell- 

 ing these heads loose and are getting 

 a dollar a pound at wholesale. The de- 

 mand is brisk, for the single flowers 



may be used readily in making up 

 wreaths and for various other pur- 

 poses. The same number bunched 

 would cost about three dollars, so that 

 there is quite a saving to those who 

 can use them with short stems. 



A natural result of the scarcity of 

 Immortelles has been an increased de- 

 mand for red rope, enormous quanti- 

 ties of which are being sold this sea- 

 son. While the Japanese red rope Is 

 the best, the domestic article is cheap- 

 er and serves its purpose well enough. 

 Because of the increased demand re- 

 sulting from the high price of Immor- 

 telles the price of red rope has in its 

 turn made a sharp advance. It costs 

 something like fifteen cents more than 

 ever before. There seems to be no 

 lack of ruscus which of course sells 

 well, although the price has increased 

 in proportion to the other items. 



There is a tremendous demand this 

 year for artificial poinsettias. They 

 are being made up in great numbers 

 and sell more readily than ever before, 

 the bright color of the bracts making 

 a strong appeal to holiday buyers. 



Much difficulty is being found in 

 getting enough doves to meet the de- 

 mand. Presumably the high price of 

 food supplies has reduced the number 

 of available pigeons. At any rate the 

 Bayersdorfers are advertising for good 

 white doves in papers all over the 

 country. They themselves mount the 

 birds. The demand for doves remains 

 good in spite of high prices. Prices 

 are high, too. Years ago doves were 

 plentiful enough at seventy-five cents 

 apiece. Now they cost two dollars 

 apiece. Yet it is not unusual for one 

 customer to give an order for many 

 do.'.ens. Doves are most acceptable 

 when making up large funeral pieces. 

 Wherever there is an Italian funeral 

 these doves are almost certain to be 

 seen. They are always effective when 

 perched at the top of a large floral 

 Gates Ajar. 



Lorraine Begonias require a temper- 

 ature of 58 to 60 to finish them, but 

 will also require cooling off. Do not 

 try to force the semper florens Bego- 

 nias as they will only make soft 

 growth and will not handle well either 

 for shipping or delivery. They are 

 profitable plants when grown cool and 

 sturdy. Do not forget also to have a 

 goodly stock of Boston and Whitman) 



