r»ii"2 



HORTICULTURE 



December 13, 191H 



terns <m hand as there is always a 

 big demand for terns of these varie- 

 ties* 



A fair amount of holly is coming 

 Into Boston, but as a rule It is not of 

 the best quality. Henry Kooinson 

 seems to be particularly fortunate, as 

 lie is getting in two more cars than 

 last year, when he didn't have enough 

 of the goods to meet the demand. This 

 year he was determined to have a 

 plenty, in spite of the increased price, 

 and he got it Moreover, the quality 

 is such as to make him happy. 



8HORT HOURS FOR FLORISTS. 



The early closing order hit the flow- 

 er markets in Boston Thursday morn- 

 ing, with the result that announce- 

 ment was made that they would close 

 at 4 o'clock. This was at both the Co- 

 operative Market and the Exchange. 

 The markets opened at 7 o'clock as 

 usual, but with only a few lights 

 burning. The rule now is to burn only 

 enough lights to make it possible to do 

 business. Of course the retail stores 

 were made subject to conservation 

 orders, too, and loyally agreed to do 

 their part in helping to save coal. 

 Penn is closing at 5.30 and is worKing 

 in the morning without lights. Few 

 florists are as well situated as John 

 O'Brien, who with his twelve windows, 

 burns practically no light and needs 

 no heat because of the big chimney 

 running through the store. At Car- 

 bone's the 5.30 closing rule was 

 adopted promptly and no lights were 

 usel in the morning. As enough heat 

 was allowed to keep the store reason- 

 ably warm, business was carried on 

 without great difficulty. 



ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY'S 

 CONDITION. 



Alexander Montgomery, the veteran 

 rose grower of Hadley, Mass., was op- 

 erated on for gall stones early in the 

 week. He came through very well 

 and his friends feel much encouraged. 



CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY OF 

 AMERICA. 



Report of the new Chrysanthemums 

 submitted to the committee appointed 

 by the Chrysanthemum Society of 

 America. 



Exhibited by Elmer D. Smith & Co., 

 Adrian, Mich., at Chicago. Sunbeam, 

 yellow Jap. incurved, commercial 

 scale. 88 points. Frank Wilcox, Jr., 

 golden bronze pompon, scale for pom- 

 pon varieties, 92 points. 



Cn.\s. W. Johnson. Secy. 



CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS IN 

 THE RETAIL STORES. 



There is a great field for some in- 

 ventive genius to bring out a contain- 

 er for the delivery of plants in bloom. 

 Meanwhile it is necessary to take 

 every precaution possible. 



Treatment in stores is by no means 

 easy, and here much damage is done. 

 If store clerks would learn something 

 about plant physiology, some advance 

 might be made, for as a class they 

 know less about plants than any other 

 section of the profession. All the pro- 

 visions possible for the care of plants 

 in the store is well worth while. Space 

 Is generally at a premium, making it 

 imperative to utilize every available 

 inch. It is of course easy to say that 

 a plant in the store should have as 

 much room as It had on the bench, but 

 it is not always practicable. The re- 

 sult too often is a crowding altogether, 

 regardless of the ultimate conse- 

 quences. No definite rules can be laid 

 down, but it is wise to load up the 

 store only for as short a time as ab- 

 solutely necessary. In nearly all 

 cases, the plants have to be reserved 

 for last day delivery, so that the reason 

 for this suggestion is obvious. 



To sum up, a plan should be dis- 

 played to show as much of it as pos- 

 sible, and in such a way as to make 

 it easily accessible for sale. A little 

 time and thought can usually affect 

 this. There is no need to talk about 

 clean pots here. No store worth con- 

 sidering would tolerate anything else. 

 One matter sometimes overlooked at 

 the rush season is care in watering. 

 It should be remembered that plants 

 finished for sale have had constant 

 care, and stock of this kind is natur- 

 ally sensitive to neglect. It should be 

 the duty of. someone to look carefully 

 after this even though business is be- 

 ing done at high pressure. Wrapping 

 and delivery should have every atten- 

 tion, for here is another point where 

 needless damage is often done. Apart 

 from the moral necessity of complet- 

 ing the sale satisfactorily, there is an 

 advertising value attached to either 

 plants or flowers delivered in good 

 condition. At this season the retailer 

 reaches potential customers in a larg- 

 er degree than at any other time, 

 hence the wisdom of unusual care. 



In connection with the holiday plant 

 trade, sundries are generally freely 

 used, and at this season are more 

 permissable than at other times. A 

 cover of some sort should be used for 

 practically all plants, taking care that 

 the value of cover is only proportion- 

 ate to the value of the plant. Crepe 

 paper, mats, baskets, jardinieres, 

 etc., may each find a place, and. used 



artistically, are real selling forces. 



Made-up baskets constitute a good 

 part of the Christmas trade, and for 

 window decoration can hardly be sur- 

 passed. They are easily and quickly 

 replaced, when necessary, and not 

 difficult to handle for sale. For gen- 

 eral interior decoration, it is generally 

 possible only to display the largest 

 quantity to the best possible advan- 

 tage, and with some thought and care 

 even under these conditions effective 

 results may be reached. As in all 

 worth-while business, efficiency is the 

 florists' watchword. This alone se- 

 cures the approval of customers with 

 consequent profitable trade. 



Prepare well in advance a system 

 whereby the work of writing cards, 

 labels and express prepald-slips Is 

 done when the order arrives and not 

 left till there is so much to do. Don't 

 forget to put system into all your 

 arrangements. 



If you are a wise man, you will 

 have made notes on last year's busi- 

 ness. You will have notes about what 

 sold and what did not sell. You will 

 have notes about the grower who sent 

 you poor plants and "pickled" roses, 

 and on the quantity of stock left over. 

 Go over these notes early, and let 

 them be your guide for ordering this 

 Christmas, allowing for new things 

 and the increase in business you 

 rightfully expect this year. 



Make up a few plant combinations a 

 week or so before Christmas from 

 which to take orders. If your potting 

 bench is not convenient to your store, 

 construct a temporary one that Is. 

 This will enable you to make i'p your 

 baskets and the suggestions of your 

 customers without walking one hun- 

 dred feet or so to your potting shed 

 and keeping your customer waiting 

 — Canal an Florist 



THE PERCENTAGE PLAN. 



Its Advantages in a Co-operative Plan 

 for Raising Money. 



Having been in at the start on the 

 campaign of advertising flowers, nat- 

 urally I have some very fixed ideas as 

 to how the money for advertising 

 should be obtained. 



I cannot say that I am entirely In 

 accord with the methods used by all of 

 the clubs in various sections of the 

 country, and I do believe that the per- 

 centage plan is the best way to secure 

 the money for any co-operative cam- 

 paign. The coffee trade, paint trade, 

 the business of making magnetos, and 

 various others, are advertising co-op- 

 peratively and I understand from many 

 of those interested, that the money is 

 obtained on a percentage or assess- 

 ment basis. 



