HORTICULTURE 



Vol. XXIX 



JUNE 28, 1919 



No. 26 



MORE LETTERS ABOUT CLOSING HOURS 



Toronto, June 20, 1919. 

 Dear Sir: — 



It is with great interest that I have 

 read the letters in the last issue of 

 Horticulture in reference to EARLY 

 CLOSING. Your correspondents all 

 seem to wait for "the other fellow" 

 to do something, and for that reason 

 there is nothing done. 



Sunday closing in Canada is a law 

 and a good one. The sale of anything 

 but food or medicine is prohibited, so 

 there is no difficulty on the score of 

 one keeping open and the other hav- 

 ing to in order to keep up his end. 



A few years ago the conditions were 

 just the same here as in the States as 

 far as night closing was concerned, 

 but upon the organization of the To- 

 ronto Retail Florists' Club things took 

 a turn for the better. 



The first move was made when the 

 club had their first picnic and all 

 stores closed for the half day. There 

 was some opposition to it by those 

 who thought that the business would 

 go to the dogs if they were not there 

 24 hours a day. However, as the club 

 was pledged to work together and do 

 as the majority ruled, all stores closed 

 and you could not buy a flower in 

 Toronto that afternoon. As we adver- 

 tised the fact extensively we had no 

 complaints and all felt better for the 

 outing. 



Last winter we voted to all close one 

 afternoon a week during July and 

 August but the point was which after- 

 noon. 



It was finally decided that it be left 

 to the districts and the members use 

 their own judgment. 



In the meantime Dunlops advertised 

 that hereafter their store would close 

 at 1 o'clock every Saturday during 

 July and August, with the result that 

 Tidy & Son, Dillemuth. J. J. Higgins, 

 Simmons & Son and the Little Grey 

 Flower Shoppe, in fact all the stores 

 in the business district would close 

 Saturday afternoons. The stores in 

 the residence districts were to close 

 on Wednesday to conform with the 

 early closing movement of the grocers 

 and markets. 



Mr. Dunlop was the first to enter 

 into the spirit of this movement and 

 closes his store every evening during 

 the year at 6 o'clock and at 1 p. m. on 

 all holidays. In fact, all the larger 

 stores have the same hours. 



It is really pathetic to read the let- 

 ters from florists saying that they are 

 generous to their employers when they 

 close part of Sunday. Where on earth 

 nowadays will you be able to get good 

 help to work the hours that the own- 

 ers of floral establishments expect 

 their help to work? Why, the lowest 

 class of labor will kick at eight hours 

 a day and you florists wish your help 

 to work on an average of 80 hours a 

 week! It is high time that the florist 

 business was put in the class in which 

 it belongs, and not that of a cheap 

 junk shop. There is absolutely no rea- 

 son for the long hours except that the 

 owner (who, by the way, goes and 

 comes as he pleases and can take a 

 day or two if he wishes) wants to 

 make an extra dollar at the expense 

 and detriment of the health of his em- 

 ployes. 



You hear the argument that there 

 are funerals and functions on Sunday 

 that necessitates keeping open. That 

 is all bunk! When people find they 

 are unable to get a thing on Sunday 

 they will get it Saturday. Toronto is 

 a city of over half a million, and what 

 can be done here can be done else- 

 where. 



The only correspondent that seems 

 to be up to date is Mr. A. M. Herr of 

 Lancaster, Pa., who seems to have the 

 right spirit. Mr. Gude runs him a close 

 second, which seems strange, as he is 

 always first; no doubt the spurt will 

 come. 



The Philadelphia correspondent who 

 we have always looked up to as a 

 leader, frankly states that he follows 

 the other fellow. Thus are our GODS 

 made of clay. St. Louis works from 

 7 a. m. to 6 p. m. and noon on Sunday. 

 Ye Gods, think of any one with artis- 

 tic ability getting up and going to 

 work at 7 a. m. on Sunday! Eight 

 a. m. is bad enough, but 7 — Mr. Mur- 

 ray of Kansas City is on the right 

 track and you will always notice that 

 if you want to get in the lead you 

 have to look in the West to find the 



reason. Here is hoping that florists 

 will place the business in the class to 

 which it belongs, and not keep it in 

 the all night class. You hear florists 

 complain that they are unable to get 

 competent help. Where in the world 

 is there a young man nowadays who 

 will learn an occupation that compels 

 him to labor the long hours that flor- 

 ists expect their help to keep? IT 

 CAN'T BE DID! 



Dxtnlop's, Geo. M. Gebaghty, Mgr. 



Detroit, June 21, 1919. 



Gentlemen: It has been our cus- 

 tom for many years to close on Sun- 

 days, insofar as it is possible, in the 

 florists' business. This means that 

 when we have orders for funerals or 

 anything which must be delivered on 

 Sundays, we do so. Our store is not 

 open, however, for any business. 



In regard to hours of business. As 

 you know, the florists' business h6urs 

 is foreign to almost any other business 

 and it is practically impossible to have 

 any fixed rule. 



The opening hours of our stores are 

 from 8 a. m. to 5.30 p. m. The men 

 employees' hours are from 7.30 a. m. 

 to 6 p. m. We find that this rule 

 works out very well, and seldom is it 

 necessary for us to extend these hours. 



We find that the public learn our 

 hours and fit themselves accordingly. 

 During the winter we have one of our 

 stores open in the evening until nine 

 o'clock. This store is situated near 

 the big hotels and we find it neces- 

 sary to keep open. The man in charge, 

 however, is paid for his time, and 

 when he pleases to have an evening 

 off he changes with one of the other 

 men, and in this way they find it a 

 benefit instead of a hardship. 



Our summer months are not fixed; 

 we usually open from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m., 

 but at no time do we open on Sundays, 

 excepting holiday time, which is of 

 course understood. 



Personally, I believe that the flor- 

 ists' business hours can be arranged 

 as well as any mercantile business if 

 those in charge will live up to the 

 rules. Yours very truly. 



Philip Brkitmetee. 



