July 15, 1911 



Obituary. 



Wm. A. Woodward. 



On Sunday, July 2nd, Win. A Wood- 

 ward. Sr.. of the seed firm of Wm. A. 

 Woodward & Son of Latham. Albany 

 County, N. Y., passed to "that bourne 

 whence no traveler returns." We do 

 not know Mr. Woodward's exact age, 

 but are informed that he was "about" 

 fifty years of age. Though Mr. Wood- 

 ward was devoted to business, and 

 was the owner of several valuable 

 farms, he found time to devote his 

 attention in a mild way to politics, 

 and was school commissioner for his 

 district for many years. He was a 

 conscientious, upright man, and in all 

 of his dealings with his fellow men 

 aimed to observe the Golden Rule. He 

 was a kindly, home-loving man, and 

 when business did not call him away 

 was always at home. 



Those who knew Mr. Woodward 

 best, appreciated his many fine traits 

 of character. He was not a man who 

 made close friendships readily, but 

 went his way, faithfully performing 

 his duties, and caring little what 

 might be said or thought of him. We 

 understand he leaves a widow and 

 two sons. Whether they will decide 

 to continue the seed business or not 

 has not been learned, but to them we 

 extend our heartfelt sympathy, and 

 if we may be pardoned, the hope that 

 the sons may emulate the virtues of 

 their highly esteemed father, and wish 

 them the highest measure of happi- 

 ness and success. 



Charles J. Marc. 

 Charles J. Marc, well-known among 

 the florist trade of New York for 

 many years as a grower of roses, aza- 

 leas, etc., died suddenly at Washing- 

 ton, D. C, on July 5, from neuralgia 

 of the heart. "Charlie" Marc was an 

 adopted son of the late Gabriel Marc 

 whose place at Woodside, Long Island, 

 he managed and whom he afterwards 

 succeeded in business. The establish- 

 ment was originally one of the most 

 noted, many imported novelties having 

 been first shown there, among them 

 being the Dielytra (Dicentra) specta- 

 bilis. Mr. Marc married as his second 

 wife the daughter of Mr. Garden of 

 Washington and about ten years ago, 

 having sold his property at Woodside 

 to the Penna. R. R. retired from busi- 

 ness and moved to Washington where 

 he has since resided. He was born in 

 Switzerland. 



J. A. McPheron. 

 J. A. McPheron, nurseryman, died 

 at the home of his daughter at Carroll- 

 ton, 111., June 22, aged 85 years. Mr. 

 McPheron was a pioneer nurseryman 

 of Carrollton and father of R. A. Mc- 

 Pheron, proprietor of the Cottage 

 Greenhouses, Litchfield, 111., and J. 

 Clint McPheron, florist, of Carrollton. 



Paul De Longpre. 

 Paul De Longpre, who had a world- 

 wide reputation as a flower painter, 

 died at his home, Hollywood, near Los 

 Angeles, Cal., on June 29, aged 59 

 years. 



horticulture: 



cerest sympathy to Tom Hardesty, 

 whose father died the past week, and 

 to Henry Gockel of Ft. Thomas, Ky., 

 whose daughter Stella was buried on 

 Tuesday of this week. 



Death has again invaded i i i<> family 

 of Fi.inl, McMahon, Seabright, N. J. 

 His mother died on Thursday, July 6. 

 The old lady had been in feeble health 

 for a long time. Mr. McMahon buried 

 his wife only a week previous. 



(19 



The members of the trade in and 

 around Cincinnati extend their sin- 



THE LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF 

 THE AUCTION BUSINESS. 



R. W. MacNifl, before the New York Flor- 

 ists' Club. 



The auction business is as old as 

 the world. Adam bid one of his ribs 

 for the first lady ever known to be 

 on the market, and as there was no 

 opposition, he got her at his own of- 

 fer Now, there must be two offers 

 to make a sale legitimate. If anyone 

 else had been at the first garden auc- 

 tion, he and old Adam would be bid- 

 ding yet. Imagine such a valuable 

 flower as Eve being advertised for 

 sale next Tuesday or Friday! Madi- 

 son Square Garden wouldn't hold the 

 crowd of florists. The horticultural 

 auction business, you perceive, has 

 the merit of antiquity. 



My subject, however, deals with 

 modern plant and flower auctions, and 

 these are full of "lights" and "shad- 

 ows." The "lights" include the light 

 prices obtained, the limitless field 

 that is developing, the return of hu- 

 manity to the farm, and the conse- 

 quent needs of the suburbanite; the 

 joy of being instrumental in fostering 

 a love for the beautiful; the conscious- 

 ness of sending out our monuments 

 in every direction, knowing that the 

 trees and plants we sell will grow and 

 blossom, and cheer with their perfume 

 and beauty, unborn thousands, after 

 we are safely planted under the dai- 

 sies. 



Then, there is the joy of standing 

 "in the lime light," mesmerizing by 

 voice, and persuasive smile, the mul- 

 titude; soaking the fresh guys or the 

 wealthy widows with something we 

 see they want, no matter what the 

 cost. These are "real lights" that 

 help to lighten our burdens, and to 

 dissipate the gloom, in our otherwise 

 "shadowy" occupation. There is the 

 light of knowledge we acquire every 

 week; knowledge of plant life; of new 

 varieties; of insects and insecticides, 

 of the frailties of humanity; all most 

 interesting to the inquiring mind. 

 Then, there is the "velvet" in our 

 business; 17% per cent on every dol- 

 lar's worth we sell, whether the 

 grower receives the cost of production 

 or not. 



Only three or four hours' work a 

 day, and only two days' work a week, 

 the strengthening of our vocal chords, 

 fitting us later on for ministerial work, 

 when the great profits of the auction 

 business inevitably draw too many en- 

 terprising opponents into the field! Is 

 it any wonder we grow fat, and our 

 bank accounts increase, and we ride 

 in autos, and life is one sweet song? 



But there are two sides to every- 

 thing and everybody. Listen to the 

 shadows, and then rejoice that you 

 are now in the place Providence in- 

 tended you should fill; and cease to 

 envy the men who are wasting their 



energies and nerves and talents in 

 your behalf. 



The path of the auctioneer is not 

 strewn with roses. More likely dead 

 rose bushes — with their thorns pierce 

 his weary feet. His season is lim- 

 ited. If he makes any money he must 

 crowd into weeks the labor that 

 should be spread over months of ordi- 

 nary toil. He must win and hold his 

 growers against falsehoods and unrea- 

 sonableness, and misrepresentation — 

 he must be ready to give minutest de- 

 tails of every transaction; he must 

 create confidence in foreign exporters 

 whom he has never seen, and he must 

 be financially strong enough to meet 

 promptly every demand of his ship- 

 pers. All these clouds must have sil- 

 ver linings, or shadowy indeed is the 

 outlook otherwise. 



He must have a deep knowledge of 

 human nature, a memory, so keen that 

 he never forgets a face or name; and 

 tact and patience that preserve a 

 smiling countenance, when his heart 

 is bursting with cuss words and justi- 

 fiable indignation. All these shadows 

 must be seen and blown away before 

 success is even possible. The auc- 

 tioneer must keep his temper; and in 

 a word become "all things to all men," 

 if he would win them. His mind must 

 be clear; his physical strength unim- 

 paired — his constitution of iron. He 

 must avoid artificial stimulants; never 

 •descend to offensive repartee, always 

 give the retort courteous no matter 

 how his dignity may be imposed upon. 



Now, you know some of the shadows 

 that hover over the auction business; 

 and there are many others. There is 

 the late season; with spring lingering 

 long in the lap of winter— the long 

 drought — the late or early Easters — 

 the missent shipments, the express 

 overcharges, the unwatered plants, the 

 careless handling by railroad igno- 

 ramuses. Then come the long office 

 hours, the burning of the midnight oil, 

 the innumerable details, the unavoid- 

 able mistakes, the impatient shippers, 

 the slow collections, the betrayal of 

 confidences, the carelessness of em- 

 ployes. Well! Now you have both 

 sides of the burning subject. Aren't 

 you glad you are not a horticultural 

 auctioneer? 



NEWS NOTES. 

 Highland Park, Pa.— The green- 

 houses of Mrs. J. Shelley, Philadel- 

 phia, are being removed to this place. 



Manistee, Mich.— The Kitzinger 

 greenhouses have been purchased by 

 J. T. Harrell, formerly of Winchester, 

 Ind. 



Reading, Mich.— T. H. Stevens has 

 moved here from Alvin, Texas. He 

 was formerly of the firm of Stevens & 

 Heller of that place. 



Oregon City, Ore. — The greenhouse 

 range of George Betz near here has 

 been leased by George C. Robinson, 

 formerly of the Tousette Floral Co., 

 Portland, Ore., and A. E. Alder. 



Newburgh, N. Y. — The Newburgh 

 Floral Co.'s establishment has been 

 given up by the parties who leased it 

 and "ill again be conducted by the 

 owner. Wesley Wait. 



