HORTICULTURE 



VoL XXXI 



MAY 15, 1920 



No. 20 



THE TALK OF THE TRADE 



For the past few clays Mothers' Day 

 has been the principal topic of con- 

 versation in the trade. If Miss .larvis 

 really believed that she was going to 

 turn the public away from buying 

 flowers for this day. she evidently has 

 been sadly mistaken. There is an old 

 saying to the effect that it is much 

 easier to start something than to stop 

 it. and this applies in this case. 



I have not had the opportunity of 

 observing nor have I heard anything 

 definite regarding conditions in any 

 other cities or towns, excepting Bos- 

 ton. Possibly I am mistaken, but 

 from my own observations on the 

 streets Sunday. 1 would say that there 

 were more flowers worn than I have 

 ever seen before. There is a most 

 wonderful opportunity for the florists 

 to continue this day as one of the 

 good days in the flower l)usiness. I 

 can't help thinking, however, that it 

 will not be possiblp to get the full 

 benefit from this day unless we are 

 very careful about prices charged. 

 This seems to be a time when we can 

 hardly go back at the retailer and say 

 he is responsible for big prices. The 

 wholesale market went away up in 

 the air. and the retailers were obliged 

 to pay prices which would not permit 

 them to sell at a figure that would 

 meet with the approval of the public 

 in a general way. I was interested 

 enough to walk into some of the mid- 

 dle class stores Sunday morning and 

 listen to the comments of the custom- 

 ers who called, and I can tell you that 

 I would not like to be in the position 

 of some of these proprietors and take 

 the abuse and sour looks they received 

 when they stated the price for carna- 

 tions. 



1 expect to be criticized for the state- 

 ment I am about to make. Possibly 

 I am entirely wrong, but I cannot get 

 away from the idea that 15, 18 and 20c. 

 for carnations is a little bit more than 

 is wise to ask, particularly during the 

 month of May. Vei;y true, there were 

 not enough to go around, but the buy- 

 ing public is in a criticizing mood and 

 anything that savors of profiteering, 

 regardless of whether their opinion is 

 just or not, is sure to get severe treat- 

 ment. 



point where a normal six weeks' busi- 

 ness is going to be crowded into a 

 much shorter time. This cold, late 

 spring we are having is going to mean 

 a big rush as soon as it opens up, and 

 consequently it will be to the advan- 

 tage of every grower handling bedding 

 stock to be prepared for a big rush 

 just as soon as the warm days come. 

 There is a fine lot of stock available, 

 but not a bit too much. I advise be- 

 ing prepared with a good, litferal quan- 

 tity, and I predict a call that has 

 never been beaten in bedding stock 

 of all kinds, 



Plant growers are making great 

 preparations for next year. As I have 

 said before, cyclamen will be heavily 

 grown, and it ia reasonably sure that 

 the quality will be up to the standards 

 of previous years. 

 •Begonias are not over-plentiful; 



that is, early stock. The medium- 

 sized stock from late leaf cuttings fol- 

 lowed up by later top cuttings will be 

 in Ijetter supply, and of course this 

 means 5 and 6 inch plants, which are 

 always in good demand. 



There doesn't seem to be any great 

 quantity of Poinsettia stock, ana 

 everything that can be propagated of 

 this plant will move quickly. 



The call for field-grown hydrangeas 

 in o and 6 inch sizes will be brisk and 

 there will be a market for a heavy 

 quantity of this stock. 



From present indications it would 

 seem that the plantsman can well af- 

 ford to devote his time and energies 

 particularly to such plants as above 

 mentioned. Buying lilies at uncertain 

 prices, with only one thing that is at 

 all certain and that is a high price, is 

 not very encouraging. This also ap- 

 plies to Dutch bulbs, and it will prob- 

 ably mean smaller plantings in conse- 

 quence. 



The present season is one full of 

 diflSculties for the grower of bedding 

 stock. Everything is held back to the 



Hydrangea >In(lanie >luuiUere 



