HORTICULTURE 



Diilcnil ^1-^ sei-diiilcliiss matter DccciiibiT S. I'.IW. at the I'ust Onicp nt Boston, Mass., umlcr tlip Act of Congress of Mareh :;. 18117. 



Vol. XXXII 



DECEMBER 9, 1920 



No. 20 



THE TALK OF THE TRADE 



Since the day of the yellow Carna- 

 tion Eldorado, there has not been a 

 really satisfactory yellow variety given 

 to the trade. Several men have tried, 

 but they could not measure up to what 

 the grower had a right to expect; how- 

 ever we are reasonably safe to predict 

 that the variety Maine Sunshine is go- 

 ing to make good in every way as a 

 satisfactory commercial variety. 



Unlike Eldorado, it is clear yellow; 

 it is not striped or variegated, and has 

 a depth of color sufficient to show it 

 up under artificial light. As to char- 

 acter of growth, it is very good. Com- 

 ing from a cross of Mrs. C. W. Ward 

 and Crystal White, it carries consti- 

 tution and clean habits that are es- 

 pecially satisfactory. It is of good size 

 and good form; in fact, it resembles 

 Matchless very much in both respects. 

 And we mustn't forget that it has 

 keeping qualities which are hard to 

 beat. It won the Kerr special prize 

 for the best keeping variety at the 

 American Carnation Society meeting 

 at Chicago in January, 1920, and this 

 is quite remarkable when we take into 

 consideration the long distance ship- 

 ment. 



Maine Sunshine also won the Dor- 

 ner gold metal for the best new variety 

 at the Carnation meeting in January, 

 1920. As a yellow carnation, it is be- 

 ing welcomed particularly by the pri- 

 vate trade, but the commercial grow- 

 ers as well are taking it up and ad- 

 vance orders show that there will be 

 heavy plantings this coming season. 



One item of sales I heard about 

 the other day shows how quickly a 

 new firm can get a foothold. I was 

 reminded of this by learning that 

 ninety thousand violets were disposed 

 of by Coombs, the Florist, in their 

 new store in New Haven, Ct., a week 

 ago Saturday. When we stop to think, 

 that is a big quantity. Their well- 

 appointed store started right out with 

 a rush, and the business they are do- 

 ing must certainly be gratifying. 



I was surprised to find such a well- 

 finished lot of Christmas plants at the 

 Breck-Roblnson Company greenhouses 

 at Lexington. One who is not pretty 

 well informed would not be apt to look 



lor Christmas pol plants at thi.s range, 

 but their grower, Stephen Donnellan, 

 is a pot plant grower from the word 

 go. He has in the houses now a fine 

 lot of Begonias Cincinnati, Peterson 

 and Melior, exceptionally well grown; 

 ferns in 5 and 6 inch pots of Cleve- 

 land Cherries, besides a miscellaneous 

 stock, all in good condition 



I notice that at the recent conven- 

 tion of the Tennessee State Florists' 

 Association at Memphis. Mr. W. H. 

 Euglehart, of Memphis, who was talk- 

 ing on publicity, emphasized the value 

 of an attractive store front. He spoke 

 of having plants and trees on the side- 

 walk, which made a public appeal be- 



cause when jiassersby have once seen 

 the green plants and trees outside the 

 store, they always associate them with 

 that particular establishment. Then 

 when they see an advertisement of the 

 store, they link the two together. I 

 think there is much food for thought 

 in this plan. Of course much depends 

 upon th^! location. It cannot always 

 be done William O'Brien, of Boston, 

 has done much to make his Beacon 

 street store remain in the memory of 

 the passersby by using plants all along 

 the front of the building. He has an 

 excellent opportunity for this sort of 

 display, and has made the best of It, 

 with distinct advantage to himself and 

 his business. 



.\nnther important address at the 

 Tennessee convention was made by Ira 



New Carnation Maine Snnshlne 



