." ifap**"' 



September 28, 1916, 



The Florists' Review 



15 



the last named producing the largest 

 flowers. Silver Spur, with a white peri- 

 anth and golden yellow trumpet, is a 

 beautiful forcing daffodil, similar to 

 Empress in color. Emperor is well 

 worth growing. Princeps is a cheap 

 and easily forced daffodil. The peri- 

 anth is somewhat flimsy, but for an in- 

 expensive variety this still is worth 

 growing. Victoria is a grand variety 

 with a creamy white perianth and rich 

 yeUow trumpet, not suitable for early 

 forcing, but a stocky grower and the 

 finest of all daffodils for pans. Of the 

 shorter trumpet varieties poeticus or- 

 natus. Sir Watkin, Barrii conspicuus 

 and Mrs Langtry are good. Ornatus 

 may be had in bloom by the end of 

 January and is a popular variety. 



The only double narcissus of commer- 

 cial value is Von Sion. The flowers are 

 somewhat coarse and lack the beauty 

 of the single varieties, but it still is 

 grown in large numbers. Do not over- 

 look the little Campernelle jonquils, 

 which flower early and are most fra- 

 grant. The variety C. rugulosus is the 

 best to grow. 



If restricted to half a dozen narcissi, 

 the following would be the most serv- 

 iceable for the average florist: Trum- 

 pet major. Golden Spur, Silver Spur, 

 ornatus, Victoria and Campernelle rugu- 



^°«"«- Hyacinths. 



Hyacinths are higher priced bulbs 

 than tulips and narcissi and have never 

 attained the same commercial value for 

 forcing purposes for 4ttting. In pots 

 and pans, however, there is a strong 

 call for hyacinths in late winter and it 

 is here that florists can grow them most 

 profitably. 



The Dutch miniature hyacinths are 

 used to some extent for forcing. These 

 are less expensive than the Boman hya- 

 cinths, which they follow in blooming. 



New Store of Edward A. Fortert Successor to Sunderbruch's Sons, Cincinnati. 



Good varieties of these miniature hya- 

 cinths to grow are: Gertrude, deep rose; 

 La Grandesse, pure white; King of the 

 Blues, deep blue; Queen of the Blues, 

 light blue; Moreno, bright pink. 



For pan culture it is better to try 

 second-size bulbs of named sorts rather 

 than the miniatures. First-size bulbs 

 and those of exhibition size produce 

 fancy spikes, but their cost is too high 

 for the average florist. 



In potting or boxing hyacinth bulbs 

 see that they are barely covered with 

 soil; in fact, it is just as well to leave 

 the nose of the bulb peeping above the 

 soil. 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST, 



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1 

 •I 



FOETEE'S NEW STOEE. 



Edward A. Forter, successor to 

 A. Sunderbruch 's Sons, Cincinnati, by 

 whom he was for years employed, re- 

 cently opened a new store at 128 West 

 Fourth street, in the heart of the Cin- 

 cinnati shopping district. The illustra- 

 tion shows the modern character of the 

 equipment — no counters except a small 

 one on which to wrap parcels; no bar- 

 rier between the florist and his custom- 

 ers. The store front contains a large 

 window, showing the stock and the in- 

 terior to good advantage. In the rear 

 there is a large shipping room, with a 

 well appointed workroom in the base- 

 ment. 



"CAPITALIZIKO VANITY." 



In The Eeview of September 21 there 

 appeared an interesting article under 

 the Jiead "Capitalizing Vanity," de- 

 scribing how a retail florist had built 

 the largest and most profitable business 

 in his town by catering to that charac- 

 teristic of human nature which causes 



people to want to make a "front." 

 The account was from one of the popu- 

 lar weeklies and it did not mention the 

 name of the florist, so that it is not 

 possible to check up from our own 

 knowledge of the situation, which quite 

 possibly might be greater than that of 

 the writer of the article. 



Most florists well acquainted with the 

 retail flower stores of the United States 

 recognize that one store in a middle 

 western metropolis has the reputation 

 in that city of being the best flower 

 store in -town. Its ' proprietor tells a 

 different tale from the one told by the 

 writer in the popular magazine. 



"It is all very well," says this flo- 

 rist, "to be known as the best florist 

 in town, but the fact is I see my cus- 

 tomers" supplying their daily needs at 

 the store that is not 'best,' though they 

 come to me when they want something 

 special." This florist has prospered; 

 he still is doing well, but that things 

 do not always come his way is clear: 



"The better class of people, among 

 whom I get my patronage," he says, 



"buy flowers almost daily for their 

 own use — they buy flowers almost as 

 regularly as they buy food and clothing 

 — and they only buy flowers to give 

 away on infrequent occasions. While 

 they come to me for the bouquet they 

 wish to send to the debutante, or for 

 the wreath they wish to send to some 

 public person's funeral, for ordinary 

 needs, which far outnumber the special 

 requirements, they go to the man 

 around the corner who makes no pre- 

 tense to style. I get the chance to 

 serve them when they want to make a 

 'front,' but the best flower buyers do 

 not often care much for that. At the 

 same time, to maintain my reputation 

 as the 'best' florist I must give stock 

 and service more costly than any other 

 florist gives. That it is costly out of 

 proportion to the prices I am able to 

 charge, almost any florist can see; my 

 margin of profit is not so great as the 

 margin of the man who merely tries to 

 sell fairly good flowers without any 

 frills of service. While my business 

 goes on year after year, it is spasmodic, 

 constituted of a demand for special 

 flowers for special occasions; it is profit- 

 able, but not more profitable than 

 many a much smaller and less exacting 

 business is, and it is not growing to 

 any perceptible degree, certainly not 

 so rapidly as the business of the man 

 who sells flowers instead of style." 



A CALL TO THE T. T. D. 



President Wm. F, Gude and Ex-Presi- 

 dent Irwin Bertermann, together with 

 the directors and other oflScers, desire 

 your presence at the meeting called in 

 Chicago, October 11 and 12, at 9 a. m., 

 at the La Salle hotel. The immense 

 growth of our organization, which was 

 instrumental in the selling of five mil- 

 lion dollars' worth of flowers last year, 

 needs your presence: 



Because — New by-laws and regula- 

 tions will be proposed. 



Because — The increasing of member- 

 ship dues will be considered. 



Because — You should show your ap- 

 preciation of work done gratuitously by 

 the officers in the past, by attending. 



Because — Your cooperation and sug- 

 gestions are necessary. 



Because— It is going to be a record- 



