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The Florists^ Review 



Mabch 15, 1917. 



BALTIMORE. 



The Gardeners' Club's Birth. 



Our column last week was devoted to 

 the Maryland Horticultural Association. 

 This week let us look at the organiza- 

 tion that succeeded it, and to do this we 

 will have to go back to the beginning 

 of what is today the modern and up-to- 

 date florists' business of our city. 



It was far back in 1887 when an idea 

 struck a prince of good fellows, the late 

 Robert J. Halliday, and a few more who 

 nsed to assemble at his store, that they 

 should have a club through which they 

 might gather at stated times, exchange 

 ideas and get to know each other better. 

 So March 11, 1887, a little coterie 

 of kindred spirits, consisting of gar- 

 deners, organized the Gardeners' Club 

 of Baltimore. I am sure that this little 

 band of men the night they organized 

 the club had no idea how much the club 

 would mean to the craft in this city. 



Mr. Halliday was the first president, 

 and the members met in his store, where 

 * * shop ' ' only was talked, as its member- 

 ship consisted only of those connected 

 with the trade. There were the private 

 gardeners, that is, those who had charge 

 of the houses on private places; the 

 growers who were in the business for 

 commercial reasons; those who had 

 stores but did not grow their own stock, 

 at least not all they used. At these 

 meetings methods would be discussed, 

 not only as to how best to grow stock, 

 but also as to things that would be for 

 the best interests of the business. These 

 meetings were more on the order of a 

 night school than a club meeting. When 

 a man was known to be successful in 

 some particular line of the business he 

 would be asked to tell us how best to 

 do that certain thing, such as growing 

 roses in pots for market, for instance; 

 what success he had in growing them in 

 the field during summer and heeling 

 them in in the fall; what time they 

 should be potted up and trimmed; the 

 size of pots used to have them in good 

 condition for the spring market. 



The Old Florists' Exchange. 



Naturally, one of the topics to come 

 up before the club — and I think every- 

 one will agree with me that it was the 

 most important thing the club ever did 

 — was the question of the grower dis- 

 posing of his stock and the storeman 

 procuring it with the least trouble and 

 loss of time for each. After full dis- 

 cussion on the subject, the following 

 letter was sent to every grower and re- 

 tail store in and about the city, Novem- 

 ber 11, 1889: 



Dear Sir: — You are most urgently requested to 

 attend a special meeting of the Gardeners' Club 

 to be held Monday, November 18, at 8 p. m., at 

 the store of Robt. J. Halliday, 8 South Charles 

 street. At the last meeting of the club it was 

 decided to establish a florists' exchange for the 

 sale of cut flowers at wholesale, to dealers and 

 florists only. The object of the exchange will 

 be to find a marlset for growers' produce, where 

 dealer* can buy their flowers with a minimum 

 waste of time and money. 



This letter was signed by the com- 

 mittee, consisting of Edwin A. Seide- 

 witz, chairman; Kobert J. Halliday, 

 Isaac Moss, John "Widey and Conrad 

 Hess. 



There was a good response and the 

 Florists' Exchange became a fact in 

 our city, even though it had a humble 

 start. Mr. Halliday was elected presi- 

 dent, and the Exchange started for busi- 

 ness in a cellar at 120 North Liberty 

 street, with Edward Schmidt as man- 



ager. The business of the Exchange was 

 conducted by a board of seven directors, 

 four of whom were growers, and this 

 board served one year and met monthly. 

 The oflScers were president, vice-presi- 

 dent, secretary and treasurer. These 

 were elected from the board of direc- 

 tors immediately after the board's elec- 

 tion. It speaks well for the harmony 

 with which the affairs of the Exchange, 

 were conducted, as well as the business 

 ability of the men who had it in charge, 

 that, during the life of the Exchange, it 

 had but three presidents, Eobert J. Hal- 

 liday, Isaac Moss and John Eider. Mr. 

 Moss served twenty years as president. 



Each member was obliged to purchase 

 one share of stock. A commission of ten 

 per cent was deducted from the gross 

 sales of regular consignors, and fifteen 

 per cent from the sales of those who 

 consigned irregularly. The old proverb, 

 "Great oaks from little acorns grow," 

 was never better demonstrated than in 

 the twenty-four years of life of the Ex- 

 change. From the cellar on North 

 Liberty street it was moved across the 

 street, .with John J. Perry as manager. 

 Under his "iwanagement the business 

 grew and expanded. When Mr. Perry 

 went into business for himself James J 

 Rogers took charge, and the business 

 was moved to a better store and loca- 

 tion on Park avenue. But the business 

 was growing and the management had 

 to have more room, so the Exchange has 

 removed to North Eutaw street, with 

 Alex. Scott as manager. The directors 

 found out by this time that they must 

 have a home of their own, with a build- 

 ing suitable for the purpose. A building 

 at the corner of St. Paul and Franklin 

 streets was bought, and on the ground a 

 modern building was erected at a cost of 

 about $30,000. Manager J. Perry came 

 back and was again made manager. 



As I write this I have before me a 

 statement of the business done in 1909. 

 The total sales were $103,741.74, and the 

 total cash receipts $98,621.97. This was 

 "some" growth, from the rented cellar 



on Liberty street to a home of its own, in 

 twenty years. 



In 1913 the Pennock-Meehan Co., of 

 Philadelphia, was looking around in 

 Baltimore for an opportunity to open 

 a wholesale house. Naturally, after in- 

 vestigation, it went after the Exchange. 

 August 29, 1913, in a letter to the presi- 

 dent, I. H. Moss, they made an offer to 

 the stockholders of $500 per share, for 

 stock that had originally cost $5 per 

 share. This offer was accepted at a 

 meeting held September 2, 1913, and the 

 Pennock-Meehan Co. is now in posses- 

 sion of what was the Florists* Exchange. 

 This should make the boys proud of the 

 business in which they are engaged, for 

 there are not many businesses that will 

 grow to such proportions in the short 

 span of twenty-four years. The whole 

 thing dates back to that little meeting 

 held in Halliday 's store November 18, 

 1889. 



How to Get News Printed. 



Now, boys, in my first letter I told 

 you that anyone who had any news 

 should call up Mt. Vernon 121 and I 

 would see that it reached the column. 

 It is impossible for me to get around 

 to all, and the column is for everyone 

 in Baltimore. I will try to have some- 

 thing of interest for everyone each 

 week, and as this is your business, it 

 is up to you to help me. Everyone I 

 have asked has been most kind and 

 ready to help, and there is no reason 

 why the column in The Review should 

 not be an interesting one for the trade in 

 Baltimore. 



Business, from the reports I have se- 

 cured, is good all along the line. Lent 

 seems to make no difference. There has 

 been plenty of funeral work and counter 

 trade has been good. Stock is equal to 

 the demand and all the growers are 

 figuring on having an abundance of 

 stock for Easter, and I have never seen 

 any go begging yet. Everything looks 

 good for a prosperous Easter and spring. 



Tate. 



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CONNECTICUT COMMENT 



New London, Conn. — The E. W. Clark 

 Estate is well pleased with business, 

 past and present. "The Easter outlook 

 both in demand and supply, we feel will 

 meet our expectations," says John Clark. 



Waterbury, Conn. — Saxe & Floto are 

 much pleased with business done in the 

 new store. Although almost directly 

 opposite the old stand, the change is 

 quite noticeable. Stock for Easter looks 

 good. 



Fair Haven, Conn. — Smith T. Bradley 

 says the weather has been severe for the 

 grower of small fruits. He has a large 

 acreage of raspberries to be cut over. 

 Store business has held up remarkably 

 well. Predictions for the best Easter yet 

 are made. 



New Haven, Conn. — The Frank S. 

 Piatt Co. reports an unusual call for 

 their seed catalogue, compiled with ex- 

 tra care this year. A brisk counter 

 trade predicts a busy season. The whole 

 store is now devoted to the seed re- 

 quirements. 



Westvllle, Conn. — Frank Sokol says 

 the bulbous stock is the best in his long 

 experience, there being scarcely any 

 blind bulbs, which accounts for the large 

 stocks on the market. He predicts a 

 shortage for Easter should a mild spell 

 of weather set in. 



Norwalk, Conn. — E. G. Hanford re- 

 grets a shortage in the market for ferns 

 of the Boston type. He usually raises a 

 big stock for his retail trade, but finds 

 sales have exceeded the supply. Table 

 ferns are again becoming popular. 

 Among Easter stock a nice batch of 

 hybid perpetual roses is counted on. 



Walllngford, Conn.— The F. Eowden 

 & Mitchell Co. recently rebuilt and now 

 has an up-to-date place arranged to sup- 

 ply the retail trade. A well grown 

 stock of geraniums heads the list of bed- 

 ding plants. Easter Greeting looks 

 promising. The labor question necessi- 

 tates the growing of stock that requires 

 the least amount of handling. 



