March 22. 1917. 



The Florists' Review 



31 



The Michell Rose Garden Staged at the Philadelphia Exhibition, March 20. 



THE SPUD AND THE ONION. 



In the Open Letters From Readers, in 

 the issue of March 1, I came across the 

 subject that will not down: "The Na- 

 tional Flower." With due respect to 

 the writer of the article, I for one fully 

 sustain all the objections made. Alfalfa 

 is without a doubt a great cattle and 

 horse feed in the south and southwest- 

 ern states, but who wants to adopt this 

 Peruvian or Arabian species of legume 

 for our national flower? We of the 

 Golden West have our California poppy, 

 of which we are proud, but we would 

 not for an instant try to force it upon 

 the whole nation as its flower. During 

 these times of preparedness and high 

 cost of living, it occurred to my weak 

 mind that we have overlooked two of 

 the most worthy subjects for the cause, 

 the potato and the onion! These two 

 subjects have, without a question, caused 

 vast worry and much talk, and barrels of 

 ink and tons of valuable paper have 

 been consumed by the publications of 

 this country to place them right before 

 the people. I therefore suggest the 

 potato as first choice, with the onion a 

 close second. 



Who would be ashamed to wear a 

 small tuber, or a small onion in his 

 buttonhole these days? Is there a state 

 in the Union that is devoid of their 

 presence, flavor or perfume? Have we 

 forgotten that the noble murphy is one 

 of the main factors in this great pre- 

 paredness movement? Guns and am- 

 munition are nothing without men, and 

 men are worthless without murphies. 

 Ask anyone who has had the expe- 

 rience. Is there a home garden any- 

 where that could not produce at least 

 enough flowers for the Fourth of July 

 or small tubers for Thanksgiving? Of 

 course, critics will say spuds arc good 

 enough mashed or French-fried but 

 onions are not fit for loving couples. 

 Let us not forget that the flower of the 

 potato is pretty. The flower of the 

 onion, it is true, may not be beautiful 

 at first glance, but let us not forget its 

 si7.e and fragrance. The people of San 

 Francisco had the pleasure of gazing 

 into the window of a prominent milli- 

 nery store on Market street, upon a 

 lady's hat neatly trimmed with small 

 onions, and the sight, as well as price, of 



this beautiful piece of art shall never be 

 forgotten in the Bay city. 



Of my brother florists I will inquire: 

 Have you planted your potatoes for 

 early blooming? If not, do so at once. 

 Any good soil will do. Don't forget a 

 good patch of onions for late flowering. 



These will come in handy after the 

 asters are gone. Mr. Winkler says the 

 voice of the florists and gardeners ought 

 to be heard in selecting a national 

 flower, so I have raised my voice. Now, 

 by all means, let us hear from you. 



Henry Klopfer. 



Little Eock, Ark. — A petition for di- 

 vorce has been filed in Chancery court 

 against Paul M. Palez, the alderman- 

 florist, by Mrs. Palez. 



Clevis, N. M. — A. Alenius, at present 

 residing at Portland, Ore., will start a 

 florists' business here this month. Green- 

 houses will be erected during the sum- 

 mer. 



Dallas, Tex. — Before the newly or- 

 ganized Dallas County Good Neighbors ' 

 Club Otto Lang recently made an ad- 

 dress on the care of flower beds and 

 shrubs, 



Vermejo Park, N. Mex. — J. IL Cain 

 has resigned his position as heail gar- 

 dener for W. H Bartlett to become man- 

 ager of the seed and nursery department 

 of the Quilitch Co., at Trinidad, Colo. 



Augusta, Ga. — The South Side Devel- 

 opment Co., with $10,000 capital stock, 

 has been organized here to maintain a 

 cemetery for colored people. The char- 

 ter perjiits a general florists' business 

 being done. 



Beaumont, Tex. — Having secured a 

 dealer's certificate from the state inspec- 

 tors, Mrs. C. P. Davis says she intends 

 to buy, grow and sell everything the 

 public calls for in flowers and nursery 

 stock. Quite an undertaking, indeed. 



Muskogee, Okla. — The Muskogee Car- 

 nation Co. has moved from Broadway to 

 larger quarters "in the Runyan build- 

 ing." 



Waco, Tex.— Washington's birthday 

 having been designated as rose planting 

 day, it is estimated the local florists and 

 nurserymen sold 10,000 plants to indi- 

 viduals and organizations. 



Jackson, Miss. — When the Jackson 

 Floral Co., which opened its store hero 

 February 1, chose its location it picked 

 out a place on West Capitol street esti- 

 mated to be passed each business day by 

 one-third of Jackson's adult population. 



San Antonio, Tex. — The second week 

 in March was set apart as palm planting 

 week by the Real Estate Board, which 

 advertised it widely. The florists and 

 nurserymen were asked to arrange for 

 special sales to help the idea along and 

 nearly all of them did their part. 



Fort Worth, Tex. — During stock show 

 week here the Drumm Seed & Floral Co. 

 extended a general invitation to the 

 crowds, visitors and home folk, to visit 

 its greenhouses at Riverside and spend 

 an hour there as guests of the company. 

 A surprisingly large number of people 

 accepted the invitation. 



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