Sbptembkk 13, 1917. 



The Horists' Review 



19 



oiBon flr»t; Swanson'8, Inc., second; Chicago 

 Avenue Greenhouses, third. 



Twenty Kalserin roues — Holm & Olson, first; 

 Swanson's, Inc.,, jsiecoad. 



Coleus — Holm & Olson, first; Chicago Avenue 

 Greenhouses, second. ^ ». 



Palms — Chicago Avenue Greenhouses, first; 

 Holm & Olson, second. 



Ferns, covering twenty-five square feet — Holm 

 & Olson, first; Chicago Avenue Greenhouses, sec- 



Pandanus — Holm & Olson, first; Chicago Ave- 

 nue Greenhouses, second. 



Mound of decorative plants — Holm & Olson, 

 first; Chicago Avenue Greenhouses, second. 



Corsage bouquet — Holm & Olson, first. 



Original design — Holm & Olson, first; Swan- 

 son's, Inc., second. 



Bridal bouquet — Holm & Olson, first; Swan- 

 son's, Inc., second. 



Hanging basliet of ferns — Chicago Avenue 

 Greenhouses, first. 



Table decoration — Holm & Olson, first; Swan- 

 son's, Inc., second; Chicago Avenue Greenhouses, 

 third. 



Wreath on easel — Holm & Olson, first; Swan- 

 son's, Inc., second; Chicago Avenue Greenhouses, 

 third. 



Hanging basket — Holm & Olson, first. 



Plants, covering twenty-five square feet — 

 Holm & Olson, first; Chicago Avenue Green- 

 houses, second. 



Begonias — Holm & Olson, first. 



Nephrolepls — Holm & Olson, first; Chicago 

 Avenue Greenliouses, second. 



One hundred asters — Holm & Olson, first. 



Windojv box — Holm & Olson, first; Chicago 

 Avenue Greenhouses, second. 



Boston fern — Holm & Olson, first; Chicago Ave- 

 nue Greenhouses, second. 



Ferns, covering 100 square feet — Holm & Ol- 

 son, first; Chicago Avenue Greenliouses, second. 



Plants, covering fifty square feet — Holm & 

 Olson, first; Chicago Avenue Greenhouses, second. 



Various Notes. 



Business has been good with the re- 

 tailers. Last week there was consider- 

 able funeral work and several weddings. 



James Skinner, with the Whitted 

 Floral Co., is away on a vacation. 



E. M. P. 



CONFERENCE AT MASON CITY. 



Coal and Agents' Discounts. 



Florists of northern Iowa and Minne- 

 sota held a conference at Mason City, 

 la., September 11, the meeting being 

 called at the invitation of Mr. Goodman, 

 of Mason City, la.; A. N. Kinsman, of 

 Austin, Minn., and the Lake Shore 

 Greenhouses, of Albert Lea, Minn. 



Mr. Goodman called the meeting to 

 order in the Chamber of Commerce 

 rooms, stating briefly the purpose of the 

 convention. The first speaker was a 

 coal dealer, who gave a brief outline 

 of the coal situation as it concerns 

 florists. He said there may be chances 

 to pick up odd lots of coal during the 

 next four or five weeks, but that he be- 

 lieved the florist would find it almost 

 impossible to buy coal during January 

 or February. The idea is to get a sup- 

 ply now or be protected by contract. 



Mr. Goodman then called on James 

 Wilson, of Des Moines, to give his expe- 

 rience in carrying out the Iowa- 

 Nebraska plan, which was inaugurated 

 last winter. Mr. Wilson believes that 

 the plan is a good one, for his concern 

 carried the plan through. There was 

 some trouble, and he lost some of his 

 agents because his competitors did not 

 follew his plan, but eventually most of 

 the agents came back, as they founcl 

 that his better service counted more 

 than the difference in commissions the.\ 

 received from other firms. B. C. Wilcox, 

 of Council Bluffs, bore out Mr. Wilson 's 

 statements. A. H. Smith, of Boone, con- 

 sidered the plan a good one; he has 

 proved this by its operation for his firm. 

 He said that at the time he sent out 

 letters he also sent personal messages 

 assuring his agents that they would be 

 treated fairly. Mr, Clausen, of Albert 

 Lea, believed the idea was valuable, and 

 said that if the florist treated his agents 



properly, especially in the matter of 

 supplying good flowers and giving good 

 service, they would see the justice of 

 the plan and stay by it. 



Permanent Organization Formed. 



The question of the rising cost of 

 materials was discussed fully, and it is 

 plain that not only is the lowering of 

 agents' discounts, but the increase of 

 prices of flowers, necessary. 



Mr. Goodman was elected president 

 and A. N. Kinsman, of Austin, secretary 

 and treasurer, of a permanent organiza- 

 tion which will meet at different towns 

 in this territory once a year. 



A definite plan will be brought before 

 the members of this body, will be sent to 

 the florists in the adjacent territory and 

 adopted at the meeting to be held in con- 

 nection with the flower show at Des 

 Moines in November. 



The Hawkeye Supply Co. entertained 

 the florists at luncheon at the Country 

 Club, making the trip by automobile. 

 Afterwards the men visited the com- 

 pany's plant, where a large stock of 

 ])lumbing goods, pipe and heating sup- 

 l)lies is carried. A banquet was served 

 at the Cerro Gordo hotel in the evening. 



The Poehlmann Bros Co., the A. L. 

 Randall Co., the Foley Greenhouse Mfg. 



Co. and Vaughan's Seed Store, all of 

 Chicago, were represented at the meet- 

 ing. 



Among those present were: 



0. B. Schaefer, La Crosse, Wis. 

 C. D. Adams, Cherokee, la. 



C. H. Holleld, Eidora, la. 

 J. L. Munson, Storm Lake, la. 

 James L. Denmead, Marshalltown, la. 

 G. A. Torsberg, Uennison Co., Sioux City, la. 

 Elmer E. Nordwall, North Floral Co., Fort 

 Dodge, la. 



M. Rocklin, Sioux City, la. 

 H. N. Antisdel, Milford, la. 

 Philip Foley, Jr., Chicago, 111. 

 M. E. Terry, Waterloo, la. 

 Calvin D. Hinsman, Austin, Minn. 

 George H. Mohn, Chicago, 111. 



F. C. Pushee, Clear Lake, la. 

 Curtis H. Thomas, Traer, la. 

 Arthur H. Smith, Boone, la. 

 J. Wilson, Des Moines, la. 



S. p. Dysinger, St. Paul, Minn. 

 P. Clausen, Albert Lea, Minn. 



G. A. Clausen, Albert Lea, Minn. 

 J. G. Schrodt, Mankato, Minn. 

 S. L. Deal, New Hampton, la. 

 W. T. Symonds, Jr., Decorah, la. 

 H. I. Symonds, Decorah, la. 



N. H. Wetherbee, Charles City, la. 



1. O. Kemble, Marshalltown, la. 

 A. G. Larson, Forest City, la. 

 Irwin Newland, Forest City, la. 

 T. B. Sargeant, Osage, la. 



R. P. Atwell, Fort Dodge, la. 



R. A. Helm, Mason City, la. 



Logan Urice, Vinton, la. 



Blaine O. Wilcox, Council Bluffs, la. 



Joseph Bancroft, Cedar Falls, In. 



W. H. Miller. Chicago, 111. 



C. Pruner, Chicago, 111. 



George Goodman, Mason City, la. 



F. C. Gootlman, Mason City, In. 



William Smith, Mason City, la. 



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SEASONABLE jkt 

 XT SUGGESTIONS 



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1 



Iris Germanica. 



With the passing of the gorgeous 

 Japanese irises our season of irises ends. 

 Many varieties do specially well if re- 

 planted in August and September and 

 the germanica section, if divided now, 

 will get well established before cold 

 weather. Do not plant them too deeply 

 and be sure to give them a well drained 

 location, as rot in winter kills far more 

 German irises than cold. If your land 

 is stiff add plenty of coarse sand or even 

 fine coal ashes to open it up. German 

 irises need warm, well drained soil to 

 do their best. 



Eupatoriums. 



The eupatoriums are, or used to be, 

 popular subjects for winter blooming. 

 We have several hardy herbaceous va- 

 rieties of much merit which bloom at 

 this season. E. ageratoides, the white 

 snakeroot, carries handsome heads of 

 pure white flowers on stems three to 

 four feet high. E. Fraseri has large, 

 pure white terminal heads, just showing 

 bloom. E. ccelestinum, with pale blue 

 ageratum-like flowers, is a splendid late 

 summer variety, attaining a height of 

 two to three feet. All are of easy culture, 

 stand shade well and are of great value 

 for cutting. 



Geranium Propagation. 



If the taking of geranium cuttings is 

 deferred until we get cool days and 

 nights, the wood becomes firmer and less 

 succulent, and there is far less likeli- 

 hood of the cuttings damping off. After 

 making the cuttings, let them lie on the 

 potting bench a few hours before put- 

 ting them in the cutting bench. This 

 will further reduce the damping off. In 



making the cuttings, remove all foliage 

 but the small ones on the top and all 

 side scales. If you can spare a cutting 

 bench which contains sharp sand and 

 good drainage, good and well; if not, 

 use flats. A useful size is 4xl2x2'4 

 inches. Put a layer of cinders at the 

 bottom and over this a layer of moss 

 and the remainder of the sand. Water 

 and firm the sand well before putting 

 in the cuttings. 



The lines for the cuttings can be 

 drawn with an ordinary mason's trowel 

 or a piece of thin metal. Water well 

 after the cuttings are in, do not shade 

 at all and water sparingly until rooted. 

 Even then it is better to run them well 

 on the dry side until you have time to 

 pot them off. Grow as many of your 

 own cuttings as you can from healthy 

 stock; then you will be but little trou- 

 bled with the diseases which affect more 

 weakly stock. 



Dahlias. 



This is the height of the dahlia sea- 

 son. Perhaps you do not grow any, but 

 the majority of country florists have 

 some and it would pay all to plant a 

 nice selection. Look over your stock be- 

 fore frost arrives, label especially good 

 and useful sorts and get rid of those 

 with undesirable and unsalable colors. 

 Pay special attention to the cactus, 

 decorative and peony-flowered sections, 

 wliich are specially valuable in deco- 

 rative work. Do not forget the lit- 

 tle pompons. A few plants of pure 

 white, pink, yellow and scarlet will be 

 found quite valuable. This type throws 

 its flowers well above the foliage, and, 

 while the flowers are small, they are 

 compact and stand rougli treatment 

 better than any other type of dahlia. 



