52 



The Florists^ Review 



Apbil 10, 1919. 



RANDO NOSS IS BACK 



Guaranteed Rando Brand Selected Sphagnum Moss 

 Will Again be Offered to Florists This Summer 



QUANTITY LIMITED 



ORDER NOW 



ID ACK in 1912 we said we were going to produce a new erade of Sphagnum Moss 



PULLING MOSS 



good enough to trade-mark. 



They said, "It can't be done," so we did it. 



The florists felt that "moss was moss," that there couldn't be much difference 

 in Quality and the kind they were using was the best to be had. 



The "mossbacks"— men who had been gathering moss all their lives— did not see 

 how their methods could be improved. 



We knew that a better grade of moss could be produced, because every once in a 

 while we would find a bale or a part of a bale of clean, fresh -colored, long-fibered 

 Sphagnum in with a shipment of the usual, short, brittle, brown moss, which in 

 those days was the best to be had. 



To produce the moss good enough to trade-mark, we started at the very source. 

 A large swamp in the best moss producing part of Wisconsin was finally located. 

 This was covered with the finest growth of Sphagnum Moss that had ever been 

 known in this section. 



It had never been worked over and was in ideal condition. As can be imagined, 

 a marsh of this nature was diflicuU to reach, so numerous roads and bridges had to 



be built. 



To always guarantee long-fibered, clean, full growth moss, it was necessary to reach 

 the farthest limits of the marsh. To do this, a complete system of narrow gauge 

 railroad was built. Gasoline locomotives and flat cars were installed. By 

 the use of this equipment it was made possible to secure the moss where 

 it was best. 



It was never necessary to pull any moss in an area where it had not grown 

 to its full length and strength. No area of the Randall Marsh has moss taken 

 from it oftener than once in six years. 



To furnish dry. properly sun-cured moss to the florists a large area called a 

 dry bed was leveled, drained and tracked with narrow gauge. On this land 

 was constructed a big warehouse through which ran the railroad track. 

 These resulted In clean, dry, fresh moss for florists' use as described below. 



How Moss is Gathered 



The moss is pulled from the marsh, as illustrated in the upper left-hand 

 picture. It is then loaded upon the flat cars and hauled across the wet marsh 

 to the drying bed above mentioned. Here it is spread out in thin layers on 

 the ground to be sun-dried and cured. By means of the railroad eauipment, 

 it is possible to spread it over large area economically and thus get the moss 

 perfectly dry before packing. 



As soon as the moss is properly cured and dried, it rs again placed on 

 board the cars and hauled into the big packing shed. Even the idea of a shed 

 for unbaled moss was unheard of until we started to produce RANDO BRAND 

 SPHAGNUM, as it was always previously baled in the open air after it had 

 been dried or partly dried. If the florists will picture a lot of moss spread 

 out in a field partly dried, a couple of men baling as fast as they can and 



a thunder storm coming up over the horizon, they can readily see why they 

 frequently get wet, soggy moss. 



As soon as our moss is properly dried, it is stored and can be baled 

 regardless of weather conditions. 



When we started to produce Sphagnum Moss, it was the usual thing to 

 pack Sphagnum in any available old, used burlap. Realizing that most 

 florists bought a year's supply of moss in the summer and that these old 

 burlap bales would rot away, we used nothing but brand-new, clean 7^-oz. 

 burlap. 



We built our presses strong and over size. We loaded them with moss 

 until when the bale was completed, it was bulging almost to the bursting 

 point. The result was so good that we proudly signed the job by labeling 

 it "RANDO BRAND SPHAGNUM MOSS." 



When the war came on labor shortage and the prohibitive cost of new 

 burlap made it impossible for us to continue turning out Rando Brand 

 Moss.l 



The florists needed moss of some kind and we had to use the few men 

 we could get to pull moss without paying mucb attention to quality. 



Conditions are now returning to normal— we are going to produce some 

 Rando Brand Moss this summer. Labor is still scarce and new burlap none 

 too plentiful. There won't be enough Rando Brand Moss to fill the demand. 

 In fact, we look for a scarcity of both Rando Brand and Standard 

 Quality. 



Orders are being booked now for summer delivery, from June to Octo- 

 ber. 



TRAIN LOAD OF WET MOSS READY TO UNLOAD ON 

 DRYING BED. Gasoline loconiotlTe Is between the flat 

 cars. 



ONE OF THE BALING SHEDS IN COURSE OF CON- 

 STRUCTION. These sheds keep the moss dry nnd clean 

 after It is taken off the dry bed. Railroad track goes 

 through the center of each. 



Write and tell us how much you can use and when you would want shipment. 

 We will quote you on Rando Brand or Standard Quality, or both, as desired. 



Do It now— the supply is limited. 



A. L. RANDALL COMPANY 



180 North Wabash Avenue, 



CHICAGO, ILL. 



