20 



The Florists^ Review 



NOVBHBBB 21, 1918. 



OUR BUSINESS OBJECT 



MAKE A FBOFIT. 



These three words, "Make a Profit," 

 stand out conspicuously in a sign on 

 the wall in the office of the head of a 

 large department store in Philadelphia. 



The sentence is short, but it means 

 much. Yes, more than most of us in 

 business stop to realize. 

 ^ Many florists today are basing their 

 selling prices of cut flowers and plants, 

 and their charges for services rendered, 

 on olden-time costs. But conditions 

 have changed; the price of labor has ad- 

 vanced, hours have been shortened, de- 

 livery service by automobile in many 

 oases has been forced upon us. Every- 

 thing that enters into the conduct of 

 our Dusiness, including everything we 

 buy to sell again, such as seeds, bulbs, 

 pots, supplies, etc., costs much more. 

 Look at the price of coal! Wax paper 

 costs now just double what it did twelve 

 months ago. Cotton twine in three years 

 has increased to five times its former 

 value. In fact, one might go on in an 

 endless citation of things like these. 



Have you increased your selling prices 

 for plants, cut flowers, funeral designs 

 and labor performed for your custom- 

 ers? If not, wjjy notf 



Every florist knows the cost of every- 

 thing he buys; he should also know the 

 cost, and he can easily figure it, of 

 everything he grows himself, and the 

 cost of the labor he performs. He should 

 add a fair profit for his services. The 

 public does not want to be victimized, 

 but it is willing to pay a fair price for 

 anything it wants. In every line of 

 business except the horticultural indus- 

 try, unheard-of prosperity is being en- 

 joyed and that same prosperity is right 

 at hand for the florist. 



A representative of a leading eastern 

 supply house was recently in the retail 

 store of a florist, when a prospective 

 customer came in, asked the price of 

 funeral designs and was informed that 

 they ranged from $2.50 up to $5.00, and 

 this was in a town that is doing an 

 enormous volume of war work. The 

 prospective customer walked out with- 

 out leaving an order. Why? 



The price quoted seemed to the buyer 

 to be too low. He wanted something 

 better than was offered and he was 

 willing to pay for it, which he did else- 

 where later in the same town. Imagine 

 the folly of quoting such a price, with 

 cut flowers at a premium for several 

 weeks! The florist did not stop to 

 think that tin foil costs double, wire 

 costs three times its normal value, twine 

 costs five times its normal value, and 

 paper costs twice its normal value. 



Some florists are still selling gera- 

 niums in 4-inch pots, and the flower pot 

 goes with the plant, for 10 cents. They 

 think they cannot get more than 12 

 cents or 15 cents for an Easter lily or a 

 hyacinth. 



Man, it costs you more than that to 

 grow these items, so do not figure that 

 you have made a profit. You actually 

 have lost money, and the sooner you 

 realize it the better. 



Mr. Florist, this little reminder has 

 been written in your interest. If you 

 want to pay your bills when due, make a 



living and be able to lay something 

 aside for a rainy day, which is your just 

 due, charge fair prices, "Make a 

 Profit." Start today — now. 



BALTIMOBE. 



The Market. 



This week the market is in better con- 

 dition than for some time. All first- 

 class stock cleans up well. There are 

 more first-grade roses than usual at this 

 season and, although the supply of mums 

 is large, they sell up well. The mums 

 this year are as fine as I have ever seen 

 them. Of course they grade all the way 

 from the large specimen fiowers to the 

 small outdoor kind, but there seems to 

 be a big supply of those that" sell from 

 $1 to $3 per dozen. There is a fair sup- 

 ply of all miscellaneous stock to be had. 

 Prices hold good and supply and de- 

 mand balance. 



November 11, Peace day, all the 

 wholesr.le houses, as well as many of the 

 retail stores, like every other line of 

 business, closed down for at least half 

 a day. There was no business to be 

 done, as the public could think of noth- 

 ing but celebrating, and, as the celebrat- 

 ing was of the boisterous kind, flowers 

 had no part in it. 



However, the prospect is for a good 

 season ahead for the florists. The pub- 

 lie feels more at ease; especially the 

 class that entertains feels more like re- 

 suming old conditions. As yet it has 

 not been definitely settled whether the 

 Monday cotillions will be resumed, but 

 from the present indications it seems 

 probable they will. If this be the case 

 they, of themselves, will insure a great 

 deal of entertaining. 



Most of the growers have their ranges 

 stocked to full capacity, intending to 

 close down one-half at the first of the 

 year. Now that it seems certain they 

 will be allowed to use all the coal they 

 wish, there should be no scarcity of 

 stock, and, as a great deal of labor will 

 be released, it should not be long before 

 our business is again on a normal basis. 



Club Meeting. 



The Gardeners' and Florists' Club 

 held its regular meeting November 11, 

 and although the city was in a state 

 that bordered on frenzy, the Florists' 

 Exchange hall was filled to capacity to 

 hear the lecture by Eobert Pyle on 

 "Roses and Eose Gardens at Home and 

 Abroad." Mr. Pyle's lecture is cer- 

 tainly well worth hearing and the illus- 

 trations are fine. Old rose growers who 

 were present said it was one of the most 

 practical lectures they ever had heard. 

 Mr. Pyle took occasion to pay a glowing 

 tribute to John Cook, classing him as 

 one of the greatest rosarians of this or 

 any other country, and congratulated 

 Baltimore on having a florist of his 

 ability for one of its citizens. A fine 

 picture of Mr. Cook formed part of the 

 illustrations. 



Another visitor on this occasion was 

 Samuel S. Pennock, well known in the 

 trade for twenty years. Mr. Pennock 

 made a happy speech and spent the 

 evening greeting old friends. 



J. E. Morichard, of New York city, 

 was also a visitor. He was called upon 

 for a speech and, being carried away by 

 the spirit of the day, gave us a most 

 stirring patriotic address. Mr. Morich- 

 ard is the general representative of the 

 S. S. Pennock Co. and travels all over 

 the east. He is optimistic over the out- 

 look for the florists' business during 

 the coming winter and can see nothing 

 but good times ahead for the florists. 

 His argument is, as the boys begin to 

 come home from * ' over there ' ' and from 

 the various cantonments, they will be 

 lionized and entertained, all of which 

 will take flowers. 



A dinner was tendered our guests at 

 Hotel Eennert before the meeting. 

 Those at the table were Samuel S. Pen- 

 nock, Eobert Pyle, J. E. Morichard, 

 Eichard Vincent, Jr., E. A. Vincent, 

 Isaac H. Moss, Fred Bauer, J. J. Perry, 

 C. M. Wagner, Albert Fiedler and Eob- 

 ert T. Paterson. 



Various Notes. 



Eobert L. Graham 's uptown store had 

 a most attractive window display last 

 week. The idea that Eobert, Jr., had 

 worked out was a * * harvest-^home ' ' win- 

 dow. Autumn foliage and golden pump- 

 kins were used in the display, together 

 with fine specimen chrysanthemums. It 

 was a piece of work he might well feel 

 proud of and it attracted lots of atten- 

 tion. 



George J. Muhly is busy these days 

 getting ready to push, for all it ia worth, 

 his line of ' ' Keystone Quality ' ' florists ' 

 supplies. Mr. Muhly says that his new 

 venture is bound to be a success, and 

 there will be no rest for his Ford this 

 winter, as he intends to go after the 

 trade and, what is more, he intends to 

 get it. Tate. 



CLEVELAND. 



The Market. 



Business conditions during the last 

 week continued good, with a fair 

 amount of stock to meet the demand. 

 Roses are arriving in good condition, 

 all grades cleaning up daily. Carna- 

 tions are in good demand. Chrysanthe- 

 mums clear with little trouble and 

 bring almost any price demanded. Pom- 

 pons have had a ready market. A few 

 good sweet peas have been coming into 

 the market. Violets have had a good 

 call, both single and double varieties. 

 American Beauties have been cleaning 

 up well. Calla lilies also have been in 

 favor. 



Various Notes. 



Most of the florists called for their 

 flowers when the wholesale houses is- 

 sued an announcement that a charge 

 would be made for deliveries. The first 

 day it seemed good to see so many on 

 hand for their supplies, whose voices 

 one was accustomed to hear over the 

 phone asking why their stock had not 

 been delivered, or because on delivery 

 they had found they had forgotten 

 something and wanted it rushed out. 

 The city has been mapped out in four 

 zones, the charges being 15 cents for 

 the first zone, 35 cents for the second, 

 50 cents for the third and 65 cents for 

 the fourth. 



The sympathy of the trade is extend- 

 ed to Miss Wilhelm in the death of her 

 brother. 



E. E. Blackshaw, representing the 

 Ove Gnatt Co., Laporte, Ind., called on 

 the trade during the week. 



...J 



