16 



The Florists^ Review 



Dkcembbb 6, 1018. 



ing one of the last engagements of the 

 •war, "Company A of the 364th Infantry 

 found itself without a leader. All the 

 commissioned officers down to the last 

 second lieutenant had been put hors de 

 combat. The company, a sort of derelict 

 in the fog of battle, floundered along, 

 fighting a kind of guerrilla warfare and 

 gradually losing its identity and cohe- 

 sion, when a red head appeared through 

 the smoke, followed by a sharp word of 

 command, or rather an invitation to 'go 

 get 'em.' 



"The men pulled themselves together 



and, under the leadership of Sergeant 

 Billy S. Clark, made one of the most 

 brilliant charges of the drive. This 

 continued for three days and during that 

 period no company made a better show- 

 ing or displayed more relentless aggres- 

 siveness. ' ' 



When complimented on his achieve- 

 ment. Sergeant Clark was brief and 

 laconic in his response, regarding his 

 action merely as the performance of a 

 duty. "I reckon that's what Uncle 

 Sam pays us for, ' ' was his sole comment. 



as sacred as the postofGLces and banks, 

 and have complete control over them, 

 not trusting, in the case of the express 

 companies, for instance, the more or 

 less secret owners to battle out their 

 claims with our soldiers, should it un- 

 fortunately come to that. 



It is hard indeed for the public to en- 

 thuse over these utilities going back, 

 and harder still for the employees, and 

 if the former owners were wiser, it 

 would be hardest of all for them. 



Somewhat apart from this, shippers 

 wjio have long-standing claims against 

 the express companies can have settle- 

 ments greatly facilitated- by turning 

 them over to the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission at Washington. 



F. Fallon. 



ODEN LCTTEl^y^ KEADEUB 



CHAKOINa FOB BOXES. 



In The Eeview of November 28, page 

 19, I noted the following inquiry from 

 J. U. M.— Miss.: 



Will Tlie Rpview or some of the retail florists 

 give lis a little help? What do they do In the 

 matter of charging for the boxes in which they 

 deliver flowers and designs? When we receive 

 cut flowers from the wholesaler the boxes always 

 are charged for, usually at from 60 cents to 85 

 cents each, but does any retailer make a charge 

 when he in turn makes shipments? One day last 

 week we shipped to one customer at one time 

 thirteen boxes and we made no charge for the 

 boxes. They contained sprays and designs. We 

 shall appreciate any ideas expressed on this sub- 

 ject. 



Perhaps my experience, as proprietor 

 of the Port Allegany Greenhouses, Port 

 Allejjany, Pa., may be helpful to J. 

 U. M. The excessive greenhouse ex- 

 penses of the last year caused me to 

 charge for large boxes and to give credit 

 for their return, grading my charges ac- 

 cording to the prices paid by me to the 

 wholesalers and commission men for the 

 same boxes. After signing the conser- 

 vation pledge of the i)aper houses, I 

 ordered the printing of some labels, 

 which were inscribed with the follow- 

 ing notice to patrons: 



RETTUN liOX. 



Wishing to do our "hit." we signed the pledge 

 "to coopcrato witli tlio ("onscrvation Division and 

 the Pulp and I'lipiT .Section of the War Industries 

 Board to ecunoniize in tlie use of paper, paper- 

 board [l)oxps| and to secure and procure 



others, so f.ir iis lies within our power, to do 

 the same, or foVfoit tlm right of piircliase." To 

 comply, we ask t\int each l)ox be returned to us 



by and deduct cents 



from bill. — I'ort .Mlcg.in.v Grccnlioiisps. 



It will be observed that blank spaces 

 were left on tlie labels for tlie insertion 

 of the name of the return route and 

 the amount to be deducted. These labels 

 were pasted on all except the smallest 

 boxes, with most gratifying results. 

 Sales, evidently, were not decreased 

 thereby, as the receipts for the last 

 four months have been more than 

 double the receipts for any similar 

 period during the eighteen years of my 

 experience as a florist. The quick re- 

 turn of needed boxes, since the long- 

 distance express service has been so 

 slow, has been of great value to me. I 

 would suggest that others give the plan 

 a trial. M. E. G. Ventres. 



GOVEBNMENT OWNEBSHIP. 



While you may be right in your ed- 

 itorial statement that the government 

 should quickly return the public utilities 

 taken over, you will find many who, for 

 different reasons, disagree with you. 

 Some few reasons why these utilities 



should be held, for the present at least, 

 are: 



Because in many places the service 

 is far better and the employees more 

 courteous, there being someone to make 

 complaint to. 



Because the employees of these com- 

 panies, long misused, speaking of ex- 

 press companies, have received or are 

 about to receive better pay and treat- 

 ment. 



Because the stockholders of these com- 

 panies will be honestly protected and 

 the companies will not again be ex- 

 ploited and wrecked repeatedly in the 

 stock markets. Observe how few the 

 scandals, how efficient and cheap the 

 postal service is, as compared with any 

 of these companies. 



Because in the near future we may 

 go through a period of unrest and will, 

 in that case, want these utilities kept 



CAN YOU TELL HTM? 



We are having trouble with our cycla- 

 mens. Can some brother florist tell us 

 what is the cause and give us a remedy 

 for the curling of the leaves and the 

 drying up of the buds? The same dis- 

 ease attacks our Eex and Cincinnati be- 

 gonias and pentstemon, lobelia and 

 other plants that are near the diseased 

 plants. Any information will be great- 

 ly appreciated. Frank M. Warner, 



La Fayette, Ind. — The greenhouses of 

 William H. Eobinson were sold at auc- 

 tion to Wilbur Lahr. The sale included 

 a 10-acre farm, the greenhouses and the 

 retail store and amounted to between 

 $9,000 and $10,000. Mr. Lahr will con- 

 . tinue the business. 



Peoria, HI. — Fred Burre has taken 

 over the interest of his brother in the 

 firm of Burre Bros. He has the green- 

 house establishment formerly conducted 

 by D, U. Augspurger & Sons Co., which 

 went into bankruptcy a year ago. Mr. 

 Burre is growing plants for the whole- 

 sale trade. 



THE CABNATION SOCIETY. 



The American Carnation Society 

 directors met with the Cleveland Flo- 

 rists' Club December 2 to complete the 

 program and make final arrangements 

 for the A. C. S. convention in Cleveland 

 January 29 and 30, 1919. Conditions 

 all round being so unusual, it was con- 

 sidered best, and decided, to make a de- 

 parture from the usual program. Ex- 

 press service being so undependable, it 

 was not considered advisable to attempt 

 an exhibition along the lines followed 

 in previous years, and the secretary was 

 instructed to rearrange the schedule to 

 meet the prevailing conditions. All the 

 medals will be offered and a special 

 effort will be made to induce the growers 

 of new varieties to exhibit them. There 

 will be a number of classes for standard 

 varieties for those who grow only those 

 varieties. It was pointed out that if 

 each member who will attend will bring 

 along with him enough blooms for one 

 vase, it will result in the largest exhibi- 

 tion we have ever staged. Many of 



those within short distance will bring 

 along 200 to 300 blooms, which will 

 bring up the average. 



It was also pointed out that the high 

 prices which will likely prevail all win- 

 ter will also deter the larger growers 

 from staging in quantity as formerly, 

 hut almost every grower of carnations 

 will gladly contribute fifty to 100 blooms 

 to help make up the show. The secre- 

 tary will get the premium schedule out 

 at once and will mail it to the members. 



This being the first meeting of na- 

 tional scope within the trade since the 

 signing of the armistice, it was decided 

 to make it a celebration of that event, 

 and the program of entertainment will 

 be arranged along that line. Invitations 

 will be sent to other organizations to 

 participate, and it is hoped that a large 

 attendance will result. 



There is much enthusiasm in the 

 Cleveland Florists' Club over the pros- 

 pects of a rousing convention, and the 

 local end of the arrangements will be 

 well taken care of by a committee made 

 up of some half dozen of Cleveland's 

 celebrated live wires. 



A. F. J. Baur. 



