16 



The Florists^ Review 



July 3, 1&19. 



air, to allow the removal of decayed 

 leaves and for watering when neces- 

 sary. It is essential that the cuttings 

 be shaded from the sun 's rays. 



In the case of some subjects that are 

 more than usually difficult to strike from 

 cuttings, a practice often resorted to 

 with success is to put the stock plant, 

 from which the cuttings are to be taken, 

 in a warmer structure than that in which 

 it has previously been growing. This is 

 termed by professional propagators, 

 "drawing out the cuttings," and it is 

 a method frequently adopted. 



A point of considerable importance in 

 ahe case of most cuttings, except those 

 of a succulent character, is to insert 

 them as soon as possible after their sep- 

 aration from the parent plant; if al- 

 lowed to flag, their chances of success 

 are Considerably lessened. An item of 

 considerable importance is the health 

 of the plant from which the cuttings are 

 taken. Highly fed plants yield the poor- 

 est cuttings, for although the growths 

 may appear to be good, fat shoots, they 

 do not root so well as those prodvraed in 

 a more natural manner. 



illation 'and 



ILe5^ Decision 



BAD BILL PENDING. 



Will Affect Plants Mailed. 



At the convention of the American 

 Seed Trade Association last week, W. V. 

 Therkildson, chairman of the postal 

 laws committee, called attention to a 

 matter pending at Washington that is 

 of far greater importance to florists 

 than to seedsmen. He said: 



"There has been introduced recently 

 a bill known as House Resolution 1127. 

 This bill was introduced by Congress- 

 man Raker. Congressman Raker is 

 from the Second California district and 

 his bill provided for the inspection of 

 any parcel sent by mail which contains 

 fr\iit, plants, trees, shrubs, nursery 

 stock, grafts, scions, i)each, plum, al- 

 mond, or the pits of other fruits, cotton 

 seed, or vegetables, at point of delivery 

 in any state that requests such inspec- 

 tion, and where the retpiisite inspectors 

 are provided by the states to perform 

 such service. This was r if erred to the 

 committee on agriculture, !May 20, 1919. 

 The bill provides that it shall be un- 

 lawful for any postmaster or postal 

 clerk to receive any parcel of the above 

 character to be sent by mail unless 

 same bo jdainly labeled showing tlie 

 contents of the parcel, the name of the 

 person who produced it and where 

 grown if possible, and also the name of 

 the sender. Postal officials are also for- 

 bidden to deliver any such parcel until 

 the same has been inspected and re- 

 leased by a regularly appointed state 

 inspector. If the presence of pests is 

 evident, the contents may be treated or 

 destroyed as the state officials may di- 

 rect."' 



Attempts to Control Mails. 



There have been other attempts along 

 the same line, to extend the certification 

 and insj)ection system to plant ship- 

 ments ill the mails, making it apply to 

 small lots passing through the post- 

 offices just as it does to larger lots car- 

 ried by freight or express. Certifica- 

 tion is impracticable because the mails 

 originate with the public as well as with 

 inspected business establishments and 

 insjiection before delivery as thus far 

 attempted also has been bad- for the 

 trade because of the delay it entails. 

 Inspection facilities not existing at all 

 postoffices, such attempts as have been 

 made at "terminal" inspection have 

 called for forwarding each parcel to 



designated depot, after notice to the 

 addressee and additional postage both 

 ways had been supplied. The resulting 

 delay and the remailing of insecurely 

 rewrapped parcels makes the system un- 

 satisfactory to the trade. 



To make inspection practical, it must 

 be arranged that shipments into any 

 state requesting the privilege of inspec- 

 tion shall all be sent direct to an in- 

 spection depot, quickly examined, care- 

 fully repacked and promptly forwarded 

 to the addressee without extra postage. 



TBADE TALE FROM TEXAS. 



Tlie Texas florist has had a year such 

 as he has never known before. Prices 



have gone up to a northern level and de- 

 mand has been extraordinarily good. 



Cooperation among florists in the va- 

 rious cities and in the state has ad- 

 vanced many sfrides this last year. All 

 have realized that the possibilities for 

 business are so great that it is folly to 

 try to get increases by price reductions. 



The man with the small retail store 

 is realizing that if his wife and chil- 

 dren work, their labor must be paid for, 

 and the day of 50 and 75-cent bunches 

 of flowers is no more. His expense is 

 just as great as the man who hires out- 

 side help, and his prices must be just as 

 high. 



Florists realize that the day of put- 

 , ting a competitor out of business is 

 "over. And the gentle game of freeze- 

 out has just about disappeared. 



The influx of northern soldier flower- 

 buyers has been worth many dollars to 

 the south in advertising alone. A tedious 

 campaign of education to higher prices 

 and more frequent demand has been 

 saved through their purchases. 



With all this has increased the feeling 

 of greater responsibility and fairer 

 treatment to the shipper of cut flowers 

 and other stock. The day of turning 

 down a shipment because of a mistake 

 in the buyer's estimate of his needs is 

 fast disappearing. Florists are realiz- 

 ing that their business requires a firm 

 understanding between shipper and 

 buyer and that in this day and age a 

 rating is most necessary in the business 

 world. 



With a fall in the price of materials 

 an unprecedented amount of building 

 will be started. Then will the rest of 

 the trade realize that things are really 

 being done in the Lone Star state. B. 



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The Bell Floral Co., of Temple, sold 

 almost everything but the glass, accord- 

 ing to T. W. Reed, the manager. He is 

 just throwing out carnations now. They 

 had an exceptionally long life. Chrys- 

 anthemums are coming in rapidly now. 

 All is set for the new growing year. 

 The firm is figuring on installing a steam 



plant soon for next winter. 



• • * • 



Although the southern carnations are 

 small, all the growers report heavy cuts, 

 exceptional for so late in the year. Out- 

 door roses were exceptionally good this 

 year, because of the frequent rains and 

 cool weather. Although they tempo- 

 rarily halted the rose market, when 

 they were through, the public turned 



back to indoor flowers. 

 « • • • 



The store of Wolfe the Florist, at 

 Waco, had a quiet, almost strange ap- 

 pearance, and Miss Annie Wolfe found 

 time, for once this year, to do a little 

 sewing. She says she appreciates the 

 respite, for business has certainly been 

 keeping them all extremely busy. For 

 one big funeral they sent almost as 

 many pot plants as designs. This is 

 a welcome diversion, for to be able to 

 turn some of the demand toward pot 

 jilants relieves the necessity of carrying 

 a big stock and helps the florist keep 

 many orders which might otherwise be 

 lost. 



Mr. Carpenter, of the Home of Flow- 

 ers, Sherman, is busy getting his chrj^s- 

 anthemums and poinsettias starter- 

 Having the Sherman Nurseries to draw 

 on for supplies for funerals and basket 

 work has been most convenient and a 

 great help in this time of shortage. 



• • * * 



The Green Floral Co., of Dallas, is 

 tearing out and replacing many of the 

 old roses. Although some stock is being 

 carried through for a continuous cut, 

 Alex Miller, the grower, is getting 

 in his new, young stock as rapidly as 

 possible. Shawyer is still the predom- 

 inant pink, although Premier, Russell 

 and Columbia are represented. 



• » » • 



Baker Bros. Co., of Fort Worth, re- 

 ports an exceptionally fine business in 

 both nursery and cut flower depart- 

 ments. Nursery sales increased thirty 

 per cent over those of last year. The y^ 

 firm reports a falling off, however, in both 

 vegetable and flower seeds. They at- 

 tribute this deficiency to the absence of 

 propaganda by the government for war 

 gardens this year. 



• ♦ • • 



By the way, July 9 and 10 are the 

 days of the state convention at Austin. 

 Sure, everybody will be there. I know, 

 for I am rambling all over the state. 



Gene. 



