14 



The Florists' Review 



JDNB 19, 1019. 



turned over to the owners and the ad- 

 ministration has announced its inten- 

 tion of returning the railroads, comes 

 the question of whether the change of 

 hands will be accompanied by a rise in 

 ratesk Some persons have hope that the 

 resumption of normal shipping condi- 

 tions will somewhat reduce the large 

 deficit incurred in recent months. But it 

 seems probable that the Interstate Com- 

 merce Commission will be appealed to to 

 grant an increase in rates. 



One Company or Four? 



When the government took over the 

 operation of the express companies, one 

 large organization, the American Rail- 

 way Express Co., was formed. The 

 "Big Four" — the American, Adams, 

 Southern and Wells-Fargo Express Com- 

 panies — combined and took stock in the 

 amalgamated agency. The properties 

 of the Northern, Great Northern and 

 West Express Companies wexe leased 

 by them to the new combine. 



The question that is largest in the ex- 

 press outlook is whether the administra- 

 tion will restore the companies as one 

 merged organization, as it operates at 

 present, or whether it will insist that 

 they resume operations as separate 

 agencies. The disposition of the com- 

 panies seems to be strongly against 

 splitting up the present combine. Their 

 contention is that overhead expenses 

 will be reduced by operating as a 

 merged organization, and more efficient 

 oj^fetation will be secured by a central 

 control. 



Expenses on the Increase. 



Even if the companies resume opera- 

 tion in the present combination and un- 

 der the most favorable conditions, ex- 

 penses are likely to continue mounting. 



The raises granted thousands of work- 

 men add to the deficit that has been so 

 heavy during recent months. And since 

 the cost of labor in all industries seems 

 certain to continue high, and possibly 

 higher if immigration is restricted dur- 

 ing the coming year or two, the raises 

 are more likely to continue than other- 

 wise. 



Whether "normal" conditions, on 

 which some persons place their hopes of 

 a return to old rates, or at least a profit- 

 able continuation of the present ones,^ 

 will ever return, is a debatable ques- 

 tion. One thing is sure, that whatever 

 "normal" conditions may prove to be 

 when they do arrive, they will not be 

 "pre-war conditions. Business men know 

 that what we have to face are post-war 

 conditions, and will continue to be post- 

 war, ai^ never pi^war conditions. We 

 may as wallfprget the ante-bellum days, 

 and study tHe situation of the present 

 and the futute. 



ciency attained by the government in 

 the present handling of the express 

 service will be increased to the point 

 merited by its vital importance in the 

 business of the countrv. Mac. 



NEW YORK. 



' P. T. D. ON NEW DIREOTOEY. 



To bring up to date the old directory 

 of the Florists' Telegraph Delivery As- 

 sociation, Secretary ATbert Pochelon is 

 busy compiling lists of towns and insti- 

 tutions served by members of the organ- 

 ization. The rapid growth of the asso- 

 ciation and the increased telegraphic 

 business of the trade make the need for 

 such a directory greater than before, 

 and likewise make the labor of compil- 

 ing the requisite information exceeding- 

 ly large and arduous. Mr. Pochelon 

 hopes, however, to further increase the 

 wire delivery service by promoting its 

 facility and promptness, and to that 

 end devotes much effort to the improved 

 directory. 



OLD EXPRESS CLAIMS. 



Lucky is the florist who ' has not a 

 number of claims against the old ex- 

 press companies, dating back to the time 

 of their chaotic condition prior to the 

 assumption of government control. The 

 Adams Express Co. appears to have been 

 in the worst condition during the year 

 previous to the formation of the present 

 company, July 1, 1918, by far the ma- 

 jority of the claims being against it. 

 In fact, more claims were filed against 

 this particular company than all the 

 other carriers combined, and it has been 

 provokingly tardy in making settle- 

 ments. The attitude of the Adams 

 officials and their methods of handling 

 correspondence were largely responsible 

 for the institution of the express inves- 

 tigation, through which many changes 

 were effected. 



It has been reported that the Adams 

 Express Co. is offering to adjust its old 

 claims on the basis of 60 cents on the 

 dollar. Dou'btless many shippers would 

 gladly accept these terms, and to get 

 them perhaps it would be a good plan 

 to insist upon an early settlement, even 

 if necessary to bring suit. Shippers 

 who take this step are quite likely to 

 get their money, while those who wait 

 are apt to come in contact with a de- 

 pleted treasury. It is provided by a 



section of the express receipt that suits 

 must be brought within two years and 

 one day after the delivery of the prop- 

 erty and not later. Claimants lose their 

 right to bring suit if they do not sue 

 witl^in that time. 



The money returns upon C. O. D. ship- 

 ments made during the last six months 

 of the existence of the old companies 

 were so deplorably bad as to compel 

 Cleveland wholesale florists to discon- 

 tinue forwarding goods upon that basis. 

 And there are still outstanding quite a 

 number of unpaid C. O. D. 's, extending 

 back into 1918, and reported active in- 

 vestigation appears to accomplish little 

 except delay. A few months ago an 

 occasional check arrived, but they have 

 now entirely ceased to come. 



At the June meeting of the Cleveland 

 Florists' Club the matter of unpaid ex- 

 press claims was brought up for discus- 

 sion by interested members, the con- 

 sensus being that claimants should in- 

 sist upon payment. Perhaps the worst 

 injury visited upon the trade by the 

 war was that wrought by the wretched 

 condition of the 1 express service, an 

 echo of which are the still unsettled 

 claims. Dealing in perishable goods, it 

 is doubtful if any other industry suf- 

 fered so seriously; and it is to be sin- 

 cerely hoped that the degree of effi- 



The Market. 



The market is still suffering from 

 oversupply, but the surplus is confined 

 largely to lines outside of staples, and 

 is of the kind usually experienced in 

 early summer. Peony arrivals are con- 

 siderably shortened. It is readily un- 

 derstandable that shippers would not 

 care to contribute again to a clean-up 

 drive. Some really good flowers in the 

 late varieties are in evidence and bring 

 fair prices. Other seasonable flowers 

 are abundant, and shrub flowers, such 

 as philadelphus and deutzias, are in 

 good supply and figure largely in decora- 

 tions at some functions. While more 

 flowers are available than the rather 

 poor demand can care for, some of the 

 retailers are of the opinion that the con- 

 dition will not last long, and -no over- 

 plus worth mentioning as a disturbing 

 medium need be looked for until the 

 aster season is with us. 



Eoses are firmer in price, and a more 

 favorable temperature has improved the 

 quality of the hybrid teas. While 

 American Beauty is not overabundant, 

 the bulk of arrivals is of poor quality 

 stock, and prices do not range high.' 



Carnations evidently have^assed the 

 glut point, but there are more than 

 enough of them for the demand. Some 

 of the growers have already abandoned 

 their benchings and more might as well 

 follow suit without delay, judging from 

 the quality of the flowers they are cut- 

 ting. 



The market is practically bare of 

 lilies, and lily of the valley is a luxury 

 for those who can afford to buy it. But 

 there is plenty of other material for 

 high-class work, whether wedding or 

 funeral. 



The supply of cattleyas is not par- 

 ticularly large, but the demand for them 

 is not strong, and the movement by the 

 lower grades at times is anything but 

 active. 



There is a wealth of miscellaneous 

 flowers from outdoors, covering a large 

 rsCiige of varieties. Coreopsis, pyre- 

 thrum, gaillardia and wild spiraea are 

 among the newcomers. 



Various Notes. 



The sudden death of Joseph G. Lei- 

 kens, the retailer of Madison avenue, 

 shocked his many friends in the whole- 

 sale market, who had met him only a 

 few hours before the end came. An 

 obituary notice appears in another 

 column. Of good physique, glowing 

 with health, robust in every way, it 

 was hard to realize that he had passed 

 away at such short notice. 



Timothy E. Waters, manager of the 

 supply department of the Poehlmann 

 Bros. Co., Chicago, was in town for a 

 day or two last week, and was busy 

 calling upon the trade houses in his 

 line. Boston was the objective point 

 of his trip. 



New York has always been unfortu- 

 nate whenever it has essayed to hold a 

 peony exhibition. Either a selected 

 date was just too early, or just too late. 

 To insure the possibility of a show, the 

 season was timed at close range, and the 

 Cedar Hill Nurseries, of Brookville, L. 



