14 



The Florists^ Review 



September 18. 1919. 



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TRANSPORTING A PARK 



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BAIiTIMOBE'S FLORAL FETE. 



Beds Bodily Transplanted. 



Baltimore, which has one of the great 

 est reputations as a convention city in 

 the country, on the occasion of the cen- 

 tennial celebration of the Odd Fellows, 

 which was held there during the last 

 week, proceeded to welcome the vast 

 throngs of visitors to the city by 

 "Saying It with Flowers." Flowers 

 were to be found in the most unlikely 

 places and there is no room for doubt 

 that they are far and away above bunt- 

 ing for such occasions. One of the things 

 which have excluded plants from decora- 

 tions of this kind in the past was tlio 

 Pact that almost everyone, florists as well 

 as laymen, were of the opinion that 



from 6-inch pots. These corner beds 

 were connected by borders filled with 

 blooming begonias in the center and 

 edged with red alternantheras. At each 

 end in the center of the plot were the 

 two insignia of the order, that is, the 

 three links and I. O. O. F., with agaves 

 in wide spaces between beds. This is 

 the way this scheme of beds grew all 

 summer in tlie park. 



September 1 this entire scheme of 

 beds was transplanted to the Court 

 House plaza, the block of St. Paul street 

 from Fayette to Lexington street, 

 which is about 100 feet wide by 200 feet 

 long, paved with wood blocks and used 

 in ordinary times to park automobiles. 

 The wood blocks were first treated to a 

 heavy coat of tar, then a curb of wood 

 five inches deep was laid. The space 



Where 50,000 Bedding Plants Were Transplanted at Baltimore. 



nothing but potted jjlaiits could be used, 

 and these the more exj)ciisive varieties, 

 such as palms, but last week proved this 

 to be altogether a myth. True, many cro- 

 tons were used, but only because they 

 are a good bedding plant, and they were 

 in proportion to the number of alter- 

 nantheras, blooming begonias, eche- 

 verias, agaves, etc. These floral decora- 

 tions were all furnished by the city; so, 

 of course, the commercial florist re- 

 ceived no direct benefit, but think of 

 the thousands of people from every 

 state in the Union who stood about 

 these displays and admired the insignia 

 of the order worked out in bedding 

 plants. If I had the knowledge and 

 wit of Major O'Keefe, I might be able 

 to tell you just what sort of advertis- 

 ing it was, but not possessing this, I can 

 only say that hundreds of thousands got 

 better acquainted with plants and 

 recognized a new use for them. Let me 

 say right here that Baltimore is going 

 after the S. A. F. convention in 1921, 

 and will show you "Say It with Flow- 

 ers" in bedding plants in the center of 

 the streets of the downtown districts. 



How It Was Done. 



May 15 there was planted in Druid 

 Hill park a scheme of beds, consisting 

 of a large round design bed in the cen- 

 ter, the panels of which were worked 

 out in alternantheras and echeverias, 

 with, of course, the usual centerpiece. 

 In each corner were four beds of cro- 

 toiis, which contained about 200 each 



was filled with soil and sodded and the 

 beds cut. Then a bed at a time was 

 transplanted from the park to its coun- 

 terpart on the plaza. The crotons came 

 first. They had the original balls from 

 the pots, but the roots they had made 

 this summer were all exposed. Old man 

 though I am in the business, I was skep- 

 tical and then next day, when the softer 

 stock put in its appearance, I could not 

 help thinking of my early training in 

 gardening, for they were planting that 

 stuff without the semblance of earth on 



the roots. It just goes to- show how 

 much our forefathers did not know. 



The Feat Accomplished. 



There has been planted in their pres 

 ent. location in ten days some 50,000 

 ordinary bedding plants, such as are seen 

 in any park, and it would take an ex 

 pert to tell they had not been growing 

 there all summer. There are other floral 

 schemes at the original Odd Fellows' 

 hall, on Gay street, and at the present 

 hall, at Cathedral and Saratoga street^s, 

 but space will not permit a description. 

 But the important point in all of this is 

 what can be said with flowers. 



In conclusion, a word about the man 

 who designed and executed all of this. 

 W. H. Kramer, head gardener at Druid 

 Hill park, is a product of that park, 

 having gone to work there as a boy, 

 and has never worked anywhere else, 

 receiving his training from such men 

 as the late William Hamilton and 

 George Talbott. The florists of his na- 

 tive city are proud of his success, for 

 when it comes to bedding he is a wizard. 



Tate. 



LOCK UP THE NICOTINE. 



A dose of nicotine extract, adminis- 

 tered by mistake for cough medicine, 

 September 12 caused the sudden death 

 of Francis Dick, aged 7 years, 4331 

 North Paulina street, Chicago. The 

 coroner's jury returned a verdict of ac- 

 cidental death, but some day someone 

 will be held for criminal carelessness 

 for causing a death by leaving the in- 

 secticide outside lock and key. 



WINTEKICH SELLS OUT. 



Christ Winterich has sold his green- 

 houses at Defiance, O., to W. S. Kircher, 

 formerly of Attica, Ind., who took 

 charge September 1. 



The new owner is a friend of Mr. 

 Winterich and has been carrying on a 

 wholesale and retail business at Attica. 



Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Kircher and fam- 

 ily will occupy the Winterich home and 

 will have complete ownership of the 

 establishment. The business will be 

 conducted in the same manner as be 

 fore. 



Mr. Winterich will spend a short time 

 in Missouri, where he has other inter- 

 ests. He and his family will then spend 

 the winter in Florida, returning in the 

 spring to Defiance, where they will con- 

 tinue to make their home. 



Transplanted Beds Welcoming I. O. O. F. at Baltimore. 



