32 



'V'*- -wft -f -J, 



The Florists^ Review 



March 11, 1920 



EAtat^lshed, 1897, by Q. L. GRANT. 



PabllBhed every Tbaraday by 

 The Florists' Publishing Co« 



620-S60 Oaxton Bulldln«r, 



006 Soutb Dearborn St., Ohicagro. 



Tele., Wabash 8198. 



Registered cable address, 



Florrlew, Chicago. 



Entered as second class matter 

 I>ec. 3. 1897, at the poet-ofllce at Ohl- 

 cago, lU., under the Act of March 

 «.1879. 



Subscription price, t\<BO a year. 

 To Canada, $2.50; to Eiirope, 13.00. 



Advertising rates quoted npon 

 request. Only strictly trade ad* 

 vertlsing accepted. 



EESULTS. 



We give them. You get them. 



We both have them. 



Flu among the pickers of greens has 

 made some stocks scarce. 



This year, so far, has been just one bJd 

 blizzard after another for the trade in 

 the east. 



Because so many people forget, we say 

 it yet, anonymous inquiries cannot be 

 given attention. 



The parcel post is proving a life-saver 

 in the case of strikes and embargoes in 

 the express service. 



Kansas City now shows its enthusiasm 

 for Sunday closing. Soon the 6-day week 

 will be country-wide. 



Supply lines dependent upon the iron 

 and steel output seem likely to continue 

 short for some time. 



When prices were high, bills were paid 

 promptly. Make it a habit, by merely 

 continuing the practice. 



"Spring sales" might prove as good 

 an institution for florists as for depart- 

 ment stores to move accumulated stocks. 



New York hopes for better treatment 

 from the weather man for the inter- 

 national flower show next week, March 

 15 to 22, than it has had most of this 

 year. 



That New Jersey corporation promot- 

 ing the record range of new glass plans 

 to grow vegetables for the New York 

 market — so the rosarians need not 

 worry. 



"It has been definitely determined 

 that the European corn borer originally 

 reached this country through the medium 

 of imported broom corn." For this pest, 

 then. Quarantine No. 37 was not needed. 



Bankers think they see signs of im- 

 ]ionding change in the business situation. 

 They advise against going into debt or 

 assuming additional expenses which can 

 not be cut off quickly in case of neces- 

 sity. 



Bettb:r service is expected from both 

 railroads and express companies because 

 of the private owners' desire to get back 

 into the good graces of the public and 

 by contrast kill the old agitation for gov- 

 ernment ownership. 



Can you get Easter buyers into your 

 store early? ' There 's profit in figuring out 

 a way. 



Winter's last kick, let us hope, was in 

 the storm which crossed the United States 

 from the Rockies to the Atlantic last 

 week. 



The shortage of Asparagus plumosus in 

 northern markets i^ due to a freeze, 

 March 2, in some of the Florida growing 

 districts. 



Better than publicity, the cooperative 

 campaigns are bringing more closely to- 

 gether the various branches of the trade 

 in the cities where they operate. 



There is a call for a pot-washing ma- 

 chine. Does any subscriber know where 

 they can be bought? Those advertised be- 

 fore the war seem no longer procurable. 



If a florist finds his accounts receivable 

 rising month after month, he should ex- 

 amine his system; probably he does not 

 use due diligence in collecting his bills. 



When there is a liberal margin of 

 profit, as now, knowledge of costs seems 

 not such a crying need. But when the 

 pendulum swings back again, it will be 

 much wanted. 



The trade will feel the effects of the 

 shortage of galvanized wire. There will 

 be difficulty in procuring as many wire 

 lianging baskets as can be sold this spring 

 and galvanized rose stakes shortly will 

 be in strong request. 



Queer ideas of economy prevail in some 

 persons' minds and the one that flowers 

 are superfluous at a funeral bobs up 

 every so often. But the solace of flowers 

 survives fads and cranks, who need cause 

 us no sleeplessness. 



It seems quite probable that greenhouse 

 building will be limited this season by the 

 inability to procure sufficient quantities 

 of glass. Already it is impossible to get 

 greenhouse sizes on short notice, many of 

 the factories having been out of the mar- 

 ket for some weeks. 



Failure to collect, in these days, 

 usually indicates neglect to make the 

 proper effort. But it will not always be 

 a mere matter of keeping after forgetful 

 debtors; the time will come again when 

 collections will be slow because there is 

 little mdnoy to pay with. 



In asking subscriptions to carry on the 

 work of its fuel and transportation com- 

 mittee, the Vegetable Growers' Associa- 

 tion of America fixes the basis of con- 

 tribution at $5 per acre of glass (43,560 

 square feet). The $2,253.63 raised since 

 August 1, 1918, has been spent by the 

 committee, which now has a deficit of 

 $47.21. 



FAVORABLE SYMPTOMS. 



In the signs of continued business 

 prosperity, accompanied by indications 

 of a conservative mood that induces to 

 a sounder basis, the Federal Reserve 

 Board, in its report for the month of 

 February, sees conditions which may 

 be interpreted as highly favorable for 

 excellent spring business by the trade. 



"High living costs and the upward 

 movement of prices have apparently 

 not been checked," it states, "although 

 there is a decrease in prices in certain 

 lines and a tendency toward restricted 

 trade in others. Interest rates are ris- 

 ing in most districts, while banks are 

 exercising a greater degree of discrim- 



ination and judgment in meeting the-. 

 demands of their customers." 



General prospects at the close of Feb 

 ruary were for an active and prosperou-i 

 spring season in all lines, the statement 

 said. Agricultural prospects were saisl 

 to be reassuring and the curtailment iti 

 exports, due to the exchange situation, 

 while undoubtedly beginning to mak ■ 

 itself felt, was believed by many of the 

 banking authorities likely soon to be 

 of benefit to the consumer here rathe .- 

 than injurious. It was pointed out also 

 that there was a tendency to resist the 

 advance in prices and that greater care 

 was being exercised in purchasing, all 

 of which were regarded as favorable 

 symptoms. 



General manufacturing was reported 

 quite active all over the country. Whole- 

 sale trade conditions were said to be 

 prosperous almost throughout the coun- 

 try. Some improvement was noted in 

 general labor conditions. 



CAN YOU ANSWER? 



In The Review of February 26, J. M. 

 asks the name of a plant that looks like 

 salvia. There are a few such plants 

 here every year, both white and red. It 

 seeds itself and it will be late spring 

 before plants can be obtained. I have 

 seen the plant for a number of years, 

 but have never known the name. It is 

 known here as wild salvia, although it 

 does not grow wild. 



I have a plant much like the wander- 

 ing Jew, but the leaves are much larger 

 and thicker. It is known here as the 

 corn geranium. I have never seen it 

 in any catalogue and should like to 

 know the name of it. C. M. Webb. 



BRIEF ANSWERS. 



C. E. S., O. — Ophiopogon Jaburan au 

 reus variegatus. 



P. S., Mich. — 'White spine; several 

 seed houses catalogue selected strains. 



THE CLEARINa HOUSE. 



Users of The Review have various 

 names for the Classified ads, one well 

 pleased patron styling them the "Little 

 Wonder Ads." Here is another: 



r 



The Review classified columns are the clear- 

 ing house for those who are long on stock and 

 the friend of all who want to buy. — ^F. W. 

 Arnold, Cambridge, O., March 6, 1920. 



If you hear a man complain of the 



cost of advertising you can be pretty 



certain he spends a good bit of money 



elsewhere than in The Review. 



LADIES' S. A. F. 



Through the courtesy of A. L. Miller, 

 president of the S. A. F., the members 

 of the Ladies' Society of American 

 Florists are invited to avail themselves 

 of the privileges and comforts of the 

 booth which has been donated by him 

 4 as their headquarters at the interna- 

 tional flower show to be held in New 

 York, March 15 to 20. 



The president, Mrs. B. Hammond 

 Tracy, has issued a call for the meeting 

 of the board of directors of the society 

 Thursday, March 18, at 2 p. m., at the 

 Grand Central Palace. Several matters 

 of importance must be attended to and 

 every member of the board is urged to 

 attend or appoint a proxy. 



The Appointment of Mrs. A. L. Miller 

 as auditor for the Ladies' S. A. F. for 

 the year 1920 has been made by the 

 president. Mrs. Albert M. Herr, Sec 'y. 



