22 



The Florists^ Review 



Mat «. 1920 



O^eN LCTTCI^^^ DEADBK^ 



MOTHEBS' DAY PRICES. 



I wish to call the attention of the 

 many readers of The Eeview to the 

 lines which appeared on the front page 

 of the New York Tribune May 1, under 

 the caption, "Flower Boycott on 

 Mothers' Day Urged." The Tribune's 

 notice follows: 



Because of the sky-rocketing prices of cut 

 flowers, an appeal was sent out yesterday by the 

 Mothers' Day International Association against 

 the waarlng of flowers on Mothers' day, May 9. 



A harvest was reaped last year by florists, 

 who boosted prices throughout the country, the 

 appeal points Aut, and it Is urged that the 

 display of flags from homes and public places 

 be made to take the place this year of bou- 

 tonnieres. 



During Christmas week I noticed 

 signs displayed in various store win- 

 dows urging "him" to "buy her 

 candy" or some other equally useful 

 present, since "flowers are too expen- 

 sive." , 



The wonder is that the trade as a 

 whole has failed to read the writing 

 on the wall, thus failing to safeguard 

 the existence of our industry. I am 

 not an alarmist — far from it — yet when 

 an impression is being created and 

 spread broadcast that flowers are a 

 luxury accessible only to the rich, that 

 the general public should abstain from 

 indulging in such luxuries, that prices 

 for cut flowers are "sky-rocketing," 

 etc., it is time, it seems to me, to sit 

 up and take notice. 



If we are striving to have the public 

 ' ' Say It with Flowers, ' ' spending thou- 

 sands of dollars for the purpose, why 

 not strive at the same time to win and 

 hold the confidence of the people, to 

 the end that no false impressions and 

 malicious reports shall impede our 

 progress? If there are any profiteers 

 among us, inclined to "bleed" the pub- 

 lic on Mothers' day or any other holi- 

 day, we, as a body, should repudiate 

 such actions and not bear the brunt of 

 the misdeeds of a few. 



It is up to the publicity committee 

 to emblazon the slogan, "Say It with 

 Flowers," not only upon signboards, 

 stationery, checks, etc., but upon the 

 hearts and souls of the people as well. 



On the other hand, it may be well 

 for us to remember the goose that lays 

 the golden eggs. Why charge exorbi- 

 tant prices on Mothers ' day, when there 

 is no necessity for itf 



S. S. Skidelsky. 



MUCH IN MAEE-X7P. 



I read The Eeview from "lid to lid" 

 every week and find much to entertain 

 and instruct. Tate's Tips are particu- 

 larly interesting and helpful. I know 

 from his article on Easter decorations 

 that he is an artist and is also able to 

 make one see with his pen. 



I think there is more in making use 

 of flowers than in the flowers. For in- 

 stance, some of the prettiest designs (at 

 least, I think so) are made of garden 

 flowers; small flowers lend themselves 

 to design work. 



I do not agree about doing away with 

 designs, as that would do away with 



much of the hard-worked florist's 

 profit, both grower and retailer. But 

 we should try to improve the work un- 

 til it is a real artistic triumph. A 

 wreath is beautiful and can be made to 

 look different by the use of a variety 

 of arrangements and a variety of flow- 

 ers. Another design tjiat lends itself to 

 infinite variety is a pillow, although 

 just a square box with a lot of stiff 

 short-stemmed flowers pushed in and 

 topped off with a bow of maline, such 

 as one sees so often, is too awful to 

 contemplate. 



When I have time I like to stem and 

 wire my own flowers, as there is really 

 more in having the right length and 

 twist to the flowers and ferns than in 

 placing them, though I would rather do 

 both. Sue Cabaniss. 



CAIiIjA cultube. 



Please tell me which is the best and 

 most prolific calla lily. What is the 

 best size of bulb to buy to produce the 

 maximum number of flowers! What is 

 a good average number of blooms per 

 plant! When should they be potted 

 and what size of pot is best to use f Can 

 they be bought now and grown on 

 through the summer and have first-class 



bulbs f If so, what size should be pur- 

 chased now and what should be their 

 culture from now until patting into 

 their blooming potst L. K. M. — ^Pa. 



You can purchase eallas in 3-inch pots 

 and grow them on during the summer 

 in pots, i have also planted them out- 

 doors in well enriched soil where they 

 can be given an occasional soaking of 

 water and lifted carefully in the fall. 

 They will make much growth during 

 the summer. These plants will bloom 

 well the following winter and I find they 

 do particularly well in 7-inch or 8-inch 

 pots, with three plants in each. Callas 

 benefit greatly from a little bottom 

 heat in winter. Some of the best I have 

 ever seen are annually grown on a shelf 

 along the sides of carnation houses, just 

 over the steam pipes, with a saucer be- 

 low each pot. Another gfrower does 

 them successfully in boxes eight inches 

 deep. Still another finds they succeed 

 finely planted out in a solid bed, where 

 they bloom profusely and carry flowers 

 of mammoth size. The variety Godfrey 

 is the only one worth growing. Like all 

 callas, it is a great feeder and top-dress- 

 ings of bone meal every week or ten 

 days are eagerly devoured by the roots. 



Probably later in the season you could 

 purchase dry tubers of Godfrey callas 

 of blooming size. Watch the Classified 

 ads in The Eeview for such offers. I 

 have not kept close account of the num- 

 bers of flowers produced per bulb, but 

 I can state that the Godfrey will give 

 you three times as many blooms as the 

 old type, and flowers of equal size. 



C. W. 



The Jones-Eussell Co., Cleveland, O., 

 announces that it expects to occupy its 

 new store, located in the new Hanna 

 building, by the time the S. A. F. con- 

 vention meets and anticipates having 

 the most beautiful flower store in 



America. 



• • • • 



C. E. Kendel, secretary of the Ameri- 

 can Seed Trade Association, states that 

 from the inquiries received and new 

 names listed, the convention in June 

 at Milwaukee will be one of the most 

 successful yet held. 



• • • • 



"When you subtract two weeks from 

 a possible six, the regular length of 

 the planting time, you will understand 

 the drawbacks that shippers are ex- 

 periencing and can form some idea 

 of what our business is this season,'' 

 observed Edward George, of the Storrs 

 & Harrison Co., Painesville, O., men- 

 tioning, incidentally, that the veteran 

 Robert George is enjoying excellent 



health. 



• • • • 



Kallay Bros., Painesville, O., report 

 :i similar experience in transportation 

 diflBculties. Otherwise business is up to 



normal. 



• • • • 



"A boy's best friend is his mother," 

 said Carl Merkel, of C. Merkel & Sons 

 Co., Mentor O. "We three boys vouch 

 for its truth." Was it telepathy! 

 Certainly it is coincidence that a splen- 

 did crop of roses and hydrangeas will 



be just right to gladden the hearts of 

 mothers. The blooms would possibly 

 have been superfluous had the plants 

 bloomed earlier. Otaksa is a favorite 

 hydrangea of the Merkel boys and they 

 can produce plants that are the envy 

 of their confreres. Another profitable 

 item is carnations. White Wonder and 

 Matchless are just right. 



• • • • 



L. A. Eaton & Son, Conneaut, 0., com- 

 menting upon the usefulness of the Al- 

 bum of Designs, admit that it is a 

 great aid to their many patrons, who 

 otherwise would often be unable to de- 

 cide upon the selection of a floral 

 piece, especially when a committee of 

 several members is placing the order. 



• • • • 



"A full-page advertisement in The 

 Review," observed Carl Hagenburger, 

 West Mentor, O., "brought us such a 

 crop of orders for cherries that^ we had 

 quite a time fllling them. Apparently 

 we gave everyone satisfaction." Mr. 

 Hagenburger also said that he had a 

 begonia that was beyond words to de- 

 scribe and that had to be seen to be 

 appreciated, along with other good 

 things, cyclamen for instance, that will 

 find a place in the big race next season, 

 when the best stock will win. American 

 Beauty plants purchased in Chicago last 

 January at 12 cents and now blooming 

 in 7-inch pots and selling at $2.50 each 

 show the possibilities in eo-called dis- 

 carded bench-grown plants. A clever 



