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The Florists^ Review 



Septembee 2. 1920 



step in cooperative standardization by 

 the various trade organizations. 



The attendance at the convention 

 was large and fully representative of 

 the country as a whole, members com- 

 ing from as far north as Ontario, as far 

 east as New England, as far south as 

 Louisiana and as far west as Walla 

 Walla, Wash, 



HOME-WOUND WIRE TIES. 



From "Grow Your Own," the slogan 

 to which the restrictions of the Federal 

 Horticultural Board have given a popu- 

 larity not always happy, it is but a step 

 to "Make Your Own," something for 

 which the trade has ingenuity, if not 

 time or labor, enough. But wherever 

 a florist has originated a labor-saving 

 or expense-saving device, The Review 

 has been glad to spread the news so that 

 all the trade might share in the benefit. 



An interesting case of making one's 

 own is reported by George S. Duflot, 

 Lake Charles, La. Mr. Duflot decided 

 that he could save money, at the ex- 

 pense of only a little time, by making 

 his wire ties himself. So he took wire 

 one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter 

 and wound it as closely as possible 

 around a pipe, which was from one to 

 one and one-half inches in diameter, ac- 

 cording to the size of the wire tie that 



he wanted. To facilitate the winding 

 he attached a crank, made of piping 

 and two elbow .ioints, to one end of the 

 pipe, which he held up by means of two 

 wooden braces or crosses. Then he 

 placed the pipe and coil of wire on a 

 2x4 timber and clamped it there to hold 

 the wire tight and prevent it from un- 

 coiling. With a cold chisel and a mallet 

 he easily cut the wire into open rings, 

 which, when used on plants, will not 

 slip or fall down, but simply rest on 

 the leaves. 



FLOWERS SUCCEED WINE. 



Despite the personal predilection of 

 many florists for beverages which are 

 no longer lawful, there was a belief 

 held by a large number of them when 

 prohibition came that the seventeenth 

 amendment would be distinctly to the 

 advantage of the trade. All sorts of 

 benefits have been pointed out by those 

 who held this belief. Some are demon- 

 strable to a certain degree; some are 

 not easily proved, though they may be 

 decidedly felt. But one such gain to 

 the trade is unequivocally pointed out 

 by the following newspaper dispatch: 



Tlionmston, Me., August 14. — The four-masted 

 schooner, Elizabeth Freeman, launched by the 

 Atlantic Coast Co. today, was christened with 

 flowers by her namesake, a daughter of R. R. 

 Freeman, of Wollaston, Mass. She is chartered 

 to carry lumber from Boston to Buenos Aires. 



Philip Breitmeyer, of John Breit- 

 meyer's Sons, Detroit, Mich., was found 

 busy at his desk, following liis return 

 from the 8. A. F. convention at Cleve- 

 land. "I am beginning to cheek up for 

 the first of the month," observed Mr. 

 Breitmeyer. "To be, and continue, suc- 

 cessful, one must look and plan con- 

 siderably ahead. What is my impres- 

 sion of the general atmosphere prevail- 

 ing at the convention? The exhibits 

 were first-class and the meetings lively, 

 accomplishing more than at any former 

 gathering. Most assuredly, our society 

 must prosper." 



• • • • 



Eobert Greenlaw, of the S. S. Pen- 

 nock Co., Philadelphia, dropped in dur- 

 ing the chat with Mr. Breitmeyer and 

 mentioned the fact that, during his at- 

 tendance at the convention of the Cana- 

 dian Florists' and Gardeners' Associa- 

 tion, he was much impressed with the 

 spirit of observation shown and the 

 greater necessity of our exemplifying 

 what we purpose to teach. In other 

 words, possessing the greater collective 

 force if unselfishly organized, we can 

 and must blaze the trail. 



• • • • 



"We were unable to secure the loca- 

 tion as mentioned in The Review," ob- 

 served R. H. Wells, of the Detroit-Mc- 

 Callum Co., Detroit. "We must be con- 

 tent with a below-groun/l residence for 

 a time and have secured all the space 

 available here to accommodate increas- 

 ing trade. The first favorable oppor- 

 tunity will find us on the street level." 



• • • • 



Robert Rahaley, manager of the 

 Michigan Cut Flower Exchange, De- 

 troit, is enjoying the roniaiiulor of his 

 vacation at Mackinac l.<"an<l, Midi., to 



be followed by a visit to the growers, 

 with whom he keeps in personal touch. 



* • • • 



The window of the L. Bemb Floral 

 Co., Detroit, shows a summer scene, 

 with a fisherman fully prepared for the 

 expectant fish. Albert Pochelon and 

 M. Bloy are on a fishing tour. 



• • * • 



Harry E. Saier, of Lansing, Mich., 

 was found back from the convention 

 and on the job. He was accompanied 

 to the convention by Mrs. Saier, who, 

 incidentally, is anticipating the trip to 

 Washington next year. Business in all 

 branches is fine. Poultry supplies are 

 booming; a card system tags the num- 

 ber of chickens in town and the owners 

 are known and followed up right along 

 with success. 



• • • • 



"I am sorry I was prevented from 

 being at Cleveland," remarked Henry 

 Smith, of Grand Rapids, Mich., "but 

 our state horticultural board was mak- 

 ing a tour of inspection among the 

 orchards of this county and my being 

 a member made my attendance obliga- 

 tory. I read with interest the report of 

 the meetings and the list of names of 

 those present. The optimistic tone ap- 

 peals to me," added Mr. Smith. "I be- 

 lieve that the opportunity to do big 

 things in our profession was never more 

 favorable than now, if gone at in the 

 right way, and I say this after a life- 

 time spent in the business." 



• * * * 



"Mum's the word," observed H. L. 

 Scharff, of Scharff Bros., Van Wert, O. 

 "My brother and I have nothing to 

 say just now, but we shall make our 

 little talk later through the Classified 

 columns of The Review, which earned 



for us last spring $1,000 more than we 

 could return in value. Returning cash 

 disappoints three parties — the sender, 

 the receiver and the earner. We intend 

 to overcome this, if possible, next sea- 

 son and are working up a big stock of 

 chrysanthemums, especially of the Chad- 

 wick family, which is our long suit and, 

 fortunately, free from midge." Carna- 

 tions planted inside were noted as look- 

 ing vigorous and clean. Matchless and 

 Benora are leaders. Cyclamens in 4- 

 inch pots outdoors in frames were in 

 the pink of condition. The pile of coal 

 was referred to with satisfaction and 

 suggested the thought that the posses- 

 sion of this essential will influence the 

 observant eye of the traveling salesman 

 when making his credit report to his firm 



in the future. 



• • • • 



"The evolution of the business," re- 

 marked R. J. Wagner, of the Wagner 

 Greenhouses, TiflSn, O., "as applied to 

 us has been remarkable and striking 

 evidence of what watchful care and 

 personal service will do." Originally a 

 market garden business operated by the 

 senior Wagner, it was enlarged when 

 the two sons, R. J. and F. M., conceived 

 the idea of adding the cultivation of 

 perennials upon a part of the 60-acre 

 farm and retailing the cut to the stu- 

 dents of Heidelberg University. Then 

 followed a range of glass for cut 

 flowers. This would have been added 

 to this summer if the firm which had 

 the order for material had not fallen 

 down. The business is conducted direct 

 from the greenhouses, which are located 

 only a short distance from town, and the 

 attractive appearance of the place 

 makes a visit a delight, whether one is 

 a buyer or not. A fine planting of 

 Monarda didyma, Delphinium Bella- 

 donna and Lilium candidum, both orna- 

 mental and profitable, was noted. The 

 monarda is particularly useful in sprays; 

 it lasts long after being cut. W. M. 



NEW YORK. 



The Market. 



The flower market continues dull and 

 uninteresting. Arrivals are still largely 

 in excess of the demand, which makes 

 clearances diflicult, even at bargain 

 prices. Staples, such as roses, lilies 

 and orchids, sustain their values fairly 

 well, only occasional breaks being no- 

 ticeable, and then, perhaps, for good 

 reasons. Immense quantities of gladi- 

 oli and asters are still arriving every 

 day, but other outdoor-grown stock is 

 shortening up a little, with the excep- 

 tion of dahlias, the supply of which is 

 increasing. 



A few carnations from field plants 

 are coming in and the quality, owing 

 to the rains which have favored the 

 growers this summer, is good, barring, 

 of course, the short stems. 



Roses continue in good demand and 

 the supply of flowers in the higher 

 grades is a little better. American 

 Beauty is in fair supply and the de- 

 mand keeps the special grades up to a 

 range of $15 to $40. Hybrid teas are 

 a little more plentiful than they have 

 been for some time, but a slightly in- 

 creased demand makes clearances easy. 

 Francis Scott Key seems to rival Amer- 

 ican Beauty, the fancy grades equaling 

 in price those of Beauty. 



The supply of lilies has been quite 

 large for a week and $6 to $8 per hun- 

 dred has been the price range. A few 

 speciosums are coming in, chiefly of the 



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