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The Florists^ Review 



OCTOBEB 21, 1920 



1^ 



Established 1897. 



Pabllshed every Thursday by 

 The Florists' Publishing Co., 



600-560 Oaxton Bulldlniir, 



608 South Dearborn St., Ohlcago. 



Tel., Wabash 8196. 



RefrlHtered cable address, 



Florvlew, Chicago. 



Entered as second class matter 

 Dec. 3. 1897, at the post-ofBce at Chi- 

 cago, 111., under the Act of March 

 3. 1879. 



Subscription price, $2.00 a year. 

 To Canada, $3.00; to Europe, $4.00. 



Advertising rates quoted od 

 request. Only strictly trade ad- 

 vertising accepted. 



Ill 1. . ..TT-.T. .... 



RESULTS. 



We give them. You get them. 



We both have them. 



Predictions of cheaper coal continue, 

 but no one has received lower quotations 

 on his orders. 



In comparison with the sentiment pre- 

 vailing in other trades regarding the busi- 

 ness outlook, that among florists seems 

 quite optimistic. 



The florist who spends his good coin, 

 time and energy to get orders and then 

 ships merchandise that won't bring a 

 repeat order is throwing business through 

 a sieve. 



Today a greenhouse man's knowledge 

 is worth so much just to grow flowers and 

 plants that he no longer tries to be car- 

 penter, steamfitter, plumber and brick- 

 layer also. 



While there may be enough flowers 

 during the autumn months, winter is 

 likely to bring a shortage of stock when 

 growers with low fuel supply close a part 

 of their ranges. 



The mere fact of organization does 

 not get anybody anywhere. One large 

 organization has more power than a 

 dozen small ones, but the power comes 

 through work, not through desire. 



The augury by Major O'Keefe of a 

 business epoch unprecedented in its pros- 

 perity for all impelled many of those who 

 heard him at Indianapolis to set their 

 glasses of prophetic vision at a longer- 

 distance focus. 



Coal output last week passed the 12,- 

 000,000 ton mark set as their goal by 

 the mine operators. If this rate can be 

 maintained, they assert, there will be no 

 shortage. But diminution in price is not 

 dwelt upon in their statements. 



The editor's desk recently has been 

 gay with huge vases of Autumn King 

 dahlia and Autumn Queen gladiolus, re- 

 ceived through the parcel post from C. M. 

 Grossman, of Evergreen Farm, Petoskey, 

 Mich. Located between two of the Great 

 Lakes, Petoskey seems to be specially 

 favored in the matter of autumn climate. 

 Large quantities of outdoor flowers come 

 to the Chicago market from Petoskey 

 long after the local outdoor supply is 

 ended; and the quality of Petoskey flow- 

 ers always is fine. 



A geouch is a business liability, not 

 an asset, and is especially unbecoming 

 in a flower store. 



The grower who pays what he must 

 for coal and fills his houses with stock 

 to full capacity will find no shrinkage in 

 his profits this winter. 



Occupying a place in the public eye 

 by reason of their slogan, florists have 

 developed a trade consciousness that com- 

 pels continued progress. 



Eemembeb that tie or that shirt you 

 didn't need, but bought because you ad- 

 mired it in a shop window. Your window 

 can sell flowers that way, too. 



Reduction of working force on the 

 railroads and in other industries will re- 

 sult in the return to this trade of erst- 

 while employees drawn away by higher 

 wartime wages. 



The now address of the secretary of 

 th5 Chrysanthemum Society of America 

 and the president of the American Carna- 

 tion Society is: Charles W. Johnson, 

 141 Summit street, Eockford, 111. 



Regulations governing the movement 

 of plants into and out of the District of 

 Columbia, effective September 1, 1920, 

 are contained in a leaflet of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture just distributed. 



The rapid growth of the Want and 

 For Sale departments of The Review has 

 gained it particular attention. It is now 

 accepted as the trade meeting place of 

 those offering or seeking business oppor- 

 tunities. 



Do you have that I 'm-glad-to-see- 

 you, glad-I-met-you, I 'm-trying-hard-to- 

 please-you attitude when you greet a cus- 

 tomer? That's personality. That more 

 than any other personal quality brings 

 profit into your cash drawer. It's as 

 important to your business as knowing 

 how to read and write, and you're never 

 too old to acquire it. 



PROBLEM FOR RETAILERS. 



Here is a case upon vphich a retailer 

 has sought advice. See if you can solve 

 the problem: 



B was giving a reception for A, a 

 newly-wed. A ordered two corsages, 

 one for herself and one for B. Later 

 that day B came in and ordered two 

 corsages, one for herself and one for A. 

 Now, what would an up-to-date florist 

 do in such a situation? 



THE GROWERS' WAY OUT. 



Lowering of prices in many other 

 lines is reported each week by the gov- 

 ernment experts and commercial agencies, 

 the result usually of a drop in the price 

 of raw materials. The abundant crops 

 will, it is expected, send down the prices 

 of foodstuffs. The disposition of labor, 

 upon seeing the downward trend, to in- 

 crease its energy and consequently the 

 output of factories without increasing 

 their overhead expense, foreshadows a 

 reduction in quotations on still other 

 commodities. 



The manufacturers, or producers, in 

 most fields, are able, obviously, to sell 

 their commodities at lower prices, be- 

 cause the raw material and the labor 

 cost them less. But the growers of 

 flowers and plants are in a different boat. 

 Their costs have not declined, but have 

 risen. Coal, freight, fertilizer and, in- 

 deed, almost everything of consequence 

 in a greenhouse has risen in price. The 

 producer of flowers and plants finds him- 



self compelled to get better returns for 

 Tiis output when manufacturers in other 

 lines are profitably able to receive less. 

 His peculiar condition calls for keener 

 judgment on the part of the grower than 

 he has exercised before. He must, while 

 paying higher prices, endeavor to keep 

 his production cost as low as possible. 

 To do this he must make the best use 

 of every foot of bench space. This 

 calls not only for economical operation 

 and the elimination of waste, but also 

 for obtaining high average quality as 

 well as quantity. Rarely, if ever, is 

 stock of high quality sacrificed or sent 

 to the ash barrel. The extra care that 

 is required to produce the better grades 

 of stock is always well repaid. The pub- 

 lic is ready to give what is asked for 

 flowers that look worth it. Here, then, 

 is the grower's best solution of his 

 present peculiar problem — to produce 

 as economically as he can the most that 

 he can of the best that he can. In this 

 way he will be able to secure his higher 

 return when other producers are obtain- 

 ing less. 



COURSES FOR FLORISTS. 



The New York State College of Agri- 

 culture at Cornell University is prepared 

 this winter to offer exceptional ad- 

 vantages to young men and women who 

 are to make flower growing their life 

 work. The short winter course, which 

 opens November 10 and continues until 

 February 18, is planned primarily to 

 benefit those who are to engage in the 

 work commercially. At the present time 

 there is keen competition among florists, 

 and progressive young men realize that 

 they must equip themselves with all 

 the information possible if they are to 

 make a success of the business. 



Two courses are offered for those stu- 

 dents especially interested in commer- 

 cial cut flower and plant production. 

 The first is commercial floriculture and 

 greenhouse practice, and in this course 

 a study is made of methods of growing 

 standard florists' crops; the second is a 

 course in commercial greenhouse and 

 conservatory construction and heating. 

 In addition to the courses mentioned, 

 agricultural chemistry, soils, plant di- 

 seases and injurious insects are required 

 subjects and the student may elect gar- 

 dening and garden flowers, landscape 

 planning and planting, or plant breed- 

 ing. 



Upon the satisfactory completion of 

 the courses and after a student has sub- 

 sequently spent a year in practical work, 

 the college grants a certificate of pro- 

 ficiency on the approval of the professor 

 in charge of the course and the proprie- 

 tor of the establishment in which the 

 student has been employed. 



During the coming winter it is planned 

 to have a series of lectures by some of 

 the best men in the country who are en- 

 gaged in successful flower production. 

 This is an opportunity American young 

 men should not miss and there should 

 be a large registration, at least, of sons 

 of men already engaged in flower pro- 

 duction. 



A booklet descriptive of all courses 

 given during the winter in the short 

 session of the College of Agriculture 

 will be sent upon request by the secre- 

 tary of Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 



BRIEF ANSWERS. 



W. C. H., Pa. — Impossible to identify 

 insect without other information than 

 that it kills ferns. Send a specimen. 



