34 



The Florists^ Review 



December 11, 1919. 



florists secure enough coal to insure 

 them from total loss by freezing. How 

 much more they are able to obtain de- 

 pends upon the local needs and the 

 speed with which production is re- 

 sumed by the miners. The developments 

 of the next few days will mean much 

 to the trade in the solution of the prob- 

 lems it faces. 



A Pinch at Omaha. 



Eeports have reached Chicago which 



indicate that the most severe situation 

 thus far confronting the trade is in the 

 Omaha-Council Bluffs district. The 

 general situation there seems to be 

 worse than elsewhere and the florists 

 are hard pressed to get fuel as their 

 stocks run low. The two largest places 

 are those of J. F. Wilcox & Sons, Coun- 

 cil Bluffs, and Hess & Swoboda, Omaha, 

 both of whom are reported to be so near 

 the end of their stocks that they are 

 closing down some of their houses. 



FORTUNE IN FOBESIGHT. 



Holiday Hovers Ahead. 



In about ten days from the time the 

 majority of the readers of The Review 

 have read this article they will be^ in 

 the midst of one of the greatest Christ- 

 mas rushes the florists' business has 

 ever experienced. This, of course, is 

 only a prediction, but it is one based 

 upon facts. There is a well known 

 proverb which can be applied and one 

 which I think everyone will agree is 

 most fitting to demonstrate my predic- 

 tion, viz., "Coming events cast their 

 shadows before." 



Wherever you may find two or more 

 florists together, in fact, everywhere 

 you turn, you hear the same thing: 

 "There will be more flowers used this 

 Christmas than ever before." Now 

 let us consider this for a moment and 

 see if this statement is based on sound 

 business facts. 



Retail Pace Unprecedented. 



In the first place, such commercial 

 agencies as Dun's report unprecedented 

 retail business and that there is more 

 money in circulation today than has 

 been known of for many years, or per- 

 haps was ever known before. It seems 

 all clsisses have money and are spend- 

 ing it, which naturally increases circu- 

 lation; they are not holding their 

 money back, causing a congestion. 



Look over your business since Sep- 

 tember 1, compare it with the same 

 time last year, when business was ab- 

 normal, and you will find the difference 

 is not great, if any. And, last but not 

 least, consider the scarcity of stock 

 there has been this fall; what is the 

 reason for this? I have made it my 

 business to scrutinize the market close- 

 ly and my personal observation has 

 shown that it has not been the scarcity 

 of production that has caused the 

 shortage. I feel safe in saying that 

 production this fall has been normal, 

 compared with other seasons, and am 

 convinced that the shortage has been 

 entirely due to increased demand. 



The Governing Law. 



There is a law that governs this, and 

 that is cause and effect. May it not be 

 possible that the publicity campaign is 

 gradually getting; away from us? Any- 

 one who is in the habit of perusing 

 these columns carefully cannot but see 

 that this increased demand is by no 

 means local, but is from one end of the 



country to the other. "Say It with 

 Flowers" is to be seen or heard some- 

 where every day, and the sooner we 

 make up our minds to the fact that the 

 slogan is the cause of the shortage of 

 stock, the sooner production will be 

 increased. 



The publicity comniittee has done its 

 work well; you are going to see more 

 of the effect of advertising this Christ- 

 mas than ever before — it is now up to 

 the retail florists to do their part. If 

 you have not already engaged all of the 

 stock you will need, get busy, and re- 

 member how you had to close your doors 

 early in previous years because you did 

 not have sufficient stock. Almost every- 

 one I interviewed last year after the 

 holiday told me how he was obliged 

 to close the doors in order to keep the 

 public out. Now, there are just two 

 causes responsible for such an 

 emergency — insufficient stock or in- 

 ability to handle the public because of 

 insufficient help. "Of all sad words of 

 tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 

 'It might have been.' " 



Prepare for Action. 



Another important thing, look over 

 your stock of accessories. Do it today; 

 there may be something you are short 

 on. Your time is becoming more lim- 

 ited each day. The supply houses will 

 be up to their eyes in business, but if 

 you need anything, use the telephone 

 or telegraph and perhaps if you are a 

 good customer they will strain a point 

 to take care of your order. Have every- 

 thing about the store ready; have 

 plenty of boxes made up. But it seems 

 useless to go further into detail, as 

 everyone who reads this article will 

 know what I mean, or perhaps a fa- 

 miliar story will serve as a good illus- 

 tration: 



Admiral Dewey, after he had issued 

 orders to clear decks for action at 

 Manila bay, then issued orders to serve 

 breakfast to the various crews. After 

 breakfast was finished he turned to his 

 chief of staff and said, "Commence 

 firing when you are ready, Gridley." 

 Gridley was ready then; he commenced, 

 and we all know the result. 



Make Ten Days Tell. 



We have about ten days to put the 

 final touches on. Spend these in seeing 

 that every detail is perfect; it will make 

 the actual work lighter and will be 

 more satisfactory to you and your cusi 

 tomers. Plan to have the Christmas 

 spirit about all of your work. For in- 



stance, be prepared to tie all packages 

 with red tape, and have holly cut in 

 convenient sizes so that a piece can be 

 slipped on the outside of each box after 

 it is wrapped. This will make the 

 package more attractive and add the ' 

 Christmas spirit. Look the delivery 

 trucks over; this will be a bad time to 

 have one of them go wrong. 



Bemember stock will be expensive; 

 put only the most experienced and care- 

 ful help you have at packing boxes and 

 making up. You will have extra and in- 

 experienced help; let them take charge 

 of the plants and stock that can be 

 plainly marked; this will not only be 

 an asset to you, but also to customers. 

 You will find it profitable to have a sort 

 of rehearsal for extra help some eve- 

 ning during the next week; drill them 

 into your system, especially as to 

 charge accounts. 



These are only cited to you to serve 

 as reminders. Every man knows how 

 to run his own business best. But above 

 everything else, be prepared. 



A prosperous Christmas to everyone, 

 is the sincere wish of Tate. 



m 



I C. H. A. COLUMN 



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OREETINGS FOR CHRISTMA& 



Tear of Accomplislunent. 



The Canadian Horticultural Associa- 

 tion has through its executive accepted 

 an invitation to hold its 1920 convention 

 at Hamilton, Ont. The steps now being 

 taken to make arrangements leave no 

 room for doubt as to proper provision 

 for the meeting. A strong committee 

 has been formed and aU signs portend 

 the most important convention in the 

 horticultural history of Canada. Presi- 

 dent E. B. Hamilton has just put in 

 another strenuous week-end at Hamil- 

 ton conferring with some of his fellow 

 officers and others on important C. H. A. 

 matters. Following is a copy of his 

 Christmas message to members of the 

 association: 



GREETINGS PROM PRESIDENT OF C. H. A. 



As the Yuletlde approaches I wish to express 

 mj deep appreciation of the earnest cooperation 

 of the officers, committees and members of th* 

 C. H. A. to give to it the standing originally 

 desired by the fathers of the association. 



"The Call to Service" at the close of the con- 

 vention In August has been loyally answered by 

 all. 



It affords me much pleasure to inform you that 

 his excellency the Duke of Devonshire, K. O. 

 C. M. G., has graciously consented to favor ua 

 with his patronage. 



The coming convention at Hamilton next Au- 

 gust promises to be a great one. 



The enthusiasm with which the various com- 

 mittees are workini; out the year's program can 

 spell nothing but success, and with the continued 

 united efforts of all, 1920 bids fair to be the red- 

 letter year in the history of the association. 



One cannot but feel it an honor and privilege 

 to serve as your president. 



I thank you for your loyal support and wish 

 .vou all a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous 

 New Year. Emery B. Hamilton. 



The president find officers appreciate 

 deeply the hearty cooperation they are 

 receiving from fellow workers across the 

 line, and feel sure that a still further 

 development of this spirit will tend to 

 the mutual advantage of florists both in 

 the United States and Canada. 



The association is congratulating it- 

 self in having secured as patron the 

 governor general of Canada, his excel- 

 lency the Duke of Devonshire. 



W. E. G. 



