26 



The Florists^ Review 



May 17, 1917. 



BLUE LAWS IN IOWA. 



Recent action of the Iowa legislature 

 in passing a resolution urging the en- 

 forcement of the so-called "blue 

 laws," which provide for the closing 

 of business establishments on Sunday, 

 will probably force florists to stop keep- 

 ing their stores open on that day. If 

 this be tlie result, it will have the ap- 

 proval of the Des Moines Florists' Asso- 

 ciation, which has tried to get the retail- 

 ers to close on Sunday by agreement, 

 but has been unsuccessful because all 

 would not consent. 



Discussing the action of the legisla- 

 ture and its effect on the trade, M. 

 Kurtzweil, president of the Iowa Seed 

 Co., said: 



* ' Our Sunday laws for years have 

 been ignored. Recently the Seventh 

 Day Advcntists wanted the laws re- 

 pealed. This brought about a discus- 

 sion, which ended in a resolution being 

 passed by the legislature urging the 

 enforcement of the existing laws, and 

 now an attempt will be made to do so. 



"Our local Florists' Association has 

 tried to get all the Des Moines shops 

 to close Sundays, but a few refused. 

 We deliver our orders Sunday morning 

 and close as early as possible, usually 

 in plenty of time for our help to attend 

 church. ' ' 



AMERICAN DAHLIA SOCIETY. 



Meeting of Executive Committee. 



A meeting of the executive commit- 

 tee of the American Dahlia Society was 

 held at the Grand hotel, New York, May 

 10. President Richard Vincent, Jr., 

 presided, and there were present George 

 L. Stillman, George W. Kerr, James 

 Duthie, J. J. Lane and Secretary J. 

 Harrison Dick. 



The minutes of the March meeting 

 were read and approved. Arising out 

 of these, it was proposed that a rule be 

 inserted in the schedule governing the 

 next show, making it essential that all 

 flowers exhibited in the competitive 

 classes of the society's exhibition be 

 grown by the exhibitors. This rule 

 does not apply to non-competitive dis- 

 plays. Tlie statement of accounts was 

 passed. 



The New York show was considered. 

 This will be held in conjunction with the 

 American Institute, in the Engineering 

 building, New York, September 25 to 

 27. It was resolved, on the proposition 

 of J. J. Lane, seconded by George L. 

 Stillman, that an appropriation be set 

 aside for the necessary expenses of the 

 show committee, which consists of the 

 president and the secretary. It was 

 agreed that seven silver and five bronze 

 medals be struck for the needs of the 

 society and its affiliated organizations. 



The secretary was empowered to pro- 

 duce an 8-page bulletin for use in the 

 middle of July. It was agreed that 

 from June 1 all new subscriptions paid 

 in should be credited to September, 

 1918. 



Proposed Dahlia Manual. 



It was agreed that two silver and 

 two bronze medals be offered as extra 

 prizes at the dahlia show of the New 

 Haven, Conn., Horticultural Society 

 September 19 and 20, in the name of 

 the A. D. S. An invitation from Prof. 

 Hall, to have the classification commit- 

 tee and interested members visit the 

 dahlia trials at Geneva, N. Y., in Sep- 

 tember, was favorably considered.^ Dis- 

 cussion was made of the desirability of 



publishing Prof. Hall's list of 6,400 

 dahlia names, with classifications and 

 descriptions. An estimate for the print- 

 ing of this list, in a 48-page pamphlet 

 and cover, in 7-point type, had been 

 given, the figure being $350 for 1,000 

 copies. It was the expressed opinion 

 tliat as the society's funds did not war- 

 rant this expenditure, and as such a list 

 would require periodic revision, its pub- 

 lication by the society was not justified. 

 Moreover, the society had a proposition 

 from Mr. Lane, representing Doubleday, 

 Page & Co., that there was a possi- 

 bility of that company's publishing a 

 special dahlia manual, an amplification 

 of part of the June issue of the New 

 Country Life, which will be largely de- 

 voted to dahlias, and that Prof. Hall's 

 list may possibly be included as part 

 of such a manual. It was resolved, 

 therefore, that the society could not 

 see its way to publish the list now. 



This is the last committee meeting 

 held before the show. 



J. Harrison Dick, Sec'y. 



NEW YORK. 



The Market. 



The business in all its branches was 

 greatly increased by the tremendous 

 welcoming demonstrations given the 

 representatives of France and England. 

 Especially were the leading green- 

 houses benefited, the displays using near- 

 ly the entire stock of cold storage ever- 

 greens, laurel and wild smilax. 



The shipments of roses continue 

 about normal, and the demand is about 

 equal to the supply. Apart from some 

 notable banquets to the distinguished 

 visitors, there was no special call up5n 

 the wholesale market. 



The demands of Mothers' day seemed 

 confined to carnations, and of these only 

 the white varieties were popular or 

 brought abnormal prices. Philadelphia 

 buyers came to this market the last 

 part of the week and purchased every 

 white carnation they could lay their 

 hands on at $80 per thousand. One New 

 York wholesaler said he realized $100 

 for 1,100 flowers, and a few ac- 

 knowledged sales in small quantities at 

 $10 per hundred. The advance orders 

 had to be filled and protests against the 

 advance to 8 cents were many. 



The New York public is thoroughly 

 in sympathy with the sentiment of the 

 day, but is unchangeably adverse to any 

 unreasonable rise in prices. If the dog- 

 matic exclusion of all carnations but 

 the white ones for Mothers' day had not 

 1)een so persistently demanded, the 

 whole country would have entered 

 "heart and soul" into the recognition 

 of all the day is intended to commemo- 

 rate. It is predicted that carnations 

 will not sell above 4 cents from now 

 until Memorial day. 



American Beauty, Hadley and Brun- 

 nor roses are selling at about the same 

 prices as last week, 25 cents being top 

 and $2 to $3 per hundred for the twos 

 and threes. Saturday $15 per thousand 

 was the lowest quotation for the short- 

 stemmed stock of any variety. There 

 was no oversupply, but 6 cents to 8 cents 

 was top for the best of the standard 

 varieties. Prima Donna, Russell, Hoosier 

 Beauty and Ophelia roses seem to lose 

 none of their popularity. 



Valley is going down in price. The 

 old quotation of 8 cents to 10 cents was 

 unpopular, 6 cents being the top for the 

 week, and there was no surplus of the 



best. Lilies averaged 8 cents. There 

 will be a slowly rising market for these 

 until Memorial day. The shipments of 

 gardenias were lighter and good flowers 

 are firm at $3 per dozen. The street 

 men have only sweet peas, daffodils and 

 lilac to depend on. With some warm, 

 sunny weather they soon will be having 

 roses to add to their stock. 



Peonies are arriving from the south. 

 Sweet peas, daisies, irises, stocks, tulips, 

 snapdragon and mignonette are in 

 abundance. This week will be lilac 

 week before it ends, if the prophets are 

 reliable. 



There are not enough orchids in the 

 market. Selected cattleyas were selling 

 at 60 cents May 12. The average price 

 for good flowers was 50 cents and these 

 were few. Medium grades are down to 

 30 cents and under. The local supply 

 of lilac is still limited. Not much is 

 arriving from the south, but a flood is 

 expected in a short time. Forsythia 

 held its place last week as the "early 

 bird. ' ' It was especially beautiful this 

 year and was freely used in large deco- 

 rations. In fact, it is about the only 

 blooming evidence of spring. 



Up to date we have had no spring at 

 all. The oldest wholesaler says he can 

 remember no such backward season. 



Various Notes. 



Meyer Otile, of Riedel & Meyer, is 

 serving his country as a juror. 



A special meeting of the board of 

 trustees of the Florists' Club was held 

 at the secretary's office May 14. 



All arrangements are complete for 

 the Sixth International Flower Show 

 at the Grand Central Palace, March 14 

 to 21, 1918. The members of the com- 

 mittee are: T. A. Havemeyer, chair- 

 man; John Young, secretary; F. R. 

 Newbold, treasurer; Arthur Herring- 

 ton, exhibition manager. 



The early morning flower and plant 

 market is in full swing at East Fifty- 

 ninth street, under the Queensboro 

 bridge. 



The new store of llerman Weiss at 

 130 West Twenty-eighth street is now 

 complete. The large icebox is a special 

 feature. Mr. Weiss has added to his 

 force and reports business encouraging. 



H. W. Gallaer, of the George W. 

 Crawbuck Co., has returned to his of- 

 fice after a severe attack of pleurisy. 



The Cadjean Co. had a large wedding 

 decoration last week. There was a 

 special exhibit in the big store at 37 

 West Twenty-eighth street. 



The window of Malandre Bros, last 

 week was a wonder. In addition to a 

 large shield in the center were the flags 

 of France and England, all in natural 

 flowers, and back of all was a represen- 

 tation of the Goddess of Liberty, hold- 

 ing in her outstretched hands the palms 

 of victory and peace. The arrange- 

 ment was the work of a master hand, 

 and "It pays" was the modest com- 

 ment of the firm. 



Messrs. Burnett and Thom, salesmen 

 for Burnett Bros., have been promoted 

 to the rank of corporal and sergeant, 

 respectively, in their regiment, the 

 Fourth of New Jersey. 



The Barclay Nursery Co. has had a 

 profitable season, as the doubling of 

 the selling space at 60 Barclay street 

 indicates. J. Austin Shaw. 



North Bergen, N. J. — Henry Schmidt 

 has developed a compact strain of Prim- 

 ula obconica that finds much favor in 

 the stores. 



