20 



The Florists^ Review 



JoNi 23, 1821 



dry, where he again worked for about 

 three years. He then took a position 

 as foreman of the Johnson City Foun- 

 dry & Machine Co., which he held for 

 two years. 



In 1889 he bought two acres of 

 ground near Smithwood, five miles 

 north of Knoxville. Two years later, 

 giving up his position as superintendent 

 of the Johnson City Foundry & Machine 

 Co., he built his first greenhouse, 20x50 

 feet, heated by the old-fashioned brick 

 flue. The first stock consisted of a few 

 carnations and two Marechal Niel rose 

 plants. A short time later he bought 

 out Zebenden, the Florist, of Knoxville, 

 paying him the sum of $300 for his en- 

 tire business. Enough material was re- 

 ceived in the Zebenden greenhouses to 

 build one small greenhouse about the 

 size of the one built in 1891. These 

 houses were low, with small beds and 

 narrow walks, and made of heavy bars 

 and 8x10 glass. 



Retail Store. 



For the first three or four years the 

 entire stock was disposed of on the local 

 market from a peddling wagon. The 

 first store was opened in a small space 

 in the Smoke House, which is now the 

 site of the Holston National Bank 

 building; this store was occupied about 

 three months. The next store, 15x20 

 feet, was opened on Union avenue. 

 This store was occupied about six 

 months. The next move was to a win- 

 dow space on Gay street, 10x20 feet, in 

 the millinery store of the Russell & 

 Russell Co. This space was occupied 

 iibout six months. 



The next move was to 313 West 

 Clinch avenue, which was occupied for 

 fifteen years. When the building was 

 remodeled, the business moved next 

 door, to 315 and 317, which was occu- 

 pied about six years. In 1916 a 10- 

 year lease was obtained on the present 

 quarters, at the corner of West Clinch 

 avenue .and Market street, which is one 

 of the best locations in the city. This 

 store has a floor space of 5,670 square 

 feet and is equipped with all modern 



conveniences. Views of its facilities 

 are shown on preceding pages. 



Growth of Greenhouses. 



From thexsmall greenhouse in 1891 

 the firm's range has grown to two and 

 one-half acfes of modern glass, growing 

 successfully carnations, roses, chrysan- 

 themums, orchids and blooming pot 

 plants of all descriptions. 



About the time the business was in- 

 corporated as Baum 's Home of Flowers, 

 in 1918, at a capitalization of $100,000, 

 sixty-five acres of land were purchased 

 at Bearden for growing bulbous and 

 other outdoor stock. There are twenty- 

 two acres of gladioli and two acres of 

 dahlias, as well as tulips, narcissi, lilies, 

 cannas and other stock. 



Members of the Firm. 



When the business was incorporated 

 in 1918 the following were the oflicers, 

 as they still are today: President, 

 Charles L. Baum; secretary-treasurer 

 and general manager, Karl P. Baum; 

 vice-president, Roy L. Baum; green- 

 house manager, Floyd F. Baum; store 

 manager, G. W. Chesney. 



Charles L. Baum, a life member of 

 the S. A. F., has been a regular attend- 

 ant at the conventions for over twenty 

 years and for many years served as 

 state vice-president. He has also served 

 on the board of directors. He was the 

 first president of the Knoxville Flo- 

 rists' Society. He has been active in 

 other trade societies and is prominent 

 in Masonic circles. 



Karl P. Baum, who has been man- 

 ager for the last seventeen years and 

 who is now secretary-treasurer and gen- 

 eral manager, is a life member of the 

 S. A. F., past president of the Tennessee 

 State Florists' Association, a director 

 of the Florists' Telegraph Delivery As- 

 sociation and a member of many other 

 trade organizations. He is a member of 

 the Mystic Shrine and active in most of 

 Knoxville 's business organizations. 



In the management of the retail store 

 Karl Baum has been ably assisted by 

 G. W. Chesney, his brother-in-law, for 



the last four years. The greenhouses 

 have been under the management of 

 Roy L. Baum for the last eight years, 

 assisted by Floyd F. Baum for the last 

 few years. A great deal of credit is 

 due Robert E. Mapes for the system of 

 accounting. Mr. Mapes has been in 

 charge of the bookkeeping for the last 

 nine years. 



This firm's sales have increased from 

 a mere $600 in 1891 to more than 

 $100,000 a year of late. It. grows all 

 the stock sold at retail and ships a great 

 deal to other markets. Gladioli are a 

 summer specialty and orchids have been 

 successfully grown. 



SGHLING'S SHOUT OOUBSE. 



The two weeks of lecture-demonstra- 

 tions of floral designing by Max 

 Sehling, which began June 22, are well 

 attended by florists from many parts of 

 the country and by one from Pretoria, 

 South Africa. Such distant states as 

 Texas, Colorado and Minnesota are rep- 

 resented in New York. The large recep- 

 tion room at the Netherland hotel. 

 Fifty-ninth street and Fifth avenue,, 

 was secured for the school, with special 

 accommodations for luncheon. The fol- 

 lowing cities are represented on Max 

 Sehling 's registration list, some by two 

 or three persons: 



Harrisburg, Pa. 

 St. Paul, Minn. 

 Newburgh, N. Y. 

 Fitchburg, Mass. 

 Pueblo, Colo. 



Rutherford, N. J. 

 North Bergen, N. J. 

 Ashtabula, 0. 

 Dallas, Tex. 

 Darling, Pa. 



Pretoria, South Africa. Reading, Pa. 



Springvale, Me. 

 Newton, N. J. 

 Springfield, Mass. 

 Champaign, 111. 

 New Bedford, Mass. 

 Camden, N. J. 

 Norwich, N. Y. 

 Washington, D.' C. 

 Blmira, N. Y. 

 Baltimore, Md. 

 Isllp, N. Y. 

 Oshkosh, Wis. 

 Shamoliin, Pa. 

 Chatham, N. J. 

 Ithaca, N. Y. 



Punxsutawney, Pa. 

 Wilson, N. C. 

 Newark, 0. 

 Rockland, Me. 

 Buffalo, N. Y. 

 Allentown, Pa. 

 Oil City, Pa. 

 Yonkers, N. Y. 

 Brie, Pa. 



Grand Rnpids, Micft. 

 New Milford, Conn. 

 Rutland, Vt. 

 Brockport, N. Y. 

 Elyria, 0. 



Kent, O. — The greenhouse and flo- 

 rists' business of George F. Braybon 

 has been purchased by Richard M. 

 Richards and Michael Blewitt. 



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This Storage Basement Provides Ample Facilities for a Large Wholesale Shipping Trade. 



