22 



The Florists^ Review 



April 21, 1921 



helichrysums, though considered a sep- 

 arate genus, are also closely allied to 

 the lieliptcrums. All three classes of 

 plants require similnr treatment, with 

 this difference, that the helichrysums 

 generally are believed to be hardy and 

 the helipterums only lialf-hardy. The 

 seeds are germinated in a greenhouse 

 or hotbed during the latter part of 

 March and the seedlings are planted out 

 in full sun as soon as danger of frost 

 is past. Any good garden soil suits 

 them, though a rich loam is the best. 



Goniphrena globosa, the globe ama- 

 ranth, belongs to an entirely distinct 

 race or order from that of the foregoing 

 plants, but is one of the most easily 

 grown annuals. Most of the statices in 

 cultivation are hardy perennials and 

 may be treated accordingly. Tliey are of 

 easy culture, rooting deeply and remain- 

 ing for some years when well estab- 

 lished. 



It is important to bear in mind cer- 

 tain facts with reference to the har- 

 vesting of everlastings. It should be 

 noted, esjjecially as regards acroclin- 

 iums, that wlien the blooming season 

 has fully started, the flowers should 

 be ])icked daily, so as to be secured 

 when in just the right stage of develop- 

 ment. If the flowers are too far ad- 

 vanced, the ray petals will open flat, 

 exposing the center, which will f|uickly 

 turn brown when dried and thus will 

 mar the effect. The best course is to 

 pick the iicrocliniums ,iust as soon as the 

 buds show color, even if they are dis- 

 api)ointingly small. Tlie same general 

 watchfulness is necessary with regard 

 to helichrysums, though the helichrysum 

 buds may be permitted to develop to 

 fairly goo<l size. In harvesting the 

 flowers, remove all the foliage and hang 

 the flowers in bundles, heads down, in a 

 drv storeroom or closi't. 



EDUCATING THE PUBLIC. 



Working on the Rising Generation. 



Some a<lvertising is straight selling 

 talk; some is educational. Florists are 

 becoming more and more adeitt at the 

 former. The chief instrument of the 



latter, the national ])ublicity campaign, 

 is now in temporary abeyance. Each 

 florist, ]>articularly if he has green- 

 houses, is engaged in educational adver- 

 tising, however. Some devote more ef- 

 forts to it than others, because they 

 place more value on it as a result-getter 

 than do others. 



One form of educational advertising is 

 showing visitors through greenhouses. 

 One grower said not long ago, "I can 

 see in the jjcople who visit my houses a 

 greater interest and a keener apprecia- 

 tion of flowers when they leave than 

 when they enter. They learn something 

 in a way that makes it stick better than 

 all the words we could waste on them. 

 Not the least of what they learn, in 

 importance to us, is the actual money 

 involved in produciiiig flowers under 

 glass. If more people had the chance 

 to visit our big ranges, the trade would 

 correspondingly benefit." 



One proprietor of a large range of 

 glass invites the classes from the neigh- 

 boring high school to visit his establish- 

 ment at a season when the houses are in 

 full crop and the impression the stronger, 

 therefore. "We can cultivate interest 

 in our products and breed desire for 

 t'lcm if we will work in this way on the 

 rising generation," he says. "The boys 

 and girls who come here — some of them 

 are on the verge of being young men 

 and young women — remember the im- 

 jiressions they get here and the effects 

 are to be seen not so long after in the 

 retail store." 



Shown in Savannah. 



.\mong the florists who work on the 

 jirinciples just stated is John Wolf, of 

 Savannah, Ga. He believes in starting 

 young. So he invites not only the upper 

 grades to visit his houses, but also the 

 kindergarteners. In the illustration on 

 this ]iage is shown a group he piloted 

 through his houses recently. When they 

 iiad fiiiislied the tour, each child was pre- 

 sented with a geranium — and not the 

 smallest sized, either. The sunny pro- 

 prietor himself can be seen at the en- 

 trance to the foremost house, a geranium 

 in his hand, as jtleased as anybody in the 

 iiictMr<\ 



Mr. Wolf is one of those advocates, 

 and practicers, of educational advertis- 

 ing. If you subject a person to an influ- 

 ence, according to their theory, he will 

 soon feel the need of that influence 

 constantlv. Give children flowers, and 

 they will want the blooms replaced 

 when thev are gone. If a person visits 

 an art gallery, he will not pin cheap 

 lithographs on his walls at home. By the 

 same logic, if a person is subjected to 

 the pleasure of seeing flowers, he is not 

 likely to be content without experienc- 

 ing that pleasure again. And flowers, it 

 appears, are like that favorite condi- 

 ment of children, "the more you eat, 

 the more you want." In that homely 

 comparison lies the force and meaning 

 of flower shows, park conservatories, 

 flower store openings and greenhouses 

 witii the latchstring out. 



THE BIG DRIVE. 



• ' Clear the decks for action, for 

 action there will be." So said J. F. 

 Amniann as he rolled up his sleeves and 

 started in to figure out the plans for 

 the present extensive drive to obtain 

 new members for the S. A. F. And 

 there certainly will have to be some 

 itction if be attains the goal which he 

 has set, "to double the membership in 

 ninety days." But even that will be 

 easily accomplished if all the present 

 members will follow out the slogan of 

 "every member get a member." Mr. 

 Ammann is the chairman of the mem- 

 bership committee and has already 

 done some good, liard work with the 

 help of his fellow committee members. 

 These are S. S. Pennock, A. L. Miller, 

 Paul R. Klingsporn and Joseph H. Hill. 

 Two letters have been sent out to the 

 secretaries of all the florists' organiza- 

 tions that the S. A. F. knows about. 

 These letters ask that the secretaries 

 of these various clubs send in a list of 

 all their members and also ask that a 

 committee of three be api)ointed in 

 each club to cooperate with the S. A. F. 

 committee and to secure members in 

 their respective territories. The letters 

 point out the fact that anything done 

 to help the S. A. F. in obtaining new 

 members will also be of great benefit 

 to the cooperating club. Mr. Ammann 

 says that as yet there have been but 

 few answers to these letters. 



But there is still time and if you be- 

 long to some florists' club that, by any 

 chance, has not received these letters, 

 or if you do not belong to any club, a 

 short note, addressed to J. F. Ammann, 

 Fdwardsvillo, 111., will be appreciated. 



KILLING MEALY BUG. 



What will kill mealy bug on gladio- 

 lus bulbs and also on coleus plants? 



W. B.— O. 



John Wolf Does Missionary Work Among Savannah School Children. 



For mealy bug on coleus plants, the 

 best cure is to lay the plants on their 

 sides and turn the hose on them. By 

 using a fine spray nozzle in this way, 

 the mealy bug will all be blown from 

 the ]ilants. For the mealy bug on gladi- 

 olus bulbs, the spray method cannot 

 be used, but the bulbs may be put in a 

 box, case, barrel or any other receptacle 

 which can be made approximately air- 

 tight. Then some carbon bisulphide 

 may be put in a saucer over the bulbs 

 and the top may be closed as nearly 

 hermetically as possible. The fumes of 

 the carbon bisulphide will strike down- 

 ward and kill the bugs. C. W. 



