16 



The Florists^ Review 



August 7, 1913. 



for two years. Should it be demon- 

 strated that the reductions are reason- 

 able the new rates will be made perma- 

 nent. It is estimated the changes in 

 rates will reduce the incomes of the ex- 

 press companies $26,000,000 a year, or 

 approximately sixteen per cent of their 

 gross revenue. 



Expect Companies to Sne. 

 The impression is that the express 

 companies will attempt to test by legal 

 means the constitutionality of the com- 

 mission's order. The express compa- 

 nies had filed statements indicating the 

 losses of revenue under the proposed 

 rates would be intolerable, and argued 

 strenuously that the establishment of 

 the parcel post had deprived them of 

 thirty per cent of the revenue they 

 formerly received from parcels of 

 eleven pounds or less. They contended 

 that the express business could not sur- 

 vive the losses from both sources. Their 

 recourse will be a petition to the Com- 

 merce court with an application for a 

 temporary order restraining the com- 

 mission from enforcing the new rates. 

 It is said the court is without funds 

 necessary to the hearing of the case, 

 on account of the action of Congress in 

 failing to appropriate for the running 

 expenses of the tribunal since July 1. 

 If a temporary injunction should be 

 granted, however, the delay in hearing 

 the case would be entirely acceptable 

 to the express companies. 



LIME WITH MANURE. 



We are not removing all the soil from 

 some solid beds, where we grow smilax, 

 callas and sweet peas. The soil has al- 

 ready been manured rather heavily and 

 prepared for planting, but I know there 

 is need for lime, as the soil is heavy 

 and wormy and full of sorrel — the rank- 

 est kind of growth. However, I have 

 read in The Review an injunction not 

 to use lime and manure at the same 

 time. Please tell me what to do. 



P.G. 



It is not generally good practice to 

 use lime and stable manure at the same 

 time, from the fact ttat the lime liber- 

 ates more or less of the ammonia from 

 the manure. Nevertheless, if the soil 

 shows such signs of acidity as you men- 

 tion, it may pay to apply the lime, even 

 though some of the manure be lost. 

 W.H. T. 



POTS FILLED TO THE BBIM. 



The new supply of ferns is again 

 arriving at our retail stores. We 

 needed them badly enough, but they 

 come with the same old trouble — the 

 flower pots too full, actually filled to 

 the brim. It is generous of the potter, 

 but, alas, there is no room for water. 

 As a natural consequence, the ferns go- 

 ing into our customers' homes will be 

 suffering for lack of water a good share 

 of the time. I find that most of our 

 people understand that ferns must not 

 stand in water — you know how long we 

 have preached that. In trying to ob- 

 serve that principle, how much water 

 can be poured into these fern pots 

 without its running over, most likely 

 onto a polished table f Scarcely a cup- 

 ful; not enough either for hot summer 

 or for steam-heated winter. 



Yes, we suggest the biweekly soak- 

 ing in a pail of water, but that takes 

 too much time for the Chicago woman. 

 Undoubtedly our people are having mis- 

 erable success with their ferns — bad 



business for us! I'll wager that every 

 one of us would have many more peo- 

 ple in our stores from day to day if 

 they could only make their indoor 

 plants flourish. Why, they would have 

 a nice plant in every room in the flat 

 and would choose plants as gifts twice 

 as often, if the plants would only grow 

 nicely for a year. As it is, recall the 

 gloomy procession of your customers, 

 returning within three months with a 

 dried-up, starved, invalid fern for you 

 to doctor. Physician, how do you like 

 the case? Diagnose it and you will be 

 persuaded that the plant was sent out 

 overcrowded — in the early part of the 

 season, too full of soil; in the latter 

 part, too full of roots. 



Potters, right about face! Give us 



more room in our fern pots — back to the 

 "old standards," if necessary. 



What do the rest of you think about 

 it? Anna Grace Sawyer. 



THE FREIGHT ON SFHAGNXTM. 



The W. W. Barnard Co., Chicago, 

 dealers in seeds, plants and florists' 

 supplies, has filed a complaint with the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission 

 against the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 

 Paul R. R., alleging unreasonable rates 

 on baled moss from Mather, Wis., to 

 Chicago. The company says that from 

 June, 1911, to February, 1913, it re- 

 ceived nine cars of baled moss from 

 Mather, Wis., on which charges were as- 

 sessed at 13 cents pei; 100 pounds on 

 the basis of 34,600 and 30,006 pounds 



minimum weight, a total ot "$400.40 

 charges. It is charged that the rate 

 was unreasonable • because there is in 

 effect a commodity rate applicable to 

 this class of traffic in car lots which 

 was based 3 cents higher than the lum- 

 ber rate, which was 9 cents per 100 

 pounds. It is pointed out that moss is 

 a natural product of the forest swamps, 

 gathered, dried and usually pressed 

 into bales at the point of shipment. 

 None of the cars was in excess of 18,- 

 000 pounds per car. The complainant 

 says a rate of 12 cents per 100 pounds 

 instead of 13 cents would be a lawful 

 rate. The western classification pro- 

 vides a rate for moss in the fifth class, 

 minimum 20,000 pounds, and fifth class 

 from Mather to Chicago was 16 cents 

 per 100. The complaint further avers 

 that a 12-cent commodity rate was un- 

 reasonable when compared with tho 

 class rate. It is also said that a rate 

 of 22 cents per 100 pounds based on 

 15,000 pound minimum would be fair 

 and reasonable. The company alleges 

 overcharges of $89.32, which it asks to 

 be refunded and desires the commis- 

 sion to lower the rates. 



CANADIANS IN SESSION. 



The Canadian Horticultural Associa- 

 tion, the trade organization in the Do- 

 minion, is holding its annual convention 

 this week at Peterboro, Ont. Although 

 some well known faces are missing, the 

 attendance is as large as ever, both 

 Toronto and Montreal having sent good 

 delegations. The trades display, while 

 not large, is interesting. A special fea- 

 ture is being made of entertainment. 



The program for the three days was 

 as follows: 



TUESDAY, AUOUST .5. 2:.'K) P. M. 

 Sessions In Drill Hall, Opposite Central Park. 



Addresfi of welcome. Mayor \\. H. Brndburn. 



Keply by E. E. Mepsted. 



President's address, by Walter Muston, Davls- 

 ville. Ont. 



Secretary-treasurer's report, by Julius Luck, 

 Montreal, Que. 



Report of tariff committee, by Jobn Connou, 

 Hamilton, chairman. 



Address by Park Commissioner C. E. Chambers, 

 Toronto, on "Parks and Boulevards." 



Appointment of Judges for trade exhibit. 



TUESDAY, AUGUST 5. 8 P. M. 



Paper, "Retail Store Management," by Cecil 

 Ilopton, Montreal, Que. 



Paper, "Greenhouse Construction," by R. W. 

 King, president King Construction Co., Toronto, 

 Ont. 



Lecture, "Greenhouse Construction," by W. R. 

 Cobb, of Lord & Burnham Co., New York. 



Discussion, led by G. A. Robinson, Montreal, 

 Que. 



Report of committee on parcel post, by 11. B. 

 Cowan, Peterboro, Ont. 



WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6. 9:30 A. M. 



Discussion of president's address. 



Report of judges on trade exhibit. 



Report of nomenclature committee, by Wm. 

 Hunt, Goelph. 



Paper, "Christmas Plants," by Clias. Craig, 

 Ottawa, Ont. 



Paper, "What Ten Perennials Have Proved the 

 Most Useful for the Hardy Border?" by Geo. 

 Trussel, Montreal, Que. 



.Selection of place for next meeting. 



Special feature. Peterboro chimes. 



WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 6. 12:20 P. M. 



Leave by G. T. R. for Lakefield and embark 

 for a tour of the Kawartha lakes. 



WEDNESDAY, 8 P. M. 



Banquet at .South Beach, -on Clear Lake. 



THURSDAY. AUGUST 7. 9:30 A. M. 



Unfinished business. 



Election of officers. 



Final resolutions. 



Paper, "What New Plants Have Proved Most 

 Useful for Conservatory Purposes?" by T. Mc- 

 Hueh, Dorval, Que. 



Special feature, demonstration by Peterboro 

 Fire Brigade. 



THURSDAY, 2:30 P. M. 



Automobile tour of city, visiting principal in 

 dustries, winding up at Nicholls Oval for water 

 sports. 



THURSDAY, 8 P. M. 



Moonlight excursion over Peterboro's famous 

 lift lock and down the Otonabee river. Music. 



Grand Island, Neb. — C. H. Green, of 

 Fremont, was a guest of Edward Will- 

 iams here recently. 







