16 



The Florists^ Review 



OCTOBBB 28, 1918. 



, and "gigantea" stands for "giant- 

 flowering," and it is certain that any 

 honest dealer will not willingly mix up 

 these two words, but will use them only 

 when the difference in his stock is such 

 as to justify such distinctions. *This 

 difference may be gained through a 

 constant selection of the largest-flow- 

 ering plants. Or the infusion of new 

 . blood into the existing variety may 

 produce a giant-flowering variety, as is 

 the case with P. obeonica gigantea, 

 which is the result of a cross between 

 P. obeonica gr'andiflora and P. Megaseae- 

 folia, obtained by Mr. Arends, of Qer- 

 many. 



The difference between the obeonica 

 gigantea and the obeonica grandiflora 

 may be clearly noted in the plants, 

 even without a flower. A like differ- 

 ence, but not in so marked a degree, 

 exists between Chinensis grandiflora 

 and gigantea. 



The flowers of obeonica gigantea are, 

 as a rule, much larger than those of 

 grandiflora, with the exception of 

 grandiflora Appleblossom, which is as 

 large as any gigantea. The flower 

 stems of gigantea are also much 

 stronger and stiffer, and the foliage is 

 decidedly larger, of a heavy, leathery 

 texture and darker in color. Gigantea, 

 however, does not produce as many 

 flower stems as the grandiflora type 

 and it is a question which is the better. 

 Judging from the orders received by 

 me, grandiflora is the more popular, 

 and I am also inclined to think it is 

 the better of the two. Which will 

 prove to be, the more popular of the 

 Chinese primroses would be diflScult for 

 me to say, as this is only the first sea- 

 son in which I have grown a large 

 quantity of P. Chinensis gigantea. 



J. L. Schiller. 



CHABOma FOB ESTIMATES. 



The plan of the John C. Moninger Co., 

 Chicago, to charge a nominal sum for 

 estimates and sketches for greenhouses, 

 as told in The Review last week, has 

 awakened interest among greenhouse 

 builders. Briefly, the plan is to charge 

 everybody i$3 for an estimate and 

 sketch. In case of order the $3 would 

 be credited on the bilL The idea is 

 to cut down the expensive system of 

 free estimating and save this to the 

 people who actually buy material. It 

 is claimed that out of three estimates 

 only one results in an order. The party 

 sending the order must therefore pay 

 for all three estimates in the added 

 cost of doing business. The following 

 letters show the sentiment of the trade: 



Engelmann Greenhouses, Maryville, 

 Mo. — "In regard to charging for es- 

 timates, we want to say that the av- 

 erage person in the trade does not 

 realize the cost of such work. You 

 have enlightened us and we ourselves 

 have often written for various bids 

 without thinking or knowing what it 

 cost someone else as well as ourselves. 

 We think a good way to save on es- 

 timating would be to have standard 

 houses, as described in the article in 

 The Review some time ago. You could 

 have standard specifications for these, 

 also, and give approximate estimates. 

 This would cut out those who are only 

 interested to the extent of knowing the 

 cost of certain houses. But to get 

 down to brass tacks, anyone who means 

 business and is actually going to build 

 is willing to pay for estimates and we 

 will cheerfully pay for ours, just what 

 it costs, whether $3 or $5." 



Samuel Pearce, Chicago, HI. — 

 "That's right. Everybody pay his 

 share and nobody will be out any 

 money. It's a good plan. Every 

 greenhouse manufactvrer should charge 

 for estimates." 



John Bindfleisch, Beloit, Wis. — 

 "That article in The Review about 

 charging for estimates is good com- 

 mon sense. Mr. McKee is right and if 

 every company charged for estimates 

 the greebhouse owners would save an- 

 nually at least $25,000 as I figure it. 

 If I want to build 9, residence and go 

 to an architect for pla^s, specifications 

 and estimates do I get this service for 

 nothing f I guess not! The florists 

 ought to push this thing through. Let 

 us pay for what we get and not for 

 what others get." 



Holton & Hunkel Co., Milwaukee, 

 Wis. — "Hope you will succeed in car- 

 rying your plan into operation and give 

 us credit for plans made for us. '° 



C L. Washburn, of Bassett & Wash- 

 burn, Chicago, HI. — "It is a good idea 

 in every way. The fellow who won't 

 pay $3 don't intend to build. Go 

 ahead and then give us credit on all 

 the jobs we have given Moninger. All 

 jokes aside, though, the plan is fine." 



BEATINQ THE KANSAS DBOUQHT. 



At the plant of the Independence 

 Greenhouses and Gardens, at Indepen- 

 dence, Kan., there is no longer any 

 fear of the drought, which has ruined 

 so much stock in that state this year. 

 Perry Bunyar, the 19-year-old son of 

 Robert Bunyar, proprietor of the con- 

 cern, has rigged up an irrigating plant 

 that furnishes plenty of water from 

 the creek near by. A home-made box 

 flume, a flywheel from a steam engine 

 and a fifteen horse-power gas engine 

 are the prime features of the plant. 

 The gas for the engine is supplied from 

 a well on Mr Bunyar 's property, so 

 that the expense is slight. 



The pump is capable of drawing 45,- 

 000 gallons an hour. There is, there- 

 fore, an ample supply for the twenty- 

 two acres included in Robert Bunyar 's 

 gardens. The excess power has been 

 used to run a four kilowatt generator, 

 also made by Perry Bunyar, which sup- 

 plies current for a large number of 

 small lights and one large arc search- 



light that can be seen for several miles. 

 The power plant and its maker can be 

 seen in the accompanying illustration. 



NOBFOLS, VA. 



Blick the Florist, with two handsome 

 stores in this city, has branched out 

 into a new enterprise. One hundred 

 acres of ground have been purchased 

 near Norfolk that will be run as a 

 vegetable plant and seed farm. Frank 

 Brunton, formerly of Richmond, Va., 

 will act as manager. The bu&iness 

 name will be the Blick-Brunton Co., 

 Inc., with headquarters in this city. 

 A general vegetable plant and seed 

 business will be done and it will be 

 quite distinct from the florists' firm, 

 although the same moving spirit is in 

 both. Phil. 



NEW YOBK. 



The Market. 



This week opened with rain and 

 gloom, but the cold snap which fol- 

 lowed was exactly what the wholesale 

 cut 4ower market needed. Last week 

 was lifeless and the flood of chrysan- 

 themums dominated everything with its 

 ever increasing volume. Prices were at 

 low ebb, and even the finest of the 

 mums were sold at half the prices of 

 former seasons. There is a good deal 

 of medium and low grade stock that 

 is practically unsalable. 



In roses, American Beauty showed 

 better appreciation, and prices ad- 

 vanced above the low figures of a 

 week ago, but all the other varieties 

 only held their averages, even with the 

 increased demand. With the many new 

 varieties now appealing to the pub- 

 lic's love of novelties, the rose gives 

 assurance of its kingship this season 

 after the passing of the mum. Many 

 of the tea roses arriving are still 

 small and short-stemmed, and sell at 

 a low figure. Shawyer, Russell and 

 Milady grow in size, beauty and pop- 

 ularity. 



Carnations do not advance in price, 

 though they do in quality, and it is 

 only the best that command reasonable 

 prices. The absence of novelties this 

 season is quite noticeable. Lilies and 

 valley are about the same, $6 and $3 



Perry Bunyar and the Irrigating Plant that Overcame the Kansas Drought. 



