16 



The Florists^ Review 



October 23, 1913. 



and "gigautea" 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 diflerence 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. obconica gigantea, 

 which is the result of a cross between 

 P. obconica grandiflora and P. Megasese- 

 folia, obtained by Mr. Aronds, of Ger- 

 many. 



The difference between the obconica 

 gigantea and the obconica grandiflora 

 may bo clearly noted iu 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 obconica gigantea are, 

 as a rule, much larger than those of 

 grandiflora, with the exception of 

 grandillora Appleblossom, which is as 

 large as any gigantea. The flower 

 stems of gigantea are also much 

 stronger and stifl'er, and the foliage is 

 decidedly larger, of a heavy, leathery 

 texture and ilarker in color. Gigantea, 

 however, docs not produce as manj' 

 flower stems as the grandiflora type 

 and it is a question which is the ])etter. 

 Judging from the orders received by 

 me, grandiflora is the more popular, 

 ami I am also inclined to think it is 

 the better of the two. Whicli will 

 prove to 1)0, the more jtopular of the 

 Chinese )>rinirosos would bo didicult for 

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

 son in which I lia\o grown a large 

 quantitv of P. Chinensis yigantoa. 



J. L. .Schiller. 



CHARGING FOR ESTIMATES. 



The plan of the .Tnlm C. Moiiiugor Co., 

 CliiciiL'ii, to ciiargo ;i noiuitial sum for 

 estimates and sketches for gr(>(Milious(>s, 

 as tdlcj in Tli(> h'c\ icw last wook. has 

 .awnkoiioil interest .'iinoiig groonliouse 

 liuiMers. Prielly. tlio jijan is to charge 

 ovoryliod.v .*•"> lor an estimate and 

 sketch. In case nf firder the $.*> would 

 be credited on the bill. The idea is 

 ti7 cut down the eX|ieiisi\'e system of 

 free estimating and sa\o this to the 

 jioojdo who actually buy material. It 

 is (dainied that out of thi'eo estimates 

 only one results in an order. The party 

 sending tin' order must tlierefor(^ pay 

 for .'dl three ostiiii.ates in tli(> aildeil 

 cost fif doing business. The following 

 letters show tiie sentiment of tln^ tradi': 



l^ngeliriaiin <ireenlioiises, Mary\ille, 

 Mo. — "'In re'_':ird to clKiruiinLT for es- 

 tiniatos, \\ e want to say that the av- 

 erage person in tke trade does not 

 ro.ali/e tlie co-.t ol' siicli ^\(l^k■. ^'ou 

 liaxe enliijhtened u^ .and we oursehcs 

 have fd'ten \\ii1teii tdi- \arions bids 

 without thinking or Knowing what it 

 cost someone (dse ;is well as oui'selxes. 

 We think a goo.l w.ay to s.ave on es- 

 timating would bo to have standard 

 houses, as de^ci-iiieil in the artich' in 

 The lie\iew some time a;_'o. Vou could 

 have standani sjiocilicat ions for tliesc, 

 also, anil give apjiroximate estimates. 

 This would cut out tliose who are only 

 interested to the extent of knowing the 

 cost of cert.ain houses. lint to get 

 down to brass ta( I<s. an.\on(> who nu'ans 

 business and is actually going to build 

 is willing to i)ay for estimates and wo 

 will cheerfully pay for ours, just what 

 it costs, w hother .$:? or $."). ' ' 



Samuel Pearce, Chicago, 111. — 

 ' ' That 's right. Everybody pay his 

 share and nobody will be out any 

 money. It's a good plan. Every 

 greenhouse manufacturer should charge 

 for estimates. ' ' 



John Rindfleisch, 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 greenhouse owners would save an- 

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

 If I want to build a residence and go 

 to an architect for plans, specifications 

 and estimates do I get this service for 

 nothing? 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 & Ilunkel Co., Milwaukee, 

 Wis. — "Hope you will succeed in car- 

 rying your plan into operation and give 

 us credit for ])lans made for us." 



C. L. Washburn, of Bassett & Wash- 

 Inirn, Chicago, 111. — "It is a good idea 

 in every way. The fellow who won 't 

 pay $;$ 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." 



BEATING THE KANSAS DROUGHT, 



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 Punyar, the 19-year-old son of 

 Robert Bunyar, proprietor of the con- 

 corn, has rigged up an irrigating plant 

 that furnishes plenty of water from 

 the creek near by. A home-made l)ox 

 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 supplioil from 

 a well on Mr Punyar 's property, so 

 that the oxjionso is slight. 



The pump is cajiable of drawing 4.^,- 

 000 gallons an hour. Therti is, there- 

 fore, an ample supply for the twenty- 

 two acres included in Robert Puny.ar's 

 gardens. The excess ])Owor has been 

 used to run a four kilowatt generator, 

 also made by Perry Bunyar, w hiidi sup- 

 plies current for a largo nundier of 

 small lights and one largo aic search- 



light that can be seen for several mile . 

 The power plant and its maker can 1 ,3 

 seen in the accompanying illuatratio, , 



NORFOLK, VA. 



Blick the Florist, with two handsone 

 stores in this city, has branched o\ t 

 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. Franlc 

 Brunton, formerly of Richmond, Va., 

 will act as manager. The busine-s 

 name will be the Blick-Brunton C<'., 

 Inc., with headquarters in this cit; . 

 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 YORK, 



The Market. 



This week opened with rain and 

 gloom, but the cold snap which fol- 

 lowed was exactly what the wholesale 

 cut flower market needed. Last week 

 was lifeless and the flood of chrysan- 

 themums dominated everything with its 

 over 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 do.d 

 of medium .and low grade stock that 

 is ]»ractically unsalable. 



In roses, American Beauty showed 

 bettor appreciation, and prices ad- 

 vanced above the low figures of a 

 week ago, but all the other varieties 

 only ludd their averages, oven with tlic 

 increased demand. With the many now 

 viirioties now ap]>oaling to the pub- 

 lic's love of no\(dties, the rose gives 

 assurance of its kingship this season 

 after the jiassing of the mum. Many 

 of the tea I'osi's arri\ing are still 

 small ami short-stoinmod, and sell at 

 ;i low figure. iShawyor, Russell and 

 Milady grow in si/.o, beauty and pep- 

 ulaiity. 



Cariuitions do not a<lvance in price, 

 though they do in (juality, and it is 

 only the best that command reasonable 

 jiricos. The absence of novtdties this 

 season is quite !iotic(>ablo. Lilies aid 

 valley are about the same, $0 and '" 



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



