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Sbptbmber 29. 1904. s* 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



90J 



fields at Berlin, N. Y., where 100 acres 

 are being grown, also, from a five-acre 

 planting at Belleville, ' III., where about 

 half a million bulbs have been planted 

 at three different periods so as to secure 

 a succession of blooming. Upon the ex- 

 position grounds Mr. Cowee has planted 

 in six beds, about 125,000 bulbs. 



While the season has been exceptional 

 and the soil in which the bulbs were 

 planted not of the best, still taking ev- 

 erything into consideration, you could 

 not ask for better results. 



J. H. Hadkinson. 



A VETERAN OF THE CRAFT. 



It is not given to every man whose 

 tenure of office is so dependent upon ad- 

 ministrative changes as are positions ac 

 Lincoln park, Chicago, to preserve his 

 equilibrium through more than the span 

 of the average human life, but Charles 

 J. Strom bach has survived political up- 

 heavals for thirty-five years and for 

 twenty-nine years has been head gar- 

 dener. Now, however, he has been re- 

 tired as past the age for active service, 

 for he is 62. No man, no more than 

 any woman, enjoys being told he is get- 

 ting old and quite naturally this good 

 gardener was reluctant to surrender his 

 active duties to a younger, if no less 

 capable man. "Did you ever see me 

 looking better?" is his query to every 

 friend. He is now " consulting gar- 

 dener," a position created for him by 

 the park commissioners at the request 

 of Supt. Warder and in recognition of 

 his long and capable service. 



Charles J. Strombach came of garden- 

 ing stock. He received his training in 

 the Eoyal School of Horticulture at 

 Stockholm, in Sweden, and in various 

 private and commercial places on the 

 continent. Coming to America while in 

 his youth, he brought knowledge of his 

 vocation such as the young man of this 

 day finds it difficult to obtain, next to 

 impossible in this country. Gravitating 

 to Chicago, as so many of his country- 

 men did in that day, Mr. Strombach 

 took up the work at Lincoln park in 

 1869, when the place was but a fraction 

 of its present size and wholly devoid of 

 its present aspect. To his genius much 

 of the very excellent landscape work is 

 due. At the beginning there was but a 

 little glass, only for working purpo?OH, 

 and nothing like a collection of plants. 

 Today there is one of the finest ranges 

 of glass and the best and largest col- 

 lection of plants in the west, all devel- 

 oped under Mr. Strombach 's guidance. 

 Indeed, as Supt. Warder is quoted as 

 saying, "It was only due him that some 

 place should be provided." 



BOSTON. 



The Market. 



Conditions are much better in our 

 market than they have been before this 

 season. Frost has cut off practically all 

 outdoor stock. A few gladioli still come 

 in, selling at 75 cents to $1.50 per dozen 

 for the best, but dahlias, asters, fever- 

 few and other such stuff are gone. Car- 

 nations are now of fine quality. Blooms 

 of Mrs. Patten, Enchantress, Queen, 

 Lawson, Fair Maid and other popular 

 sorts are almost equal to winter stock. 

 Prices vary from $3 for the best down to 

 $1 for inferior blooms. 



Roses are shortening up somewhat, 

 with a perceptible improvement in qual- 



Charles J. Strombach. 

 (For ihlrty-flve years gardener at Lincoln Park, Cblcairo.) 



ity and a betterment in prices. Beau- 

 ties are in smaller supply, at from $6 

 to $25 per 100. Kaiserins and Carnots 

 bring $2 to $8 and Brides and Brides- 

 maids $2 to $6. Chrysanthemums have 

 appeared, Malcolm Orr, of Lynn, bring- 

 ing in the first Lady Fitzwygram on Sep- 

 tember 22. The -same grower had some 

 nice Marquis de Montmort on Sep- 

 tember 24, on which date Wm. Nicholson 

 and S. J. Goddard each had a fine lot of 

 Fitzwygrams. Prices were $1.50 to $2 

 per dozen. Lily of the valley brings $4 

 to $5, Waban Conservatories sending the 

 best. A little better demand is noted for 

 asparagus and adiantum. A few single 

 violets have appeared. They are small 

 and pale-colored yet, however. 



The Co-operative Markets. 



Stallholders in the two flower markets 

 were apportioned their stands on Sep- 

 tember 24, there being a large and ani- 

 mated crowd at each market. The Park 

 street stand, while very small and 

 cramped compared, with the Columbus 

 avenue location, which is now advertised 

 "To Let," has been thoroughly over- 

 hauled and looks very neat. A visit to 

 the Music Hall market showed a wonder- 

 ful transformation since a previous visit. 

 The floor was beautifully lighted by elec- 

 tricity and seemed very cozy. Some 130 



stalls are rented, with a prospect of- more 

 being taken soon. The principal en- 

 trance is from Hamilton place, but there 

 are two additional ones leading to Music 

 Hall place and Washington street and 

 a probability of a fourth leading to 

 Bromfield street very shortly. The sales- 

 room here is much larger than at Park 

 street, covering 6,000 square feet. 



The markets opened for business on 

 September 26 and each seemed satisfied 

 with business transacted. It is to be re- 

 gretted that a split has occurred. There 

 is room for one big, strong market and, 

 while two may each do a good business 

 for some time, we expect to see the pres- 

 ent feeling between the two factions 

 gradually die out and eventually an amal- 

 gamation take place on lines satisfactory 

 to both sides. 



The Autumnal Show. 



The new halls of the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society were never better 

 filled with choice exhibits, nor more taste- 

 fully arranged, than on the occasion of 

 the annual autumn show September 22 to 

 25. The committee of arrangements had 

 worked hard and deserves special com- 

 mendation. Exhibits were so arranged 

 that the work of the committees was 

 greatly lightened when making their 



