628 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



January 25, 1906. 



not have been cut too long. The whole- 

 saler of today is equipped with cold stor- 

 age facilities, and he can hold the stock 

 if necessary, or sell it at once if that 

 is best; and being in the market, he can 

 take advantage of the conditions that 

 may arise much better than he could if 

 the grower has the flowers in his own 

 cellar. I have seen carnations, say, 

 right before a holiday, which, although 

 they looked grand in the grower's cel- 



FROM A RETAILER'S VIEWPOINT. 



HV THOS. F. UALVIN, HOSTON. 



[A paper read before the American Carnation 

 Society at the Boston meeting, January 25, 

 lOOa.] 



Being a business man, and also wholly 



unsuited to take up the matter devolving 



upon me, viz., to present the commercial 



aspect of the carnation to the trade and 



the public, I am free to acknowledge that 



[ approach the subject with much trepi- 



■&t 



Carnation Victory— not fall size. 



lar, were not salable three hours after 

 reaching the wholesaler's establishment. 



On High Prices. 



I would like to say a few words on 

 high prices. Often the growers put it 

 up to the wholesalers, especially during 

 the winter season, to explain why prices 

 are high today and low tomorrow. My 

 experience has taught me that when 

 prices are too high, tliat is, too high for 

 the average retailer to bo able to satisfy 

 his customers and make a reasonable 

 profit, that then the retailer stops buying. 

 Therefore the moment that prices have 

 reached the limit, the retailers stop buy- 

 ing for one or two days, and, as the 

 stock continues to bloom, and flowers, 

 as you know, have to be moved, for they 

 do not improve with age, the wholesaler 

 is compelled to lower prices and soon 

 the retailers buy and the machinery is 

 again in proper motion. 



One thing more: The wholesaler can 

 greatly help to popularize the meritorious 

 varieties by distributing the blooms 

 among as many retailers as it is possible 

 for him to do with the supply at his dis- 

 posal. 



I wish to say here that several gen- 

 tlemen of our profession have assisted 

 me in this work, and I mention it, be- 

 cause I felt that since you have so hon- 

 ored me, it was my duty to present here 

 as good a paper on this subject as it was 

 possible for me to give you. 



dation, but the results of the improve- 

 ment of the carnation as a vital adjunct 

 of the florists' business have been so far- 

 reaching, and the extraordinary popular- 

 ity that it has attained in recent years, 

 lead me to venture the statement that it 



has almost supplanted the rose in inter- 

 est and importance. 



From the small, weak and insignificant 

 pink, slender and drooping in its charac- 

 teristics, we now have one of the most 

 vigorous, strongest and most importat 

 gems of the whole floral kingdom, and so 

 general has been the interest in the de- 

 velopment of this popular flower that, be- 

 side the above improvements, there have 

 been added many new, brilliant and daz- 

 zling colors, which, when massed or as- 

 sembled and gathered together produce 

 an eifect which is almost bewildering in 

 its attractiveness. In fact, today per- 

 fect carnations are an indispensable ad- 

 junct of the business of the florist. They 

 have the keeping qualities so necessary 

 for the satisfaction of lovers of the beau- 

 tiful in flowers, and many instances can 

 be cited where they have graced the bou- 

 doir and table, and staterooms of many a 

 transatlantic palace liner, when the charm 

 and beauty and fragrance of all other 

 flowers have passed away. 



With the present system of growth, in 

 many instances flowers have been pro- 

 duced which could not be put into a large 

 size goblet Avithout being crushed; with 

 a stem so firm and rigid that it can be 

 used for a multitude of purposes without 

 being wired. While this might be con- 

 sidered a more commercial aspect of the 

 question, it is one that is far-reaching in 

 its results, and when we consider it in all 

 its attractiveness of form, color and other 

 fine qualities, the precision and regular- 

 ity of its form and growth cannot be 

 too highly recommended ; and while I 

 disclaim anything personal in this paper, 

 I believe, truthfully, that the introduction 

 of the Lawson carnation has done much 

 to awaken enthusiasm amongst all classes 

 of our people in favor of this type of 

 flower. 



Success Requires Merit. 



It is a well established precedent that 

 nothing can be made a genuine success 

 without having the attributes of true 

 merit behind it, and in order that th» 

 public shall appreciate and realize the 

 good in any proposition or undertaking, 

 it must have the ear-marks of future suc- 



MiLFORD, Conn. — D. C. Lines has 

 leased the greenhouse end of his busi- 

 ness to Harry Hungerford, but retains 

 the nursery and gardening departments. 



Showing Form and Stem of Gunation Victory. 



