AlAiicir U'J, 1»UG. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



1289 



cliCMp aihl oi'teii injurious iii^^rcdients, 

 their price iiiay ai)pear lii^ii at first 

 gliiiicc, nut c-alcuiatiiig their units of 

 soluble plant food tliey compare favor- 

 ably m price, especially with so-called 

 natural iertilizers. 



After all is said aiul done the baTd 

 fact remains that the only food that i.s 

 of any use to the 2)lant roots is a soluble 

 fertilizer. 



RETAILERS AND NEW ROSES. 



[A p:ipcr by Gooigi' Asiuus, Cliiciigu, reud bc- 

 foii' till' Aiiierican Itodo Society ut Uostoii, 

 March l':j, 1906.] 



The reader is enthusiastic on any sub- 

 ject in floriculture, whereby the exchang- 

 ing of ideas is possible; and with that 

 view firmly established at a very early 

 age became a member of our noble 

 Society of American Florists ami Orna- 

 mental Horticulturists. 1 have become 

 affiliated with local florists' clubs, flower 

 shows and two of the great offspring 

 of the S. A. F., namely, the American 

 Eose and Carnation Societies. With that 

 feeling predominant I accepted the in- 

 vitation to read this paper before this 

 honorable body, to express the views I 

 have ui)on this subject. 



To handle my subject briefly and 

 clearly 1 have reduced the retailers' part 

 in the introduction of new roses into 

 what I shall term eight reasons, as fol- 

 lows : 



I'irst — He should become acquainted 

 with as many new roses as possible. 



Second — He should acquaint himself 

 with the flowering habits of new roses. 



Third — He should display new varie- 

 ties prominently in show windows and 

 store. 



Fourth — He shouhl arrange with com- 

 mission men or growers for regular sup- 

 ply of new varieties. 



Fifth. — He should learn the parentage 

 or source of new \;nie1ies. 



Sixth — He should interest himself iu 

 naming of new varieties. 



Seventli — He should devote part of 

 his time to horticultural societies and 

 local florists' clubs to .relate experience 

 with new varieties. 



Eighth — He should be one of a set of 

 judges tiud his essays more frc'iuent. 



Buyers of Educated Class. 



1 '.\ill now ondea\'or to ;ni-\ver the 

 first of above reasons why tin' retailer 

 should bccoine acquainted with new va- 

 rieties. The Atneiicaii (lower buyers are 

 principiiUy composed of tiie eilu-ated 

 classes v.ho are 'iesirous uf knowledge; 

 more so when jxM'taining to :inythiug 

 new. 1 will cite one iiM-ide:' that oc- 

 curre<l duiing my s);,y here :ir tl;e recent 

 Anieri'-:!!' < ai-tiation Society'- 'Meeting, 

 one tl:Mt -traci< me x^tv t'nrni.Iy. 



W'itli se\ci'al (iti.ers, I was \i~Miiig one 

 of Ih.e jiriruiiiient lloi-j^ts "f ; ;< city, 

 when ;■ !a<ly er tered, 'ni.le:!'- a cus- 

 tomer, wht: liai! availed iai-'li' 'f tiie 

 afipnr: aiity :<> vi'-it ; lie In i ■: : I'iil dis- 

 ))lay 111' '-ariiations '-ta„'ed ia ''lis iniild- 



mg 



b 



America s ! c-i. -r 



-. She 



had with iier a Idoeni "t' a ".v carn.a- 

 tion, nnd being deeply mterc-; .1 in it 

 wanted to know mnie ab^out ''.• Ih-wer, 

 but contrary to her e.\pc--fatio' - none of 

 the clerical force was able ' > 4ive her 

 the desired ini'ormat ion. l.-ci-ilv one 



of our nartv overii^ard tin 



ersation 



and delighteil the lady with :. ' knowl- 

 edge sh.e liad trouble, 1 herself ta .-ccure. 



This led nio to iipjuire how aiany of 

 the sessions tin.' three florists in 'hat par- 



♦ ;, 



]<■ iia^l .attentlc.L 



as '-'11 



George Asmus. 



prised to hear that neither one liad been 

 to the Horticultural hall .at all; and was 

 more surprised when -asked by one of 

 the clerks (who ju'ot'essed fifteen years' 

 experience), "What kind of a show h.ave 

 they got any way?" This to me, who 

 had traveled 1,000 mih's. was .a revela- 

 tion! Had he availed himsell' of the 

 opportunity to become bet It r posted on 

 new varieties l»y attending the meeting 

 he would have been able t^i creditably 

 answer the lady's (jue-tions. 



Retailers Need Ambition. 



Surely our art is one to 1)0 jiroud of, 

 .and this h.all this cvenin^^ oughl ti> i>c 

 [■ackc'l with local retailers liljcd with 

 .ambition and pride in ilieir callin'.'. Tli-' 

 press of the whole coui'.try i.s evidently 

 aw.akeniiig to the great- d.'sii-c of tli" 

 public on .anything jiertaiidn'^' <m li(.:ii- 

 •idture; antl w are on lie e\.> i,t :; 

 Uii'at and prosjua-ous I'r.tiiie. 'I'lierefn:-!' 

 it behc.()\es the retailer a- lia' j,: a; 

 medium, Im^ who meets Mie 'aave.- ,;ir..'. 

 to acqua'iiit hiiaseli' w:;a tii' ; ■ ,'.■ r-i^c 

 .ami di-^tribute that in f'li !aa t '■ : in.ly 

 auil ru-eur.ately to his 1 rad". 



.My si'CM'hl rea-ai i-: \\i,- ■:■ ;.;.ii: ;• 

 '•luiuid acquaint hiin-eii; wiiii ili,. ;l:,\.e,- 

 ing habits of nvw rosc.s, b;'c;ii;<o the 

 tlowa^'riiig !nl;its regulate the -apjiiy aa^l 

 the supply very often the price. lb' 

 would .also kia>w' winat to e.MK ct 'jii 

 largest cat .and thus be' .able to (di'.ain 

 blossoms in (lutiiitity for all ocrasio!;s, :,v, 

 for insttincp, a i-e^ular ]airch:iser ot' a 

 certain vtirioty intends to entertain, ait'l 

 wants to know if she (am obt.aia lar 

 f;i\iiiif >.' rn'--e.s fnr that date. 'j'h.-. .aiii- 



dence of the p"i-nn wonhl bo strength- 

 etied by iinmedi.at.- kni.wledge. ' 



Should Display New Varieties. 



lu'garding my third reason: Why the 

 rettiiler -iioidd display prominently new 

 \-.arieties: this is very important and 

 beai-s iiMire than ordiiiaiy interest to 

 his b-isii, ,..--. As 1 said before, the pub- 

 lic i-, con.st iritly looking I'or something 

 new, and it is a I'.act, also that peo[de 

 w!io are undcridi-d .as to the mature of 

 tlie ,ariiel.> tliey iiitei;i| to purchtise are 

 efieii attiacted by a p.art icaihirly fine 

 \;:-e of iH\' r^-^e., ,,r anytliing new in 

 •'.;■ bne. !i,,i, b\ c.aa-iiig tn.aiiy sales 

 'n;'t ^^o■,I,i ',•■• ,.t iaa-w i -■■ Jiave beee 

 ■aa::e. 'I j;,,i .'lore, li ]' ,s t^,. good fcr 

 ";: e ,i' til,, retailer 'o !.a\e at !iis di^■ 

 : -d "le .aMj' oi' -..in.' ^r.c,-er who has 

 '- ''■' 1-iS titi;,' a'!'! -Lii! ai.d !;as Ides-ed 

 !":c''!''''-'' '.^ila •; • t'r, I's ;,t' I,.-; labor, 

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