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May 9, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



1889 



very tlecided in the attention given to 

 nerennials. Many works have been pub- 

 lished, treating' entirely on the old-fash- 

 ioned or hardy garden. The amateurs 

 seem to enter into this line with new 

 zeal year after year, so that this depart- 

 ment has grown to the enormous extent 

 of 2,000 varieties, requiring forty acres 

 to perpetuate the stock. 



The interest in aquatics is a develop- 

 ment of the last twelve years, and has 

 extended from this country to Europe. 

 Fully six acres are now devoted to this 

 branch. Many of the best introductions 

 of recent years are of American origin. 



Twenty years ago it was considered a 

 bold plunge to devote one house 12x100 

 10 ferns. Since 1898 ovM one acre is 

 yiven to these, and fully a quarter mil- 

 lion are in readiness for immediate mar- 

 ket, and one and a half millions are 

 liandled every season. 



The palm is the leading decorative 

 plant. With all, from the owner of the 

 conservatory to the occupant of a flat 

 embellished by a fire escape, the palm 

 has a place, and is essential in the col- 

 lection of plants for home adornment. 

 These alone occupy four acres of glass. 

 Seeds of the important varieties are im- 

 ported from their native haunts, the 

 most prominent being the kentia. These 

 are sown in batches of from seventy-five 

 to 100 bushels at one time. Other varie- 

 ties are used in proportion. The palm 

 industry, with that of the fern, is prac- 

 tically a development of the last twenty 

 years. 



The dahlia was somewhat obsolete for 

 a number of years, but has been resur- 

 rected, and many new varieties and new 

 types have been introduced. Ten years 

 ago less than 6,000 constituted the stock ; 

 75,000 in 1904, and now the enormous 

 number of 300,000 is necessary to meet 

 the demand, requiring fifty acres for 

 maintaining the stock. 



The demand for the ever-popular 

 azalea is still on the increase, ranging 

 from 150 plants imported in 1876 to the 

 present requirement of 60,000. 



Roses for outdoor planting are among 

 the most important of spring stock, and 

 have made the most marked increase; 

 from 6,000 eight years ago to 200,000, 

 the present requirement. 



Enumerating the above is only to show 

 the advancement made in commercial 

 horticulture along the line of specialties. 

 Much other of the varied stock is grown 

 in proportion to the demand. 



The Equipment. 



To harbor and maintain an equipment 

 of such magnitude, extensive glass and 

 open area is necessary, besides many ac- 

 cessories with which to carry it through 

 from season to season, namely, a glass 

 area of from seven to eight acres of 

 modern construction in greater part. 

 Boiler capacity of 850 horse-power, con- 

 suming 3,000 tons of coal per annum. 

 Water capacity for all uses ; 300,000 gal- 

 lons per day. A fumigating house of 

 special construction as required by the 

 state laws, for hydrocyanic acid gas, for 

 safeguarding against even an incipient 

 presence of scale. A complete machine 

 shop, operated by steam power, for re- 

 pairing and constructing, and supplied 

 with saw-table for cutting lumber to re- 

 quired sizes for cases and crates for 

 shipments; also a carpenter shop in con- 

 stant operation. A cold storage area for 

 storing stock for winter and early spring 

 shipment to southern points. Experi- 

 mental grounds for the thorough testing 



FAMIUAR BOOSTERS IN CARICATURE. 



Charles N. Page. 



The Des Moines Daily Tribune is 

 publishing a series of cartoons entitled 

 ' ' Boosters in Caricature, ' ' of which the 

 above is one. It is printed together with 

 a sketch of the subject. Chas. N. Page 

 removed to Des Moines April 9, 1877, 

 when he was but 16 years of age, and 



has been identified for thirty years with 

 the business of which he now is the 

 head. Mr. Page not only is a booster 

 for Des Moines, but a booster for the 

 horticultural trades as well. His firm 

 is interested in all departments of the 

 business. / ; 



of new varieties of plants of foreign and 

 home production. A supply department 

 which is under control of one who knows 

 the value of preventing waste. All sup- 

 plies, from oflBce stationery, tools for 

 machine shop, and every utensil needed 

 under glass and on open ground, to the 

 most minute item, is guarded with 

 vigilant exactness, replenished before ex- 

 hausted, and distributed only as needed 

 and upon orders, the working force of 

 this establishment being 150 men, among 

 whom are twenty order clerks and thirty- 

 five packers. A horticultural establish- 

 ment thus equipped requires systematic 

 organization to cope with the ever in- 

 creasing demand of the eager, plant-lov- 

 ing public, and as the pressure and bulk 

 of the business is confined to the short 

 period of spring operations, the strain 

 is severe upon those on whom the re- 

 sponsibility falls. The force must be 

 divided and assigned to the various 

 branches, the head of each force to as- 

 sume the responsibility for the accom- 

 plishment of the work to which he is 

 delegated. 



The Executive Staff. 



The staff must be headed by a man- 

 ager, vigilant and capable, assisted by 

 an office force of skilled horticulturists, 

 who take up the details and carry them 

 to completion, answering all inquiries of 

 the departments to which they belong. 

 He must be able to answer inquiries on 



all subjects in horticulture, and give in- 

 formation leading to same; advise the 

 inexperienced regarding plants. He must 

 be a fund of information, on whom the 

 enthusiastic amateur can and does draw 

 freely. He must be in constant touch 

 with his trustworthy and capable heads 

 of each department, who with him formu- 

 late plans for the seasons ahead, antici- 

 pating the demands which catalogue and 

 other advertising mediums might inspire. 

 The propagator, a dependable person- 

 age, must be capable, with good judg- 

 ment in regulating the stock quantities 

 by general conditions and species. Only 

 by close application and years of prac- 

 tice and study does he become familiar 

 with the wide range of plant conditions 

 and the care of plants, observing through 

 all his work that careful labeling is 

 imperative. He is to propagate in such 

 quantities as the manager may direct. 



Packing and Shipping. 



The packing department is an im- 

 portant one. While the order clerks may 

 do their work carefully and, to all ap- 

 pearances, completely, yet the packer 

 must again check up before he finally 

 packs for shipping. He must use judg- 

 ment as to the duration of transit and 

 pack accordingly, to guard against 

 weather conditions at destination and in 

 transit; and pack consistently light to 

 save heavy transportation charges. After 

 he is through he passes the case or cases 



