Dbcembeu 12, 1907. 



TheWcekly Florists' Review. 



iMtlT-J 



23 



A Basket of Christmas Plants Arranged by W. J. Smyth, Chicago. 



And in the last fortnight the high price 

 caused by the prospect of scarcity so 

 stimulated the pickers that the result has 

 been unlocked for heavy receipts and a 

 falling market. Green now is abundant. 



Holly promises to be in fair supply, 

 though it is reported that many sections 

 in Tennessee and Mississippi are makin^r 

 a poor showing. Growers are fast learn- 

 ing the necessity of shipping only such 

 holly as produces bright red berries, for 

 there is neither demand nor price for the 

 other kind. 



While mistletoe is always popular, the 

 demand for this parasitic plant is limited. 

 Dealers have learned by experience that 

 it pays them to practice extreme caution 

 in the purchase of this decoration, and 

 to buy only of experienced and responsi- 

 ble shippers. Poor packing and a lax ob- 

 servance of weather conditions often re- 

 sult in a total loss, and more than onco 

 • l)ig consignments of mistletoe shipped on 

 speculation have been sold for charges. 

 Only well-berried mistletoe is in demand, 

 and, like holly, this decoration must come 

 np to a high standard of quality to be 

 marketable. Mistletoe is said to be abun- 

 <lant this season. 



While a considerable quantity of green 

 sheet moss is used for pot coverings, 

 store windows and hanging baskets, its 

 use as a strictly holiday decoration, like 

 that of the southern, or Florida, gray 

 moss, is not so profuse as the holly and 

 green, and therefore does not play an im- 

 portant part in the jobbing trade about 

 Christmas time. 



But chamarops palm crowns and palm 

 leaves have decided advantages over some 

 of the green- decorations in that their 

 keeping qualities are superior. The 

 leaves, however, must be placed in water 

 or wet moss to avert wilting. But de- 

 spite these advantages the demand for 

 palm crowns is almost gone. Their un 

 wieldy qualities, which make them diffi- 

 cult of shipment, have tended to destroy 

 the interest formerly taken in them by 

 jobbers. 



Wild smilax is not exactly a Christmas 

 green, nor do magnolia wreaths, or galax, 

 or laurel festooning have a great sale, 

 although each is a factor. For fine trade 

 boxwood wreaths sell well and this is an 

 article likely to stay in the hands of the 

 florists for some time, as the supply' is 

 too limited and the price too high to at 



tract the attention of the provision peo 

 pie, whose incursions into the field in re-, 

 cent years have done so much to destroy ■ 

 the profit in Christmas greens, because 

 quality has been a second consideration 

 and cheapness the first thing sought. 



FASTENING WALL DECORATIONS. 



« In decorations where it is desired to 

 fasten smilax or asparagus strings, or 

 ribbons, to walls or ceilings where there 

 is no woodwork, how may this be done 

 without marking or marring the paper 

 or paint? H. F. C. 



Such a question as yours often con- 

 fronts the decorator. I presume you are 

 referring to house decorating. There is 

 in almost every room in a house some 

 woodwork where you can get a hold, al- 

 though it may be some distance away 

 from where you are decorating. Of 

 course, if there is none at all you will 

 have to get a hold on the wall or ceil- 

 ing somewhere. 



The extreme corners of a room are a 

 good place to fasten a wire or string. 

 A strong pin or tack driven in the corner 



