44 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



Decbmbek 12. 1907. 



A. L. Randall Co* 



Wholesale Florists '"^^H^t" 19-21 Randolph St, Chicago 



FOR CHRISTMAS 



We will have a good supply of all kinds of stock, including American Beauties, Richmond, Liberty, 

 Maid and Bride, Fancy Carnations of all varieties, and know we can fill your orders when others might 

 fail. 



No matter what you are short of in FLORISTS' SUPPLIES for Christmas, write, wire or 

 phone to us. We will ship by next express. 



A. L. RANDALL CO., 19-21 RANDOLPH ST., CHICAGO, ILL. 



Mention The Berlew when yon write. 



just now. Killarney is probably the fa- 

 vorite of the other varieties and will be 

 in strong demand for Christmas. 



Carnations have not come in heavily, 

 but the supply has been erratic, some 

 days large and some days light, so that 

 it has been a problem to supply and 

 satisfy one's customers and make any 

 sort of a showing to the growers. Car- 

 nations have not come on as expected. 

 The growers say the plants are full of 

 buds and they anticipate big crops for 

 Christmas, but the plants seem almost 

 to stand still and receipts do not in- 

 crease as one would look for them to do. 



The violet market has had a relapse. 

 At Thanksgiving, and just after it, there 

 was a good market, but it was not long 

 before prices went back to the old level, 

 which is on what the growers say is an 

 unprofitable basis. Opinions vary as to 

 the Christmas supply. Some houses look 

 for exceptionally heavy receipts and 

 others expect nothing beyond the ordi- 

 nary. The retailers freely predict they 

 will not have to pay as much for violets 

 this Christmsis as last. The receipts are 

 wanted on December 24, which is Tues- 

 day, a day on which comparatively few 

 Rhinebeck violets reach tlus market. It 

 is up to the growers to make special 

 arrangements to get their shipments 

 here as wanted. "Wednesday will be too 

 late. 



Chrysanthemums are now down to a 

 few late whites, but some good stock 

 still is to be had. Callas and Harrisii 

 are abundant and Paper Whites and 

 Romans are a glut. Stevia is everywhere 

 and mignonette is plentiful. All green 

 goods are abnndant. Good holly ia to 

 be had in spite of the predictions that 



there would be few berries on it and 

 bouquet green is offered at cheap prices. 



Christmas Prospects. 



It is the consensus of opinion that 

 with bright weather we shall have a con- 

 siderably larger Christmas supply than 

 ever before. The same factor will make 

 quality fine. But the growers must not 

 hold back for the advanced prices at 

 Christmas, or they will defeat themselves. 

 The man who will make the best average 

 will be the one who keeps his stock com- 

 ing in steadily as cut December 18 to 23. 

 There is a justification for trying to 

 make the Christmas crop as large as pos- 

 sible, but you can lay odds that the mar- 

 ket December 20 and 21 will be stronger 

 than it will be December 24. The morn- 

 ing of December 23 is when the bulk of 

 the stuff should reach this market. 

 Everything received in good condition 

 that day is sure of a good sale, for the 

 Christmas business will be heavy and 

 possibly the best on record. 



Some veteran wholesalers who have 

 passed through several hard-times Christ- 

 mases say that, while preceded and fol- 

 lowed by quiet business, those Christ- 

 mases have been invariably good. They 

 explain it by saying that the men who 

 bought diamonds for their vrives when 

 they were flush bought flowers at other 

 times. 



A Good Book by yf^ite* 



In newspaper circles there is an old 

 story of how a reporter got a scoop by 

 beating the other reporters to the only 

 telegraph wire and, after he had sent his 

 story, holding the wire by giving the op- 

 erator a copy of the Bible with instruc- 



tions to telegraph Genesis until 12 

 'clock. 



Last week W. J. Smyth received »i 

 book by wire, from Gude Bros. Co., 

 Washington, together with several other 

 big designs. These were ordered of 

 Gude's by government of&cials and de- 

 partments, to be sent to the funeral of 

 Gen. Palmer, formerly Public Printer. 

 The book was on a four-foot frame, the 

 right page made of dendrobiums, cat- 

 tleyas and valley. On the left page was 

 the Inscription, "From Government 

 Printing Office, Washington, D. C." 

 The other designs were equally elab- 

 orate. The Gudes executed the orders- 

 on short notice by means of precise tele- 

 graphic instructions to Mr. Smyth. 



Variotis Notes. 



The shipping demand for Bhinebeck 

 violets is steadily increasing. Having- 

 come a thousand miles to CMcago, they 

 lose nothing by another night's travel, 

 and many out-of-town retailers are buy- 

 ing thousand lots. 



The A. L. Randall Co. figured on plac- 

 ing a car of holly, but when the car ar- 

 rived December 9 it was found the or- 

 ders necessit?ited picking up another car. 



Bassett & Washburn are congratulating- 

 themselves that they will have an ex- 

 ceptionally heavy crop of Killarney in> 

 the next fortnight. 



A vase of Fritz Bahr's white seedling 

 of Prosperity has been on exhibition at 

 the store of the E. F. Winterson Co. for 

 several days. The flowers are of enor- 

 mous size. 



Frederick Sperry has been on the sick 

 list for several days. 



Weiland & Risch have added an ad<- 



