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28 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



Mabch 26, 1908. 



THE FLORISTS^ SUPPLY HOUSE OF AMERICA 



EASTER SPECIALTIES 



BASKET FERNERIES, with and without zinc lining, from 26c up 



TWIG BASKETS, all shapes and sises 



HANDLE BASKETS for Plants and Flowers 



POT COVERS, strong and neat, wooden bottoms, attractive shades 



PAPER POT COVERS, from $1.00 per 100 up 



CREPE PAPER, new, all flower colors in soft tints; also PLEATED PAPER, all colors 



TONEWARE VASES, large, medium and small 



PLANT STANDS, always useful at Easter 



DOVES, CYCAS LEAVES, WHEAT SHEAVES. CHINA SWANS for Easter, aU sizes 



H. BAYERSDORFER & CO. 



We Know What You Want 

 We Have Wtiat You Want 

 Just Say Wliat You Want 

 We'll Ship What You Want 



1129 Arch Street, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 



-SEND FOR OUR NEW C^TALOGUE- 



Mentlon The ReTlew when yon write. 



commission bouse in Denver, and it looks 

 as though such an enterprise could not 

 be a success until there is room for 

 two such concerns, for it is bard to get 

 the growers to place confidence in a 

 man who has no competition. 



Volume of Business. 



As nearly as I can determine, the 

 forcing of roses in Colorado only dates 

 back to 1873, when Gus Opitz grew a 

 dozen plants or so. The following year 

 Busbmore & Son planted Hermosa, Isa- 

 bella Sprunt, Safrano and Lamarque, 

 all in a house about fifty feet long. 



I have sent out numerous inquiries, 

 and, using the replies received as a basis, 

 I estimate that the florists of the state 

 are at present forcing about 35,000 

 Beauties, 30,000 Brides, 20,000 each of 

 Bridesmaid, Chatenay and Richmond, and 

 10,000 other roses, including Roosevelt, 

 Killarney, Perle, Kaiserin and Moulton. 

 It is interesting to note that not a single 

 concern reported any Liberty, and that 

 rose seems to have been completely sup- 

 planted by Richmond. 



The retail business in the state prob- 

 ably approximates $650,000 per annum, 

 or $1 for each inhabitant. I would not 

 like to venture an estimate of the amount 

 of wholesale business done with adjoin- 

 ing states, but it is considerable. These 

 figures must seem absurdly small to Chi- 

 cago florists who are accustomed to places 

 with a million feet of glass under one 

 management; but some day the men who 

 have grown rich in Chicago will make 

 their homes in Colorado, where summer 

 and winter alike are delightful, and we 

 in our turn will build large places and 

 get rich catering to their wants. 



Business Opportunities. 



Just at present there does not seem 

 to be any opening for increased areas 

 of glass in the vicinity of Denver, but 

 there are, doubtless, a number of small 

 towns in the state where a florist could 

 start in a modest way and gradually 

 build up a business which would be 

 fairly remunerative. Such a man would 

 do well to work a year for some es- 

 tablished concern, where he could ob- 

 serve the methods practiced, and he could 

 then start for himself with less risk of 

 costly mistakes. If success came slowly. 



he would find some compensation in the 

 joy of living among a warm-hearted and 

 generous people, in a glorius climate, 

 with noble mountains in view, whose 

 charm would ever increase. What better 

 can any country offer than moderate 

 financial success in such an environment? 

 This paper would not be complete 

 without some reference to the present 

 financial condition, and I am glad to 

 be able to say that in Colorado the 

 recent depression has not made any ap- 



iraVERY now and then a well 

 »S pleased reader speaks the word 

 which is the means of bringing a new 

 advertiser to 



m 





Such friendly assistance is thoroughly 

 appreciated. 



Give us the name of anyone from 

 whom you are buying, not an adver- 

 tiser. We especially wish to interest 

 those selling articles of florists' use 

 not at present advertised. 



FLORISTS* PUBLISHING CO. 

 530-60 Caxton Bldg. Chicago 



preciable difference in the business. It 

 may be that it is yet too early for us 

 to feel the bad effects from the late 

 panic, and there may still be for us a 

 day of reckoning, but, like all others, 

 we are glad to put off the evil day as 

 long as possible. 



Independence. Ia. — George S. Wood- 

 ruff says the mail order trade in gladio- 

 lus bulbs is lively. 



Westbury, N. Y. — The Westbury 

 gardeners recently defeated the Glen 

 Cove gardeners three straight games in 

 a bowling contest for a silver cup. 



PHILADELPHIA. 



The Rising Eastern Market. 



There has been a decided change for 

 the better during the last week, most no- 

 ticeably in the carnation market, which 

 was in healthier condition Friday and 

 Saturday than at any time during the 

 last six weeks. While not so marked dur- 

 ing the first three days oif this week, the 

 improvement has continued, the supply 

 being cut down considerably by the dark 

 weather. Various reasons are given for 

 the improvement in business at a time 

 when it was not expected. The best in- 

 formed judges of the market believe that 

 it is due to the decided reduction in 

 prices, bringing flowers within the reach 

 of a larger number of buyers. Special 

 efforts were made to relieve the situation 

 in carnations by several of the wholesal- 

 ers, with gratifying results. The retailers 

 also took advantage of the market condi- 

 tions to make special sales of different 

 varieties of flowers, southern daffodils 

 being the favorite flower for this pur- 

 pose, but in direct opposition to the gen- 

 eral trend, the Century Flower Shop 

 chose the aristocratic Beauty, making 

 special prices on a good grade of this 

 rose. 



An impetus has been given to the de- 

 mand for well grown blooms of Em- 

 peror and other choice single daffodils by 

 the arrival of heavier shipments of 

 southern stock, some of the leading shops 

 seeming to prefer to carry only the best 

 when everyone is carrying daffodils in 

 quantity. Single violets of finest quality 

 are about done. The plants grown in 

 frames and in the open will be depended 

 on to furnish stock until Easter. While 

 the valley situation has not greatly im- 

 proved, there have been some excellent 

 orders. Cattleyas have become much more 

 plentiful and are fine in several varieties. 

 Fine long-stemmed sweet peas are in de- 

 mand, but not ordinary stock. Callas con- 

 tinue abundant. Gardenias are but little 

 sought after. There is some excellent 

 snapdragon in the market. Greens are 

 in fair but not brisk demand. 



The Floracrof t Greenhouses. 



Until this week, Phil had never had 

 the pleasure of seeing the magnificent 

 new greenhouses erected at ISIoorestown, 



