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Decbmbeb 31, 1908. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



being used for funeral purposes. Christ- 

 mas sales average of small value, but the 

 business was somewhat ahead of last 

 year. 



Leavenworth. — J. E. Meinhart found 

 his only trouble in supplying the de- 

 mand. Sales were double those of 1907 

 and three times as great as 1906. He 

 could have used more stock of every kind. 

 The call was for medium-priced articles. 

 He uses few plant embellishments. 



Lawrence. — C. M. & S. E. Luther 

 found business about the same as in pre- 

 vious years. Everything salable was sold 

 out clean, both in plants and cut flowers, 

 but the demand was strongest for cut 

 flowers. Prices were fair. Christmas 

 business began early and the weather was 

 pleasant. 



Topeka. — James Hayes says that 

 Christmas business was about the same 

 as usual and does not vary much from 

 year to year. His best selling stock was 

 red carnations and Lorraine .begonias. 

 Prices were good and sales began several 

 aays earlier than in previous years. The 

 weather was so mild and pleasant that 

 plants could be delivered without wrap- 

 ing. Eibbon was used to advantage. 



Wichita. — W. H. Gulp & Co. enjoyed 

 a Christmas business that was much bet- 

 ter than in 1907 or 1906. Their stock 

 of cut flowers was insufficient for the 

 demand, and there was not much left 

 except a few ferns and palms and other 

 odds and ends. In cut flowers their best 

 sellers were choice roses and carnations; 

 in plants, azaleas, Lorraine begonias and 

 poinsettias took the lead. Prices were 

 about as usual. Trade started about De- 

 cember 21, except a few earlier orders for 

 decorative material. The weather was fine. 

 Pot covers, baskets, ribbons, etc., were 

 profitable accessories and were called for 

 if not in evidence. Plant sales included 

 more high-priced items than in other 

 years. * 



Kentucky. 



HOPKINSVILLE. — T. L. Metcalf reports 

 a good Christmas. The principal call was 

 for carnations, and he could have used 

 more, also more plants in bloom. There 

 was little call for the accessories to go 

 with these. 



Ashland. — Christmas business was 

 fully up to last year, according to 

 William H. Carp. Carnations had first 

 place, and all wanted red. All cut flow- 

 ers, even narcissi and roses, sold well. 

 There was a fair call for azaleas and 

 ferns. 



Mt. Sterling. — Emil Fredrich says 

 the call was for the better grade of pot 

 plants, and a special feature was the sale 

 of low table plants. More stock of all 

 good kinds could have been used. Pot 

 covers, baskets, etc., are little used in 

 this section. 



Paducah. — Christmas trade was better 

 than in 1907 and fully as good as 1906. 

 Practically everything sold out clean. 

 C. L. Brunson & Co. say they could have 

 sold several hundred more pans of poin- 

 settias, Paper Whites and Romans. They 

 had ready sales for pansies and violets in 

 pans. They always use pot covers and 

 other embellishments and find a good 

 profit in them. This year the call was 

 for slightly less expensive articles than 

 in the past. 



Winchester. — Christmas trade was 

 more than double that of 1907, according 

 to J. W. Shearer. He had enough cut 

 flowers, but not enough plants. Poin- 

 settias sold best; a few Lorraines were 



William J. Vesey. 



left. Mats and plaited paper paid, but 

 no profit was to be had through the use 

 of the common crepe paper. The call was 

 for better things than ever before. ,A 

 million dollars tobacco money has re- 

 cently been turned loose in this county, 

 and the florists are getting their share. 



BowuNo Green. — Poinsettias in pots 

 and pans cleaned up, but those which had 

 been cut were left. All pot plants sold 

 well, with the Burdell Floral Co., but 

 there were enough to go around. All 

 cut flowers sold cleanly, and more roses 

 and carnations could have been used. The 

 use of pot covers, ribbons, baskets, etc., 

 adds too much to the cost of the cheaper 

 plants, but is profitable on higher grade 

 stock and helps in its sale. This year 

 the call was for the less expensive items 

 and the highest priced plants were left. 



Maine* 



Portland. — L. C. Goddard sold out 

 clean on cut flowers, but some plants 

 were left, including azaleas and, of 

 course, ferns. Carnations of colors were 

 in best demand. Prices were up to other 

 years, except on bulb stock, but the total 

 was not quite up to the last two holidays. 

 The call was for the less expensive 

 things. 



Lewiston. — Ernest Saunder says trade 

 was quiet in the fall, and collections 

 slow, but he could not see that last year 's 

 panic made any difference in the Christ- 

 mas business. It was slightly larger 

 than in 1907 or in 1906. He ,had stock 

 enough, but sold nearly everything ready, 

 in both plants and cut flowers. The trade 

 was later in starting, but prices about 

 the same as in other years. 



MaiVlaod. 



Cumberland. — There was an abun- 

 dance of stock for , Christmas and busi- 

 ness was better than ever before. Prices 

 were good, but not quite as high as last 

 year. Ferns, primroses, azaleas, short 

 poinsettias and fern dishes sold best. 

 Little embellishment was permitted, be- 

 cause nearly everyone wanted things as 

 reasonable in price as possible. Less 

 expensive cut flowers were called for, but 

 larger plants were salable. John A. Bopp 

 says a notable feature was the demand 

 for small paper bells and alpha bells. 



Massachusetts. 



New Bedford. — All the stores were 

 filled with flowering plants a week ago, 

 but now are empty. There was a big in- 

 crease in the plant business, but all cut 

 flowers also sold well, although at no 

 specially high prices. William Livesey re- 

 ports good business in all Christmas 

 greens, and profitable prices. 



Newton. — John Irving thinks trade 

 was fully as good as in 1906 or 1907. 

 He did not have enough cut flowers to 

 meet the demand, and he had no plants 

 left except a few Lorraine begonias. 

 His Christmas sales began rather late. 

 The weather was pleasant and favorable. 

 The grade of stock called for was about 

 the same as in other years. The best 

 selling stock was carnations. 



Michigan. 



Kalamazoo.— G. Van Bochove & Bro. 

 say the Christmas business was enormous, 

 away ahead of any previous vear, double 

 that of 1907. Everything sold out and 

 more of everything could have been sold. 



