Hay 20, 1909. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



15 



Veil-Kept Grounds Should Be Characteristic of Florists* Establishments. 



niums could have been banked on one 

 sonny side of the building and the crim- 

 son on another, and nothing could have 

 been daintier than the white and crimson 

 pink gillyflowers back in the grounds, 

 with the purple and cream on the oppo- 

 site side, while the crimson purple might 

 hold sway in some remote corner of the 

 extensive landscape. 



Indifference to these details in this 

 day of the world is inexcusable, and ig- 

 norance can be remedied. There is 

 scarcely a little city without an artist, 

 and anyone can take lessons in color 

 without any great outlay. The trouble 

 with too many of us is that we "know 

 it all." ' Gebteude Blair. 



THE FLORISTS' OWN GROUNDS. 



Why is it so many florists appear to 

 care so little for the appearance of their 

 premises? 



It was one of the favorite remarks of 

 the late William Scott that every florist, 

 and especially the young ones just start- 

 ing in the business, snouJd ' ' Wash all 

 you got and hang out all you wash," 

 which was just a shorter and more ex- 

 pressive way of saying that it is the 

 florist's business to make his place look 

 as well as it possibly can and that ap- 

 pearances count for a great deal in at- 

 tracting trade. 



It is proverbial that the cobbler's chil- 

 dren go with their toes on the ground, 

 while other children's shoes are being 

 mended, but this does not account for 

 the indifference many florists show for 

 the surroundings of their establishments. 

 Growers who deal with the trade and not 

 with the public are notably lax in the 

 care of their grounds, but even if pride 

 does not impel them to have the place 

 look as well as it can, they ought to be 

 interested in the fact that weeds and 

 dirt harbor and breed their greatest ene- 

 mies. Keep the grass close clipped 

 around the greenhouses and there will be 

 fewer thrips, grasshoppers and other 

 pests to fight. One who deals with the 



public should make his grounds his best 

 advertisement. No florist whose own 

 place is slovenly should expect the con- 

 fidence of customers who want up-to- 

 date service. 



Such grounds as those shown in the 

 accompanying illustration should be a 



The Kdltor Is pleased 

 when a Reader 

 presents his Ideas 

 on any subject treated In 



kVP^ 



As experience Is the be«t 

 teacher, so do ^re 

 learn fastest by a^ 

 exchanee of experiences. 

 Many valuable points 

 are broucht out 

 by discussion. 



Good penmanship, BpelUng: and gram* 

 mar, though desirable, are not neces- 

 sary. Write as you would talk when 

 doln? your ^esU 



WK SHALL BK GLAD 

 TO HEAR FROM TOU. 



pleasure to every florist, and in ninety- 

 nine cases out of a hundred they also 

 will bring him a profit. It is especirtlly 

 seasonable to call attention to this fact 

 now, for the florist may well set an ex- 

 ample to his neighbors at the beginning 

 of the bedding season. 



The establishment at which the photo- 

 graph was made is that of the Clyde 



Floral Co., Clyde, O. It consists of six 

 greenhouses, containing about 15,000 feet 

 of glass, built several years ago with 

 material furnished by the Foley Mfg. 

 Co., Chicago. The firm name then was 

 Arlin & Arlin, the owners being R. C. 

 Arlin and his wife. Later the concern 

 was incorporated, with Mr. Arlin as presi- 

 dent and manager and his wife vice- 

 president and secretary. They are out- 

 side the town and have seven and one- 

 half acres of land that they keep in 

 neatest order. They are located on the 

 electric line from Toledo to Cleveland 

 and figure that it is the best of busi- 

 ness, as well as a matter of personal 

 satisfaction, to have the grounds attrac- 

 tive, not only to visitors but to those 

 who ride by on the cars. 



SWEET PEA BUDS BLIGHTING. 



We have sweet peas in the house that 

 are thrifty vines seven feet high, but no 

 buds started until they were over six feet 

 high, and now all the buds turn yellow 

 as fast as they appear. The peas were 

 put in cow manure compost, and have 

 had two or three feeds of phosphate and 

 plenty of water and fresh air when ad- 

 visable. Can you tell us why these buds 

 blast, and give us a remedy, if anyf 

 W. H. K. 



If your peas were planted in compost 

 containing a good proportion of cow 

 manure, they should have had no feeJing 

 until they were in flower. I am afraid 

 the two or three feeds of phosphate are 

 responsible for the trouble. You have 

 probably given overdoses of this food, 

 which the plants could simply not assim- 

 ilate. Give plenty of water, but forego 

 the further use of chemical stimulants 

 until the plants are flowering freely. 

 Doses of cow or sheep manure, water or 

 top dressings of these, or fine bone 

 lightly forked in, will be found bene- 

 ficial, but should not be applied until the 

 plants show signs of exhaustion. 



C. W. 



