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38 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Deueubeb 16, 1909. 



ably about the slump in business after 

 Thanksgiving, although they admit that 

 trade was better than at the same time 

 last year. The little lull, however, gave 

 them an opportunity to get started on 

 preparations for the holidays, and im- 

 mortelles, boxwood, statice and magnolia 

 wreaths are finding their way onto the 

 counters. Plants, we are told, will be the 

 feature at Christmas with all the stores. 

 However, that is getting to be an old 

 story, and there will no doubt be a better 

 demand for cut flowers than for several 

 years. 



The wholesale houses report trade fair, 

 their shipping business helping out where 

 the city trade failed them. Those han- 

 dling supplies report the demand better 

 than ever before, and they predict, from 

 the amount of bijsiness now being done, 

 that the year will' wind up all right. 



Chtb Meeting. 



The Florists' Club met Tuesday even- 

 ing, December 7, at the Fort Pitt hotel, 

 and it was an enthusiastic session. A 

 number of new names were presented for 

 membership and a fine displsiy of Christ- 

 mas plants was shown by the Phipps 

 Conservatories, both at Schenley and 

 Northside parks. Henry Negley had some 

 fine cypripediums from his private col- 

 lection. Considerable time was occupied 

 in discussing the good and bad qualities 

 of the various varieties of begonias. J. 

 A. Peterson, of Cincinnati, was a visitor 

 and made some interesting remarks 

 during the evening. 



Business Standing of Florists. 



Several members of the trade, in the 

 course of a little chat the other day, 

 had under discussion the question, ' ' Does 

 the florist command the same amount of 

 respect in the commtinity as other men in 

 the business world, doing an equal amount 

 of business?" The assertion was made 

 that he does not, and that when called 

 on to make a decoration in a home and 

 while on a first-class job, doing the work 

 of an artist, he gets about the same con- 

 sideration as a flunky about the house. 

 Now, whyf 



One reason given was, that there is too 

 much jealousy in the profession, that in 

 the eagerness to get a decoration the 

 prices are cut until a job which is worth 



$150 is given to the last man who gets a 

 crack at it for $75 or $80. Then the 

 people who let the order feel that, in- 

 stead of dealing with' business men who 

 have something to sell vvhieh has a defi- 

 nite value, they are dealing with a set of 

 men entitled to no more consideration 

 than the Russian rug peddler who asks 

 $10 and takes $5 for the best rug in his 

 pack and makes money. 



Another man 's reason was that florists, 

 as a body, are seldom identified with any 

 great movement which has for its aim the 

 betterment of his city or the citizens. 

 For instance, why leave it to the women 's 

 clubs to fight and work for a more beau- 

 tiful city, when the very people who 

 would be most benefited, the florists, do 

 nothing? Why do they not get together 

 and, either unaided or associated with 

 such a body as the Chamber of Com- 

 merce, educate the people in how to 

 beautify their yards and homes, thus cul- 

 tivating those traits which would eventu- 

 ally mean dollars in the peckers of the 

 florists? There are civic societies in 

 every community which would accept the 

 assistance ^,<^. the florists gladly, and 

 eventually * tne ' Communities would bless 

 the florists and place them among the 

 public benefactors. 



Visitors: Mrs. J. A. Bopp, Cumber- 

 land, Md. ; Mr. Burkland, Youngstown, 

 O. ; Joseph Thomas, Greensburg, Pa. 



Hoo-Hoo. 



DETROIT. 



ThcMurket 



When stock moves rapidly at the com- 

 mission houses it is a pretty sure indica- 

 tion that it is also moving rapidly at the 

 retailers^ meaning business is good. Such 

 was the state of affairs in Detroit last 

 week. 



With the chrysanthemums just about 

 all gone and enough dark weather to 

 cause a considerable shortening up of all 

 stock, the store men who received much 

 funeral work were often in a quandary. 



Unless we get some bright weather 

 soon roses will be scarce for the holi- 

 days. Sweet peas are arriving daily now, 

 although the supply is still limited. The 

 call for holly, ground pine, boxwood, 

 etc., started early this year. The stores 



House of Cyclamens Grown by M. Bloy, Detroit. 



are all doing more or less decorating fot 

 Christmas, using many holly wreaths 

 garlands, etc. Some of the florists ar. 

 also working up a good stock of wreath,-- 

 of all kinds. 



Various Notes. 



E. A. Fetters has engaged James C. 

 Eastwell, formerly of Cleveland, to as 

 sist him in decorating and as a storr 

 man. 



In anticipation of a big holiday busi 

 ness W. B. Brown, of Birmingham, ha? 

 moved his family into the city until after 

 New Year's. 



Breitmeyer's fine, large delivery auto 

 is the envy of the other florists these 

 days. A horse soon gets tired, pulling 

 through snow and slush, but the autc 

 seems to roll on livelier than ever. 



At the last meeting of the club, J. F. 

 Sullivan and A. Pochelon were appointed 

 to take up the credit question in the re- 

 tail business. The store men will eagerly 

 await their report, at the first meeting in 

 January. We all run across some poor- 

 paying customers and hope that these 

 gentlemen will find some way of elimi- 

 nating them to some extent. 



A fine new delivery wagon will help 

 J. F. Sullivan in getting out his Christ- 

 mas orders. Unfortunately Mrs. Sulli- 

 van has been confined to her bed for 

 some time and there is no possible chance 

 of her being able to help during Christ- 

 mas week. 



G. H. Taepke's new conservatory will 

 be a great convenience in handling the 

 rush. They are, at present, cutting a 

 good crop of carnations at their large 

 range of glass on McClellan avenue. 



Nearly every supply house in the coun- 

 try had its representatives in Detroit 

 last week, and they all report large sales. 



Monday evening, December 20, the De- 

 troit Florists' Club wiU hold a little 

 show of Christmas plants at the Mich- 

 igan Cut Flower Exchange. Every 

 grower is invited to participate. In fact, 

 no one can afford to miss this oppor- 

 tunity of advertising their Christmas 

 stock. 



The Bemb Floral Co. was busy last 

 week supplying flowers for the society 

 buds. 



These are anxious days for the grow- 

 ers, who sit up nights to see that the 

 flowers and plants, which mean so much 

 to them, do not get chilled or overwarm. 

 H. S. 



BLOY'S CYCLAMENS. 



The accompanying illustration is from 

 a photograph made in one of the green 

 houses of Michael Bloy, Detroit, Mich. 

 The entire house is occupied by cyclamens 

 grown for the Christmas trade. There 

 were 1,500 plants in the house when the 

 photograph was made. The center bench 

 contained 600 plants in 8-inch and 9-incli 

 pots, and Mr. Bloy has every reason to 

 feel pleased with the success of his crop 



READING, Pa. — Robert E. Brooks is- 

 buil'ling a new greenhouse at his resi 

 dence at Birdsboro. 



Detroit, Mich. — B. Schroeter is mail 

 ing flower buyers a blotter pad, with cel- 

 luloid cover carrying a striking spray of 

 cattleyas in colors. 



Greenwich, Conn. — Robert McMillen 

 & Co. secured a judgment of $1,115 in 

 their suit against James Everard, a 

 wealthy customer, the case having at 

 tracted much attention from the news 

 papers. 



