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The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



Decbmbbb 30, 1909. 



Send Us a Mail Order 



For Florists' Supplies 



Now ii the time to stock np— and we are the Floriets' Mail Order Supply Honae. RepleniBh your atock of 



Wire Designs Folding Boxes Basliefs 



Ribbons Chiffons Pot Covers 



Violet Ties Fern Dishes Air Piant 



We gnarantee our pricea to be aa low aa are qaoted by any reputable aupply honae in thia country. 



A. L. Randall Co. 



Wholesale Florists '■•fA^^H" 19-21 Randolph St, Chicago 



Mention The Review when you write. _____^_ 



the wholesale houses make reports that 

 vary widely. Those who got the bulk of 

 their stock in early, shipped it out at 

 good prices, but the stock that came in 

 Friday did not realize what the growers 

 expected for it; indeed, Friday night 

 many wholesale houses closed with large 

 quantities of stock on hand, stock which 

 should have realized good money, but for 

 which there was practically no possi- 

 bility of sale until the opening of this 

 week, when the stock was scarcely in 

 salable condition. Not only was local 

 trade Friday far less than had been ex- 

 pected, but cancellations on late shipping 

 orders were numerous, especially from 

 the west, where the storm was a day 

 earlier than in Chicago. The poor busi- 

 ness Friday cut a big hole in the receipts 

 of many of the wholesale houses. Some 

 of them did much the largest business 

 they ever have done, but it was on the 

 shipping days that they made their gains. 

 There was no marked shortage in any- 

 thing, but Beauties were less abundant 

 than any other flower. It was possible 

 for wholesalers to buy Beauties all 

 through the week and on Friday the 

 price weakened a trifle, along with the 

 price of other stock. Killamey was by 

 far the best selling rose, but the supply 

 was something enormous. Quality gen- 

 erally was excellent. Biehmond was, of 

 course, in heavy demand, and there was a 

 shortage in the medium grades. Mrs. 

 Jardine was in moderate supply and sold 

 extremely well. My Maryland Avas not 

 offered in much quantity, and did not 

 sell nearly so well as Killarney. It was 

 noticeable that the proportion of the 

 extra special lengths of roses was greater 

 than at Christmas in previous years, while 

 the proportion of short roses was smaller. 

 The demand was largely for the medium 

 lengths and the extra long stock did not 

 realize its full value, compared to other 

 lengths. Some wholesalers even had t^e 

 extra long Richmond left, stock they 

 expected to get from 35 cents to 50 cents 

 for, and which they were unwilling to sell 

 for less. There was some surplus of the 

 extra long grade of Killarney, stock that 

 35 cents to 40 cents was asked for. 

 When this grade was found to be hanging 

 fire the price, of course, was shaded, and 

 Friday the city buyers were offered such 

 inducements that some of them canceled 



orders previously placed with other 

 houses, making considerable confusion. 

 It was a surprise to see how well white 

 roses sold. No one expected any de- 

 msmd for these, but several wholesalers 

 found themselves with more fancy long 

 Killarney than they wanted, while they 

 were unable to fill their orders for White 

 Killarney and Bride. 



Carnations moved well up to December 

 24. The receipts that day were extremely 

 heavy, for it appears to be a habit of 

 carnation growers to send in the last mo- 

 ment the heaviest shipments of the week. 

 Indeed, right up to the last incoming 

 train Friday night the carnations were 

 arriving by many thousands. It was the 

 old story. Prices went down and much 

 stock was left unsold. The white, of 

 course, suffered especially, and there was 

 considerable waste among the late con- 

 signments. The cheap buyers, who are 

 looked to to clean up the splits and 

 sleepy carnations, were put out of busi- 

 ness by the cold and snow and their 

 absence was keenly felt; it made hun- 

 dreds of dollars ' difference to each house. 



Violets sold well. Probably not as 

 many as usual reached this market, but 

 the quality was better than it ordinarily 

 is at Christmas. The price ranged from 

 $1.25 to $2, with most of the stock sell- 

 ing between $1.50 and $1.75. While con- 

 siderable quantities were sold at $2, the 

 houses which clung too tenaciously to 

 this price had plenty of stock to offer 

 cheap early this week. 



Cattleyas were the shortest item on the 

 market; all the first-class stores wanted 

 them, and none could get all that were 

 wanted. Poinsettias sold slowly, as they 

 have for several years. One of the things 

 necessary to make a thoroughly success- 

 ful Christmas is a balance between supply 

 and demand, which gives a good market 

 for the odds and ends. This year the 

 odds and ends did not have that market ; 

 the absence of the cheap-sales people was 

 felt here. Such items as Paper Whites, 

 jonquils, sweet peas and greens sold 

 slowly. It was a surprise that there was 

 so little demand for greens. 



Since Christmas things have been even 

 more quiet than usual. There was next to 

 nothing stirring Christmas day, because 

 there was a foot of snow on the side- 

 walks that morning, and Monday most of 



Aphine 



The new insecticide discoy- 

 eiy that kills plant lice of 

 every species. 



Effective Indoors 



and 



Outdoors 



Send for Descriptive Grcular 

 GEORGE E. TALMADGE, Inc. 



Madison, N. J. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



the retailers had enough flowers left over 

 to meet all the needs of that day. Ship- 

 ping trade also was light. Demand is 

 slowly gathering volume, but there is a 

 large supply of stock in the market, much 

 more than in other years, and prices have 

 fallen sharply, "i'ears ago Christmas 

 prices held until after New Year's; this 

 year they are pretty nearly cut in two, 

 though the market looks for a rally aa 

 New Year 's day approaches. White roses 

 are notably scarce and have held up 

 better than anything else. 



The wholesalers are busy adjusting 

 complaints. The storm delayed many 

 shipments, but, worst of all, it caused 

 stock to be left over on the hands of out- 

 of town buyers, as well as city customers, 

 and this always is a prolific source of 

 kicks. If the buyer sells out clean, he is 

 happy, but if he gets stuck, he is apt to 

 be looking for trouble and, of course, is 

 able to find it. ^ 



Christmas at Retail. 



Two or three of the leading stores re- 

 port an extremely good Christmas, bet- 

 ter than ever before, but the majority 

 say Ohristmfrs'was merely good, and not 



.^. I- 



