64 



The Florists' Review 



August 27, 19n, 





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i\ __ _ _ , 



Pacific Coast Department 



WHAT TO GEOW. 



Allow me to thank you, though late 

 in 80 doing, for your valuable sugges- 

 tions on "Plants for a Hot, Dry Cli- 

 mate." I again want to call on you 

 for advice, it has been with envy in 

 my heart, but with no malice, that I 

 have read from time to time in The 

 Review the notices from advertisers in 

 such words as these: "Please discon- 

 tinue my ad; all sold out for this sea- 

 sonl" I also want to be an advertiser 

 in your successful advertising medium, 

 and, when success is assured, I would 

 not want to write to discontinue my 

 ad, but would rather ask you to quote 

 yearly rates, so that I might sell the 

 large quantities that I would expect 

 your medium to dispose of for me. 



But what shall the line of plants be, 

 for which there would be a steady de- 

 mand nearly all the year around? I 

 have the proper soil, in the California 

 "frostless belt," and have plenty of 

 land to raise outdoor cuttings in soil, 

 thus ensuring stronger and healthier 

 plants than from sand-rooted cuttings. 



Among the easiest plants to propa- 

 gate here, in our dry, hot air, are gera- 

 niums. In what months is there gen- 

 erally the best demand for these? What 

 varieties are now sought after, outside 

 of the old standbys, such as Ricard, 

 Nutt, Grant, Poitevine, Berthe de Pre- 

 silly, Jean Viaud, Mme. Recamier, etc.? 

 I should like to confine myself to half 

 a dozen or not over a dozen varieties 

 and to work up a steady trade on these 

 by sending out only strong, large- 

 rooted cuttings and unrooted ones. 

 Here, in California, it is a case of 

 "stick them in the ground and sea 

 them grow" — too rank, perhaps. It 

 might seem as if .geranium, plants and 

 cuttings were overdone, judging from 

 the number of advertisers having them 

 for sale at extremely low prices. But 

 would not field-grown cuttings, six 

 inches high, with strong bodies, be of 

 greater value, bringing quicker results, 

 than the little 2-inch or 2i^-inch pot 

 plants at the same price? Any pointers 

 you can favor me with will be recipro- 

 cated when you have started me on the 

 road to success by aiding me to adver- 

 tise in your valuable medium. 



__ J. E. W. 



One of the most frequent questions 

 asked of men in the trade is, "What 

 can I grow to make money?" The 

 querists seem to lose sight of the fact 

 that if we knew just what to grow and 

 could be sure of selling it, we might 

 all be rich. Men who have been in the 

 business in southern California for 

 years are still guessing as to what 

 they will grow. There is always a 

 good demand for well grown stock of 

 almost any kind, geraniums as well as 

 any other, but it would be folly to 

 advise anyone what to grow. 



There ia always the element of chance 

 in the growing of any sort of stock 

 and what pays well one year may be 

 overdone and profitless the next year. 

 According to the writer's observation, 

 geraniums of the ordinary zonale types 

 have not been a particularly good line 

 locally this season, but they may be 

 better next year. What are known as 

 Ladr Washington geraniums, or pelar- 



goniums, have been more in demand 

 than zonales, and thus the game goes. 

 It is a gamble to a great extent, but it 

 is pretty safe to say that good stock 

 at the right price, and advertised prop- 

 erly, seldom misses a market. 



H. R. Richards. 



LOS ANGELES. 



The Market. 



Another quiet week has to be re- 

 corded, with but little funeral work or 

 other business. Retailers, however, are 

 keeping up nice shows in their windows, 

 which ought to entice what little tran- 

 sient trade there is. A large supply 

 of every kind of flower is on hand, so 

 patrons have a good selection to choose 

 from. The indoor roses are good for 

 the season and the outdoor ones are 

 especially fine, as the comparatively cool 

 weather produces more substance in the 

 flowers than is usual at this time. The 

 blue delphiniums make attractive win- 

 dow displays; so, also, does the showy 

 Iris Kaempf eri, one of the best and most 

 attractive summer flowers. Centaureas 

 are fine in every way and their lasting 

 qualities make them especially useful 

 for keeping up a good show. Dahlias 

 are good for display, but only a few are 

 sold. 



Nurserymen report quiet times; nev- 

 ertheless, the demand is better than is 

 usual at this season. Every year shoWs 

 the need of more stock being lifted and 

 either boxed or po,tted for summer sales. 

 People who are fond of their gardens, 

 but have little horticultural knowledge, 

 ask for plants when they see them in 

 bloom in other places, and if the sales 

 ,sifp not made then, they arfe' lost. Cold 

 storage bulbs of Lilium gigantenm are 

 almost sold out, but the new L. Harrisii 

 stock is taking their place. There is 

 a good demand for vegetable plants. 



Various Notes. 



Paul Miller, of the cut flower depart- 

 ment of the Los Angeles Flower Market, 

 has gone to Wheeler Springs for his 

 vacation. C. Morton and Fred Sperry 



are still on the job, but take side trips 

 occasionally. 



H. N. Gage, of the H. N. Gage Co. 

 is starting this week on a trip to San 

 Diego, Arizona and adjoining territory 

 drumming up orders for the fine stocic 

 he is now getting in from the Moiite- 

 bello nursery. Cecile Brunner roses 

 from under glass are much superior to 

 the outdoor stock here, this firm hav- 

 ing one house devoted entirely to this 

 variety. '^■ 



The trial grounds of fhe Germain Heed 

 & Plant Co., on the Whittier roail, are 

 exceedingly attractive now to the large 

 number of automobilists and others who 

 use this much-traveled road. Canuas 

 phloxes and tigridia»- are particularly 

 fine at this time. 



Darling's Flower Shop is becoming 

 noted for its fine window displays, Mr. 

 Darling having picked up many good 

 ideas in his European trip, which he is 

 using now. The display of ribbons and 

 chiffons is magnificent here. 



Henry W. Turner- has been laid up 

 for a few days with a severe cold, his 

 doctor fearing a ease of pneumonia if 

 he kept about. Mr. Turner is so used 

 to an active life and getting through 

 about two men's work that he makes 

 rather a bad patient, and I was glad 

 to hear just before writing this that 

 he was feeling better. 



The Germain Seed & Plant Co. has 

 disposed of its east side nursery to 

 Henry J. Gilbert. Mr. Gilbert is well 

 known in the trade here and much 

 liked by all. He is a hustler and knows 

 his business, two things that go to the 

 make-up of a successful nurseryman, and 

 he will doubtless make good here. In- 

 creasing facilities at their holdings on 

 the Whittier road formed the reason the 

 Germain people sold out. All will wish 

 Mr. Gilbert success in his new venture. 



H. R. Richards. 



SAN FRANCISCO. 



The Market. 



It is with pleasure that the retail 

 florists note continued activity. 



Last 



Freesia Refracta Alba, ^-in., %-in. and up. Write for prices. 

 Asparagfus Plumosus Seed $1.50 per 1000 



Quantity prices on application. . 



H. N. GAGE CO., Inc., 536 So. Broadway, Los Angeles, Cal. 



WHOLESALE FLORISTS :: NURSERYMEN 



Mention The Revlpw when yon write. 



S. MURATA & CO. 



WHOLESALE FLORISTS-FLORISTS' SUPPLIES 



Ph.- M... 29.T.r2«o4. 7S1 So. BiDadway, LOS ANGELES, CAL 



MnntloD The R«»Tt»« trbma jroownto 



CALIFORNIA EVERGREEN CO. m« 



T«ro Stores— 316 S. Broadway, LOS ANGBLK8« CAL.— Phone Broadway 236) 

 SAN FRANCISCO. CAL.-Phone Douglas 5896 

 MEXICAN IVY season now open. AH classes of QREENS and MOSS our specialty- 



Mention The ReTlew wben you write. 



