The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Januaby 11,. 1912. 



EVERYBODY'S FLOWER. 



[A paper by Hugo Scliroeter, of Detroit, Mich., 

 read before the Aiuorlcaii Carnation Society, In 

 convention nt Detroit, January 10 to 12, 1912.] 



When the Eidgway Co. sought a name 

 for its magazine, 1 presume they called 

 it "Everybody's" because this one 

 word covered its scope most thoroughly. 

 This was the question which confronted 

 me when your secretary bestowed on 

 me the honor of addressing your so- 

 ciety. He suggested that my paper 

 deal with "that divine flower, the car- 

 nation, ' ' but requested that I choose 

 my own title. After banishing from 

 my thoughts a number of more or less 

 suitable titles, it occurred to me that 

 in speaking of the carnation the most 

 appropriate term would be "Every- 

 body's Flower." In fact, of all the 

 numerous flowers we have to deal with, 

 the carnation is the only one which can 

 be righteously called the flower for 

 everybody. 



Eoses are conspicuous in most of the 

 events where flowers are used, but, even 

 in the smallest decoration, if a variety 

 of flowers are called for the carnation 

 is sure to play a most important part. 

 Often, when offering suggestions for 

 decorating the home for a small wed- 

 ding, the question will arise, "What 

 flowers can we use oii the piano and 

 the sideboard, or what bright red flower 

 is there which we can use on the table, 

 the flower not to be too costly?" In 

 nearly every instance the carnation is 

 called upon to fill the place. A cus- 

 tomer may be somewhat disappointed 

 in not being able to obtain violets, 

 Beauties, sweet peas or any other of the 

 flowers in general use, but carnations in 

 a flower store are as staple as nails in 

 a hardware store. 



Always in Demand. 



Last season, during a period when 

 carnations were extremely scarce, a 



Irwin Bertermann. 



("Roses In the Middle West.") 



lady came into our store and wanted 

 two dozen rose-pink carnations. She 

 was politely informed that carnations 

 were scarce and we had none in the 

 shade desired. "Would not some other 

 pink flower do?" "Yes," she replied, 

 "I presume some other flower will have 

 to do, but it seems so queer not to be 

 able to obtain carnations." Eetail 

 florists advertise roses, chrysanthe- 

 mums, orchids, etc., but only in case of 

 a special sale are carnations advertised, 

 simply because it seems to be under- 



stood that we always carry a stock of 

 carnations except during the hot spell 

 of July and August. 



Now then, gentlemen, you will all 

 agree with me that the carnation is 

 everybody's flower, but, being manu- 

 facturers and not selling agents, as it 

 were, perhaps you have often won- 

 dered why the carnation is in such de- 

 mand. Is it the price alone that makes 

 for the popularity of this flower? 

 Hardly; this might be the case with 

 the middle and poorer classes, but how 

 about those people who do not have to 

 count their pennies? 



Reasons for Its Popularity. 



No other flower adapts itself to all 

 uses as does the carnation; no other 

 is so easily arranged into an effective 

 spray or bouquet, or in a bowl, to serve 

 as a centerpiece. This, I believe, is 

 the principal reason why, each year, 

 the carnation sales amount to hundreds 

 of thousands. The number used in the 

 small, inexpensive funeral sprays every 

 year is in itself a largo amount. Their 

 length and flexibility of stem, their 

 keeping qualities and size make them 

 most admirable for funeral spray work. 

 For design work the carnation is almost 

 a necessity. Here, again, its size is 

 an important factor. White carnations, 

 with the stem broken off and a tooth- 

 pick in its stead, are the best flowers 

 we have for outlining a design or as 

 a background for lettering. With the 

 stem left from three to five inches 

 long, they are excellent for trimming 

 a design, the stem being just stiff 

 enough to carry the flower gracefully. 

 It does not require the hand of an ex- 

 pert designer to make a loosely ar- 

 ranged wreath of all carnations; never- 

 theless, such a design is especially at- 

 tractive and lasting. 



For the sick-room the carnation 

 seems to be just the ideal flower. One 

 or two dozen, with a few sprays of 

 Asparagus Sprengeri or a few fronds 

 of a Boston fern, are just enough for 

 a vase, and that spicy, ever pleasing 

 odor is not an overpowering one, to 

 which the doctor 'or nurse might object. 

 Carnations are naturally a graceful 

 appearing flower and, when given an 

 especially artistic touch by some real 

 expert, are unsurpassed for decorative 

 purposes. 



The Wealth of Colors. 



I have enumerated only a few of the 

 many uses for the flower which has 

 done so much toward putting our busi- 

 ness on a firm basis — or perhaps I 

 should have said, which has taken 

 flowers out of the luxury class and 

 caused them to be classed with the 

 necessities of life. There are still 

 more substantial reasons for its ever- 

 increasing popularity. 



Take the colors, for instance. Not 

 many flowers possess that beautiful 

 shade of pink to be found in an En- 

 chantress or Pink Delight or in their 

 deeper sister, Winsor. In the poinset- 

 tias alone is to be found a red which 

 surpasses the red of an O. P. Bassett 

 carnation. Of course, there are beau- 

 tiful reds in dahlias, sweet peas and 

 roses, but not that scarlet shade of 

 red usually known as Christmas red 

 and so necessary for decorative pur- 

 poses. Then, again, where is to be 

 found the pure white of a carnation and 

 in such abundance? In no other flower. 

 And the delicate yellow tint of a car- 

 nation like Pingree places this flower 



A. F. J. Baur. 



(Seeretary American Carnation Society.) 



in a class by itself as far as color is con- 

 cerned. I am sorry to say, it is a rare 

 case indeed when a yellow carnation is 

 available in this market. Surely, if 

 more were grown they would in time 

 meet with a more regular demand, as 

 yellow flowers are always scarce ex- 

 cept during the chrysanthemum season. 

 Another beautiful type of carnation, 

 whose color is unexcelled, is Harlowar- 

 den. A magnolia wreath trimmed with 

 Harlowarden and a few valley is a most 

 beautiful conception. 



The Variegated Sorts. 



But what of the variegated varieties? 

 These do not seem to meet with popu- 

 lar favor. We have some really good 

 looking variegated kinds; still, it is 

 not often that colors are mixed in 

 floral work and this, no doubt, accounts 

 for the small use for variegated 

 flowers. 



The price at which carnations are 

 obtainable is usually, of course, also 

 one reason why millions are sold. Even 

 the wealthiest people often desire to 

 spend but a few dollars for a funeral 

 spray or for some other occasion, and 

 carnations are always acceptable. 



When I started to write this paper 

 my intention was to endeavor to obtain 

 figures giving the total number of car- 

 nations sold at retail in this country 

 during the last year. After conferring 

 with others, I discarded this plan, as it 

 would have been almost impossible to 

 arrive at anywhere near the correct 

 amount. There are, nevertheless, mil- 

 lions sold annually at prices ranging 

 from 25 cents per dozen to 25 cents per 

 flower. 



Is Its Popularity in Danger? 



I have referred to the ever-increasing 



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