Jancar; 11, 1912. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



23 



popularity of the carnation. Of course, 

 there is no doubt that more are sold 

 each year, this being only natural, as 

 flowers are becoming more and more in 

 vogue and the country is growing, but 

 is the carnation as popular as it was 

 some years agof Do the beautiful car- 

 nation blooms of the present day elicit 

 the same approval as did the far infe- 

 rior ones of twelve or fifteen years 

 agof It is a noticeable fact that each 

 year brings more people who, while 

 they will not deny the beauty of the 

 flower, still say, "Oh! Carnations are 

 altogether too common." 



In my opinion the carnation grower, 

 or, to be more exact, the carnation it- 

 self is largely to blame for the exist- 

 ence of the street flower faker, for 

 without this staple article his activity 

 each year would be of but short dura- 

 tion, and in time he would be com- 

 pelled to seek elsewhere for a liveli- 

 hood. With him, also, "everybody's 

 flower" plays a most important part. 



The Street Fakers. 



Just how the street flower merchant 

 affects the sales of the legitimate retail 

 store is a matter in which opinions 

 differ. Of course, the retail store in 

 closest proximity to these stands will 

 be most affected as far as actual sales 

 are concerned, but this is getting away 

 from my subject. One thing is certain, 

 the sale of thousands of carnations on 

 the streets every year will in time seri- 

 ously affect the popularity of this 

 flower. In fact, it would elevate our 

 profession considerably if flowers were 

 kept off the streets and out of the 

 peddlers' hands, and sold or disposed 

 of through legitimate channels only. 



Hugo Schroeter. 



("Kverybody's Flower.") 



-■i\ 



Eber Holmes. 



(One of the Rose Society's Judges at Detroit.) 



In the first place, those sold on the 

 streets are always more or less old; 

 consequently their keeping qualities are 

 extremely limited. Again, the manner 

 in which they are delivered to the 

 buyer, wrapped in a piece of old news- 

 paper, certainly does not tend to in- 

 crease the flowers' popularity. Neither 

 will the street merchant hesitate in 

 misrepresenting his wares, all of which 

 has so cheapened carnations in the 

 eyes of the public that even if the 

 legitimate florist could meet the faker's 

 price the majority of people would not 

 want them. This is particularly true 

 when they can be purchased on the 

 streets. Customers will look in disdain 

 at the choicest carnation and remark, 

 "No, thanks; no carnations for me. 

 My friends might think I bought them 

 on the street." 



Disposing of the Surplus. 



In this way, gentlemen, has the value 

 of the carnation suffered, and the rem- 

 edy lies in our hands. The argument 

 has been advanced that many of the 

 blooms sold on the streets find their 

 way into the homes of people who are 

 not in the habit of buying flowers, and 

 their liking for nature's messengers is 

 consequently stimulated. This is true 

 to some extent; still, if these same 

 people could be induced to come into a 

 flower store and, perhaps for a few 

 cents more, buy perfectly fresh carna- 

 tions, properly done up, is it not reason- 

 able to believe they would be still more 

 apt to become flower lovers? 



When there is a glut of carnations, 

 why not sell them to the retailer who, 

 for 365 days each year, is your cue* 

 tomer, or your commission man's cus- 



■Jg^J'- • .>r, t-'.^.- -^..-. 



