January 2, 1913 



The Horists' Review 



A Large Table for a Luncheon, Decorated Exclusively with Mrs. Jardine Roses. 



DECORATING A LABGE TABLE. 



When a large luncheon party is to be 

 seated at Qne table, the florist has be- 

 fore him decorative opportunities not 

 possible where the space is more re- 

 stricted. The accompanying illustra- 

 tion shows a luncheon decoration by 

 John Mangel, Chicago, in the French 

 room of the Blackstone hotel, where the 

 guests, numbering twenty-four, were all 

 at one table. The center was occupied 

 by a tall vase arising from a center- 

 piece. At each end of the table there 

 was a small basket of flowers trimmed 

 with ribbon. The guests all were 

 women, and at each plate a corsage 

 bouquet was placed, consisting of a 

 half dozen fine flowers tied with a rib- 

 bon to match. The only flowers used 

 on the table were Mrs. Jardine roses. 

 The use of the tall vase was most 

 happy; it relieved an otherwise flat ef- 

 fect and, at the same time, the thin- 

 stemmed vase carried the decoration 

 above the eyes of the guests. It never 

 IS desirable to destroy the view across 

 the table by a decoration which can 

 neither be seen over nor seen under. 



CALIFORNIA RESTRICTIONS. 



Regarding the experience of W. E. 

 Johnston, of Nevada City, Cal., having 

 a shipment of galax leaves destroyed 

 by the Commissioner of Horticulture on 

 the claim that they were infested with 

 white fly, we had a similar experience 

 with a shipment of Ficus pandurata to 

 that state. The shipment was refused 

 entry and destroyed upon our unwilling- 

 ness to pay transportation charges for 

 Its return, although quite free from that 

 insect aforementioned, or any other. 

 We have never noticed the Ficus pan- 

 durata, or any other variety, infested 

 with white fly. Conceding the right of 

 a state to guard against the entry of 

 any injurious insect pests, we consider 

 the California regulations rather harsh. 

 To bar certain plants which are known 

 to be breeding places for injurious in- 

 sects would be no more than right, but 

 those which upon examination by horti- 

 cultural experts are found free from 



injurious insects and their larvae, 

 ought to be allowed to enter. The white 

 fly is not confined to the southern states; 

 greenhousemen at northern points have 

 their troubles with them also. We have 

 often received plants infested with 

 them. Of course they increase in our 

 milder climate much more rapidly than 

 in a colder locality. We would advise 

 any florist receiving orders from that 

 state to inquire if entry will be allowed 

 before making shipment, in order to 

 avoid loss. 



New Orleans, La. Abele Bros. 



THE S. A. F. CONVENTIONS. 



First and last, the S. A. F. is a busi- 

 ness organization. It should adjust its 

 convention program so that all topics 

 relating to given subjects will occur on 

 given days. One subject that merits 

 discussion is "Credits and the Credit 

 System," as especially applied to flo- 

 rists. We should also consider the ap- 

 pointment of an arbitration board to 

 adjust matters between florists when 

 disagreements arise; let us eliminate 

 the jury and lawyers and sensibly ad- 

 judicate matters in which florists un- 

 derstand the ups and downs. This 

 could be made a good feature of the 

 S. A. F.'s work. 



If the local societies, in the cities 

 where the conventions are held, want 

 to spend money, why not use that 

 money toward a big midsummer show? 

 A show worthy the name could be 

 given. A special showing of table 

 decorations, vasing, baskets, etc., would 

 aid in building up a higher and more 

 artistic taste and demand among the 

 florists, so that the money spent in 

 connection with the convention would 

 be an investment rather than a burden. 



We should be independent, pay our 

 way and leave the meeting place bet- 

 ter than we found it. 



Are we using the S. A. F. meetings 

 to our best advantage? Wherein are 

 our weaknesses and how would they 

 best be eliminated? Are we choosing 

 men with the best ideas for our officers 

 and directors! One should not forget 



that a hard-headed business man may 

 make and save money and yet be bar- 

 ren of ideas and up-to-date initiative. 



Let us now start the ball a-rolling, to 

 the end that florists and those in the 

 allied trades may all be bettered by it. 

 Among other things, the florists, seeds- 

 men, nurserymen and orchardists should 

 have a co-working organization, by 

 means of which any legislation inimical 

 to our common interests would be 

 fought and reasonable legislation would 

 be secured. 



Let us make the S. A. F. and the 

 florists' trade as up-to-date as other 

 businesses. Let us end the cutting of 

 prices, which lands so many in the 

 bankrupt courts. It might not be 

 amiss to consider the question whether 

 the charging of high prices at Christ- 

 mas and other dates is not a foolish 

 practice. Is it to our best interests? 



Let us all hope that "Progress" 

 shall be our watchword for 1913. 



C. Betscher. 



TROUBLE WITH CYCLAMENS. 



I have a lot of cyclamens in 3-inch 

 pots, with nice tops and good color, 

 showing buds. I would like to know 

 what to feed the plants with to make 

 them grow more steadily; they seem to 

 have not enough roots for the size of 

 the tops. Should I shift them into 5- 

 inch pots after I feed them a while? I 

 should like to have them in bloom in 

 February and March. C. F. B. 



It is now getting late to shift the 

 cyclamens for flowering at the date 

 named. I would prefer to feed them 

 well in their present pots, or, if you 

 want to shift them, give them 4-inch 

 pots. Any potting should be done at 

 once. If you do not pot them, feed 

 once a week with weak cow manure 

 water, or use one of the highly concen- 

 trated chemical fertilizers like Imperial 

 Plant Food, Clay's Fertilizer or Bon 

 Arbor, dissolving these in the water at 

 the strength advised on tlie packages. 

 Grow the plants cool and airy to hold 

 them in good condition until the time 

 you want them in flower. C. W. 



