Mabcu 25, 1909. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



17 



for the Easter demand. Mr. Weber is 

 survived by an invalid wife. They had 

 no children. 



The funeral is to be held Thursday 

 afternoon at 2 o'clock from the residence 

 at 2386 Lincoln avenue, adjoining the 

 greenhouse establishment. Mr. Weber 

 was well liked in the great greenhouse 

 community in which he lived and worked, 

 and there will be a large attendance at 

 the funeral. 



A SALABLE WINDOW BOX. 



A few years ago a Chicago specialty 

 house put on the market what it styled 

 a self-watering flower box, which has 

 proven a good seller in flower stores and 

 with those who do spring bedding. The 

 box is of the style of the well known 

 reservoir vases used in cemeteries. As 

 shown in the accompanying illustration, 

 the water is in a space in the bottom of 

 the box and is drawn up to the soil 

 through sponges. The manufacturer says 

 "retail florists all over the country have 

 found the box a good seller, because 

 plants in it do better in the hands of an 

 inexperienced person than they do in any 

 other kind of box; an expert grower 

 might not find a reservoir an advantage, 

 but to the plants of the person who 

 waters them today and forgets them to- 

 morrow, it is a life-saver. The reservoir 

 holds sufiicient water to supply plants for 

 several days and the soil on the top does 

 not bake and harden, giving the plants 

 a good lease of life in spite of the neg- 

 lect which falls to the lot of much of the 

 stock florists sell for house decoration or 

 to plant in window or piazza boxes." 



The manufacturer of this box is the 

 Illinois Heater & Mfg. Co., and since 

 putting the box on the market it has 

 three times been compelled to move to 

 larger quarters, the factory now being in 

 its own building at Downers Grove, with 

 a city office at 31 Dearborn street, Chi- 

 cago. The firm takes a broad view of 

 the business and says not many florists 

 appreciate the extent of the business 

 which may be done in filling window and 

 porch boxes, where provision is made to 

 insure the satisfaction of the customer. 

 They say that every city in America is 

 increasing its use of tlais sort of em- 



bellishment, and that the wise florist will 

 not fail to profit by the increase which 

 they believe is sure to come in future 

 years, until the outdoor flower decora- 

 tions in this country will rival those of 

 European cities. 



A VISIT TO ASCHMANN. 



Godfrey Aschmann's greenhouses on 

 Ontario street, Philadelphia, are crowded 

 to overflowing with all the popular vari- 

 eties of Easter plants; crowded from 

 roof to cellar. You may think that this 

 is a domestic rather than a floricultural 

 expression, but if you saw the green- 

 houses at Godfrey Aschmann's you would 

 understand perfectly, as the less valuable 

 plants are relegated to the cellar for the 



time being, while the smaller sizes com- 

 ing on for spring use are arranged in 

 tiers, until their more fortunate Easter 

 brothers and sisters have departed. 



Godfrey Aschmann has learned what the 

 American people want, and caters to them 

 through the florists, offering them the 

 most popular varieties and sizes. Lilies 

 are there in abundance, with an average, 

 Mr. Aschmann said, of from four to five 

 flowers. Lilies are looked upon with 

 favor; they are always in demand; in 

 fact, the demand has so grown that buy- 

 ers who want lilies only are courteously 

 urged to offer their customers other vari- 

 eties of Easter plants also. When the 

 popular price question was brought up 

 on lilies Mr. Aschmann said 10 cents, just 

 as they come, has been maintained for 

 many Easters, never failing to sweep the 

 benches. Azaleas are present in great 



quantities, Vander Cruyssen and Vervse- 

 neana being reinforced by a number of 

 other fancy sorts well set with buds. 

 Cinerarias are in great profusion, with 

 large heads of bloom. Tulips, hyacinths 

 and the double daffodil. Narcissus Von 

 Sion, were just coming in from the 

 frames in immense quantities. The green- 

 ery is represented by palms, ferns and 

 araucarias. Most noticeable among the 

 ferns are a pretty lot of Nephrolepis 

 Amerpohlii, christened the Philadelphia 

 lace fern. 



An immense pile of packing boxes 

 reaching skyward bears silent testimony 

 to the heavy business that will be done 

 during the next two weeks. 



EASTER LILIES FOR SHIPPING. 



Kindly explain how to pack safely for 

 shipping a dozen pots of blooming Easter 

 lilies. The distance is only twenty-five 

 miles, with no change of cars. S. K. 



To send the plants this short distance 

 no special packing will be required. Be 

 sure you work plenty of excelsior, or 

 other packing, between the pots, and 

 stake lip each plant securely. Also, re- 

 move all pollen from the flowers, to pre- 

 vent their becoming discolored. Securely 

 nail uprights from the corners of the box 

 as high as the plants and fasten two 

 rows of light laths on the sides and two 

 or three over the tops of the plants. To 

 prevent any possibility of flowers becom- 

 ing bruised, roll tissue paper around 

 them. As a rule, when lilies are sent 

 short distances they are sent entirely un- 

 protected, provided weather is mild. Ex- 

 pressmen use more care in handling them 

 when not crated, at least for short dis- 

 tances. If weather is cold, you will re- 

 quire to lay some soft paper over the 

 flowers and tack some of a heavier na- 

 ture over the framework of the crate. 

 ■ C. W. 



We now have a 2-cent letter rate of 

 postage to England, Germany and New- 

 foundland. 



Putnam, Conn. — Alexander Main, the 

 florist on Woodstock avenue, will soon 

 build a greenhouse on his recently pur- 

 chased lot near the Catholic cemetery. 



Iris Pallida Dalmatica Grown by J. A. Peterson^ Cincinnati^ O. 



