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gCTTEUBKU 2K, 1911. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



19 



CHRISTIAN BINNING. 



The president-elect of the Springfield 

 Florists' Club was born January 24, 

 1870, at Sehefflenz, near Heidelberg, 

 grand duchv of Baden, Germany, and 

 attended the public schools of the 

 fatherland until the time of his de- 

 parture for America. Upon landing on 

 this side of the water he went to 

 Painesville, O., where he entered the 

 employ of the Storrs & Harrison Co., 

 July 4, 1883, working in the budding 

 field of the nursery department. Robert 

 George was quick to recognize the 

 ability and faithfulness of the subject 

 of this sketch and placed him in charge 

 of the greenhouses, in which a line of 

 miscellaneous plants were grown, where 

 he continued until January 1, 1888. 



Locating at Springfield, O., he took 

 charge of the growing in the Innis- 

 fallen Greenhouses, then owned and 

 operated by Chas. A. Reeser. June 18, 

 1893 these houses passed into the hands 

 of tne Geo. H. Mellen Co., a corpora- 

 tion composed of business men inex- 

 perienced in the line, with the excep- 

 tion of Mr. Binning, who became su- 

 perintendent. Being the practical man 

 of the company, much of the detail and 

 initiative of the business, including a 

 large share of the preparation of copy 

 for the fall and spring catalogues, has 

 <levolved on Mr. Binning, who is a tire- 

 less and methodical worker, residing in 

 a comfortable residence on the, green- 

 house premises and being in constant 

 touch with the houses by night as well 

 as day by means of a temperature alarm 

 in his bedroom. The president of the 

 company is George H. Mellen, who 

 manages the office and financial mat- 

 ters and assists in preparation of the 

 catalogue, but he generously concedes 

 to Mr. Binning much credit for the 

 success of the company. 



In the new president the club will 

 have a presiding officer both dignified 

 and courteous and much progress dur- 

 ing the coming year is naturally ex- 

 pected. 



BOCHESTEB. 



The Market. 



The fall openings in dry goods, mil- 

 linery and shoe stores helped business 

 considerably last week, and these, with 

 the numerous funerals and weddings, 

 kept things humming for a short time. 

 We have had exceptionally good 

 weather for September and good weath- 

 er generally makes business good. The 

 •Jewish New Year, which came at the 

 end of the week, added its share of 

 business for the florists who cater to 

 Jewish trade. The "blessing of the 

 graves" is observed here by the Cath- 

 olics and all kinds of flowers were sold 

 for decorating graves for this particu- 

 lar day. The last Sunday in Septem- 

 ber is always observed here in that 

 way. 



Roses have reached their finest con- 

 dition for quality and are excellent in 

 every respect. Killarney, Radiance, 

 Maryland, Ward and Richmond are all 

 fine and are selling well. Beauties are 

 much improved and the demand for 

 them is increasing. White Killarney is 

 a great favorite and a good seller for 

 all occasions. Gladioli are still good and 

 are selling well. A few choice asters 

 still remain, in pink, white and laven- 

 der. Carnations continue good; there 

 are some excellent Enchantress knd 

 white, but there are scarcely any red 



Chriftian Binning. 



ones at present. Valley is meeting with 

 an unusual demand; a great deal is 

 used for corsages, with Ward and Kil- 

 larney roses. Violets have come again, 

 to remain for the winter. They have 

 firm stems and a good color, but the 

 flowers themselves are small and poor 

 in quality. There is already a good de- 

 mand for them. There are but few 

 dahlias on the market, but the few are 

 good in quality. Helianthus is in great 

 demand. There is a good supply of 

 greens of all kinds. Speciosum lilies are 

 plentiful and of good quality. Pink and 

 white anemones have put in their ap- 

 pearance, and also some good cosmos. 



Various Notes. 



T. Ogston, formerly with J. B. Keller 

 Sons, has left the florists' business 

 and has a position with the American 

 Express Co. 



Mrs. Julius Roehrs, of Rutherford, N. 

 J., is the guest of Mrs. William Keller. 



Miss Margaret Howe was on the sick 

 list last week. 



Ellwanger & Barry have a fine ex- 

 hibit at the Industrial Exposition. 



E. C. Campbell reports that business 

 has been extra good for a week or so. 

 He did a great deal of work for the 

 Hilficker funeral, at Pittsford, N. Y. 

 The same firm did the decorating for 

 the opening of Sibley, Lindsay & Curr 

 last week. 



A. Zirkman, of M. Rice & Co., was 

 in Rochester recently, just back from 

 his California trip. He says his trip 

 to Catalina Island, Cal., where he vis- 

 ited the submarine gardens, was won- 

 derfully interesting. 



George Boucher's business is improv- 

 ing now, he says. He has some good 

 Jerusalem cherries in large sizes on 

 sale. 



.). B. Keller Sons find trade unusually 

 good for early autumn. They are sell- 

 ing great quantities of Boston ferns. 



John Vollmer is having a few days' 

 vacation, to make up for a curtailed 

 vacation last summer. 



The Rochester Floral Co. finds that 

 business is increasing steadily and 

 there has been a good volume of sales 

 throughout September. 



Otis Bassage took a trip to Syracuse 

 a short time ago. 



Miss Margaret E. Brown, daughter 

 of Charles J. Brown, of the Brown 

 Bros. Co., and George J. Kaelber, of 

 this city, were married September 21. 

 Nearly all the flowers and vines used 

 for the wedding decorations were 

 grown on Mr. Brown's estate, Brown- 

 croft, in Brighton, N. Y. 



Salter Bros, report business just fair, 

 with a great deal of funeral work last 

 week. 



Fred Bennett had a fine lot of lav- 

 ender and white asters for the day of 

 "blessing of the graves." 



H. E. Wilson reports that business 

 is fairly good, but that no special jobs 

 are booked at present. 



Charles Briggs is away for a two 

 weeks ' vacation. 



Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Armbrust spent a 

 few days in BuflPalo, attending a wed- 

 ding there. 



William Keller conducted an auto- 

 mobile party to Canandaigua Septem- 

 ber 22, to inspect the gardens and 

 greenhouses of Mrs. Thompson, which 

 are famous throughout western New 

 York. 



Keller Bros, had an unusually large 

 share of the trade for the Jewish New 

 Year. 



At a final meeting of the exhibition 

 committee of the annual flower show, 



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