22 



The Weekly Florists* Review. 



Septembbb 28, 1911. 



OBITUABT. 



Caldwell the Woodsman. 



George W. Caldwell, to trhom the 

 trade owes the introduction of that 

 now almost indispensable decorative 

 green, the southern wild smilaz, died 

 at his Alabama home early this month 

 after a long illness with tuberculosis. 



It was fifteen years or more ago that 

 Mr. Caldwell located at Evergreen, a 

 then unheard of town, which he has 

 since made known to practically every 

 florist in the land. Though he was 

 without money and without friends, Mr. 

 Caldwell was possessed of the spirit of 

 the pioneer and, going into the woods, 

 gathered there the articles that the 

 northern decorators were waiting to 

 welcome. Although he gathered and 

 shipped all the southern decorative 

 evergreens, working up a large busi- 

 ness under the title "Caldwell the 

 Woodsman," it is with the wild smilax 

 that his name is most closely associ- 

 ated. He was the discoverer of its 

 commercial possibilities. Shipments 

 which he began in an experimental 

 way have now become carloads and 

 run into hundreds of thousands of cases 

 a year. At first Mr. Caldwell went into 

 the woods and gathered his greens, 

 hauling them to the railroad and ship- 

 ping just what he gathered, but later 

 he established his shipping stations 

 and bought there the stock brought in 

 by the natives. In the course of time 

 there came to be many other shippers 

 through the section and the industry 

 was on a solid footing. 



About six years ago that insidious 

 and most fatal disease, tuberculosis, 

 fastened itself on the vitals of the 

 pioneer, and he was forced to retire. 

 His old business is now conducted by E. 

 A. Beaven. 



Sebastian Fischer. 



At Evanston, 111., Sebastian Fischer 

 died September 21, after only a brief 

 illness. The funeral was held Satiir- 

 day, September 23^ and was largely at- 

 tended, for Mr. Fischer was a member 

 of the Chicago Florists' Club and one 

 of the popular young men of the Chi- 

 cago suburb. He was born in Luxem- 

 burg and had just passed his twenty- 

 seventh birthday anniversary. The 

 father, Fred C. Fischer, was one of the 

 old school of gardeners. He brought 

 his sons to America in their early dajrg, 

 but gave them a thorough training in 

 his profession and, when they had ar- 

 rived at suitable age, took them into 

 the business he had established at 

 Evanston, a few years ago turning it 

 over to them. The firm then became 

 Fischer Bros. Sebastian was the junior. 

 John, his elder brother, will continue 

 the business. 



Nicholas P. iBeddy. 



Nicholas P. Eeddy, of Fall Biver, 

 Mass., died at his residence, 32 Laurel 

 street, on Sunday morning, September 

 17, after a brief illness. He was bom 

 in Dublin, Ireland, and learned the 

 florists' business at his home while still 

 a young man. Coming to America, he 

 arrived at Fall Eiver about forty years 

 ago and was in the employ of the late 

 Dr. Durfee for some time before start- 

 ing in business on his own account. 

 Because of ill health, he turned his 

 business over to his two sons about 

 two years ago. He is survived by his 

 widow, Mrs. Mary E. Beddy, nee 

 Keough, and by two sons and three 



daughters. The sons are Edward J. 

 and John F. Beddy, and the daugh- 

 ters are Mrs. M. J. Logan, Miss Mary 

 L. Beddy and Miss Jennie Eeddy. 



I. L. Powell. 



I. L. Powell, one of the most widely 

 known of the private gardeners in the 

 vicinity of New York, died September 

 22, after a brief illness of pleuro- 

 pneumonia. The funeral was held Sun- 



George W. Caldwell. 



day, September 24, and was largely at- 

 tended, out of respect for the deceased 

 and sympathy for his widow. 



Mr. Powell was in the prime of life. 

 He had been for some years head gar- 

 dener on the estate of Samuel Thome, 

 at Millbrook, N. Y. He was an expert 

 on many subjects, but especially on 

 the chrysanthemum, and only a few 

 weeks ago Doubleday, Page & Co. issued 

 a volume in its gardening library, 

 "Chrysanthemums and How to Grow 

 Them," from his pen. Mr. Powell was 

 a regular exhibitor at the eastern 

 shows. He was an active member in 

 the New York Florists' Club, a regu- 

 lar attendant at S. A. F. conventions, 

 with Mrs. Powell, a member of the 

 American Chrysanthemum Society and 

 other trade organizations. 



MEBIDEN, CONN. 



The Market. 



Business has been dull for the last 

 two months, but is now increasing, and 

 it is expected that a month hence trade 

 will surely be good. The weather here 

 during the last week has been ideal, and 

 we hope to have this Indian summer 

 two or three weeks longer. September 

 has witnessed many large weddings. 

 Three or four funerals last week helped 

 to keep the florists busy. 



White flowers seem to be plentiful. 

 Asters are still in the market, though 

 most aster crops were badly damaged 

 in this vicinity by the heavy rains. 

 Asters are taken in preference to roses 

 and other stock. Most dahlias were 

 killed by the recent frost. Carnations 

 are more abundant, but the stems are 

 still short. Sweet peas are a thing of 

 the past. Golden Glow chrysanthemums 

 are plentiful. Lilies are fine. There 



have been good sales of ferns and it is 

 expected there will be a heavy demand 

 for them after the outdoor stock is 

 taken in. -^ 



Various Notes. 



The beauty of Hubbard park has at- 

 tracted many visitors. Great praise is 

 given the keeper of this beautiful park. 



The Blatchley Co. had a fine window 

 display of choice Boston ferns last 

 week. 



Joseph Greenbacker is still doing 

 business at the old Colony road green- 

 houses, near Yalesville. 



John Bonell has been busy during 

 the last few weeks getting his houses 

 remodeled. He is now getting his young 

 stock in for winter. B. 



NEW ORLEANS. 



Club Sleeting. 



The New Orleans Horticultural So- 

 ciety held its monthly meeting Septem- 

 ber 21 at Kolb 's German tavern. Presi- 

 dent Claude Cry and Secretary C. E. 

 Panter were in their places, and there 

 was a good attendance. 



The society had received an invita- 

 tion from the local Progressive Union 

 to take part in the reception to the 

 steamboat Quincy, plying between St. 

 Louis and this port. A committee of 

 ten, headed by President Ory, attended. 

 .No doubt the florists will get their 

 share of the increased trade created by 

 an enlarged river traffic. A vote of 

 thanks was extended to Captain Streck- 

 fus of the Quincy for the enjoyable 

 time all had. 



The committee on securing a meet- 

 ing room in the new building of the 

 Progressive Union rei)orted success and 

 will bring in a definite answer at the 

 next meeting. 



Harry Papworth, the state vice-presi- 

 dent of the S. A. F., spoke of his at- 

 tendance at the Baltimore convention 

 and gave great praise to the trade ex- 

 hibits. He spoke interestingly of his 

 visits to the large nurseries in the 

 east. 



B. M. Wichers spoke entertainingly 

 of his business trip through Kentucky, 

 Ohio and Illinois, stating that it is of 

 great benefit to see one s various cus- 

 tomers personally. 



Herman Doescher said he was de- 

 lighted with his trip through Texas, 

 both from a business and pleasurable 

 standpoint. 



P. A. Chopin, the energetic standby 

 of the society, aroused great interest 

 by his proposal to hold a flower show 

 during the next spring. The suggestion 

 was well received on all sides and sev- 

 eral members voiced their sentiments. 

 C. E. Panter 's proposition to hold a 

 flower show in conjupction with ex- 

 hibits of the agriculturists and kindred 

 bodies of the city and state, on an 

 elaborate scale, making it a financial as 

 well as an artistic success, was hailed 

 as the best plan. He was instructed to 

 send a special notice to all the mem- 

 bers to be present at the next meeting, 

 October 19, tor the final discussion of 

 this important proposition and the ap- 

 pointment of the various committees. 

 B. B. 



Babylon, N. T. — Geo. W. Keyser re- 

 ports an excellent season. Owing to 

 the drought, the salvia, which flour- 

 ishes particularly in this locality, has 

 bloomed even more freely than usual, 

 with the prospects of an abundant seed 

 crop. 



:irtri^' 



