■ > t^uTV^ - ' ,■ ^'^ '' 



■•^ST' 



r5i-« ,ij,j u'iHjai^npp;;pii||j|!^Ji.Mi^l'l.;^,>i.i(.ww|«'l>>i)in!K>i>.'-'i)<«lw.in(vri. fU" ,»w,^ 



{^Kabch 18, 1013. 



The Florists' Review 



33 



This was a Big Basket of Mixed Spring Flowen. 



aries prove, in the end, to be necessi- 

 ties. Such is the position flowers are 

 in today. They are gradually becoming 

 a necessity and will gain just so fast 

 as intelligence and a love for the beau- 

 tiful fasten themselves upon the peopje as 

 a whole. 



Therefore, I take it that the future 

 of bulb growing depends as much upon 

 the intelligent, honest and painstaking 

 grower as on any other factor. Put up 

 the square deal on what you sell, the 

 same as you insist upon receiving. 

 Right along by the side of this put 

 publicity for what you have to sell. 

 No need to misrepresent or exaggerate 

 the beauty of any flower. They came 

 from the hand of the perfect One, and 

 not by any jumping:jack, haphazard 

 evolution. Put these two influences to- 

 gether and we never need fear the 

 overproduction of any really valuable 

 flower. Show the people the value and 

 thej will not only appreciate our ef- 

 forts but will reward us financially. 



I believe the business of bulb grow- 

 ing has struck a snag, if ''you will 

 allow such an expression, and it is now 

 up to the straightforward producer of 

 good stock, with honest methods of 

 handling and selling, to set the trade 

 straight and reap the reward. The 

 people of this country are being edu- 

 cated faster than many realize. They 

 are also watching the advertisements 

 «f the goods, making comparisons, as 

 It were, in the quiet of the hoiiii/ This 

 f"onsultation, often around the fireside, 

 necide^ the route fey which the next 



are learning it and some are profiting 

 by honesty and sincerity. 



The grower suffers somewhat in com- 

 parison with the producers of many of 

 the necessities of life. His results 

 largely depend on weather and he must 

 plant, care for and harvest with this 

 fact in constant view. His business is 



" largely dominated bv faith, but with 

 that faith, borne upward by the reward 

 that surely comes if faithful, he works 

 on year after year with an abiding 

 happiness that conquers all. 



In the bulb in which we are all 

 more or less interested, the gladiolus, 

 we have a good example. Year after 

 year the bulbleta are planted with 

 scarcely any regard to good or ill re- 

 sults. Consequently the small or weak 

 ones go in with the rest, and stock is 

 kp^r* thereby. This is being remedied 

 in some caMtR. This can be largely 

 remedied by sifting the bulblets. Do- 

 ing away with this evil will help the 

 general stock. Carry this principle all 

 along down the long row of bulbous 

 flowers and the far-reaching results 

 would in time surprise. I think we 

 need have no fear of overproduction of 

 good stock of any bulb, but we cer- 

 tainly must have more care for selec- 

 tion, the eradication of disease, and 

 good keeping. The seed-corn growers 

 are beating us by miles in carefulness 

 and selection. 



New things are desirable, but the old 

 standards have not lost their value. 

 Twice two still makes only four, and it 

 is fair to conclude 'twill so remain. 

 I think we can reasonably say, put out 

 good stock, be fair about the price, 

 insist upon getting value received, but 

 deliver the goods, and we need have no 

 fear of the future in growing any bulb 

 the market calls for. 



E. S. Thompson. 



SNAPDRAGONS FOB WINTER. 



I have several hundred Silver Pink 

 snapdragons that were grown from seed 

 and are now in 2-inch pots. They are 

 ready to be shifted into 3-inch pots. 

 Can I carry them along the same as I 

 do my carnations; that is, keep them 

 .topped back to six inches, plant them 

 in the garden in June after all danger 

 of frost is past and then bench in Au- 

 gust f I am located in the western part 



jt- 



Unutaal Git Flowen io an Unttsual Easter Basket. 



