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APBIL 24, 1918. 



The Florists' Review 



17 



to have to Bell stock at low prices, espe- 

 cially as we are selling them on a com- 

 mission basis. And we assure you that 

 when the letters of commendation or 

 praise do come to us they are certainly 

 appreciated, and they stimulate us to 

 flven greater efforts on behalf of our 

 growers and we know that they make 

 for a better feeling and understanding 

 between us. 



The mutual good feeling among the 

 floiists, particularly among the growers, 

 is improving each year — hardly a grower 

 but who is willing to live and learn, to 

 profit by his neighbor's successes and 

 mistakes — and meetings sucli as these, 

 where you get in closer touch with each 

 other, are of splendid value and benefit, 

 for there is always something to learn. 



Then there are our shows — what 

 schools of learning they are I — particu- 

 larly such shows as the National Flower 

 Show which has just taken place in New 

 York. I know that every florist who 

 attended this show went home feeling 

 that it was time and money well spent, 

 and I was pleased to see Lancaster so 

 well represented. It shows progressive- 

 ness. N t only^ was it of advantage to 

 see the exhibits, how stock could be 

 grown, the newer flowers and plants 

 (many of them novelties never before 

 seen), but the greatest advantage of all 

 was the opportunity the little men had 

 to get in touch with the big men of the 

 trade on an equal footing, conversing 

 with them, getting their ideas and help- 

 ful suggestions, and going back home 

 with the knowledge of how to do bigger 

 and better things, knowledge that they 

 could not acquire in years of hard 

 grinding. 



Stay-at-Homes Profit Little. 



Not only are these shows valuable to 

 the growers, retailers and wholesalers 

 in the way of being a source of knowl- 

 edge and information, but they are one 

 of the greatest advertising mediums we 

 have for the flower business. The pub- 

 licity committees that are working in 

 the different cities are doing all they 

 can, and mighty good work, too, to 

 bring the flower business before the 

 public. But the flower shows are infi- 

 nitely more lasting and far-reaching in 

 their effects than ordinary advertising. 

 By this I do not wish to convey the idea 

 that I do not think advertising pays, as 

 I am a firm believer in advertising. But 

 for that reason, if no other, these shows 

 should have your firm and hearty sup- 

 port, and your individual attendance 

 whenever it ia at all possible. 



This may be digressing from the sub- 

 ject somewhat, but I hardly think so, as 

 these are points every florist, whether 

 he is a grower, retailer or middleman, 

 should consider. Do not be afraid to 

 leave home now and then to see what 

 the other fellow is doing. Many a 

 grower finds at the end of his year that 

 he has come out with little or no profit, 

 owing sometimes to his staying at home 

 entirely too much and not understand- 

 ing how to properly market his stock or 

 to get it into the best possible shape for 

 marketing. 



Then, too, often a grower does not 

 know just where he is making or losing 

 money, owing to the fact of his not 

 •seeping accurate records as to produc- 

 tion per plant or per square foot. Then, 

 sometimes a greenhouse is run in con- 

 nection with another enterprise and not 

 '^ept separate, only in a superficial way, 

 ^ ^ay that is more harmful than help- 

 ful. Accurate accounting, even if it 



Samttel S. Pennock. 



does take a little more time and ex- 

 pense, is bound to pay in the end. 



Oarefol Grading and Packing. 



Ev0ry year the competition in the 

 flowe^ business becomes keener and the 

 supply larger, which makes it necessary 

 to grpw the stock and market it in the 

 best I possible manner. Having suc- 

 ceeded in growing flne, first-class fiow- 

 en, it is equally, if not more important 

 to see that they are not spoiled by poor 

 handling. This often happens, and is 

 due to the grower not looking after the 

 detaijis and appreciating that it is just 

 as important to market flowers in the 

 best up-to-date manner as it is to pro- 

 duce, the best flowers in the first place. 

 How much quicker and better will a box 

 of flowers sell that comes into the mar- 

 ket carefully graded and packed and 

 put up in attractive shape! That ship- 

 ment commands a buyer, particularly on 

 a dull market, far more quickly than 

 the shipment that is carelessly graded 

 and packed, even if the stock in this 

 shipment be well grown and some of 

 the flowers be of even better quality 

 than the first shipment. If this condi- 

 tion be allowed to go on day after day 

 from one year's end to the other, it 

 means many a dollar out of the grow- 

 er's pocket. Do not be afraid to watch 

 the details; the larger things will then 

 fall into line naturally and take care of 

 themselves. Be particular about the 

 grading; keep the quality up and do not 

 allow poor stock to creep in. 



It is very important that rubbered or 

 wirgd carnations should not be put in 



I 



the same bunches with the better 

 blooms, as a few wired or rubbered 

 blooms will spoil the sale of the bunch. 

 Some growers feel that this is not im- 

 portant, but every grower who does 

 this loses out in the end, as these 

 bunches of carnations will sell only 

 on a scarce market and almost all the 

 time it is a buyer 's and not the seller 's 

 market. Let the poorer blooms come in 

 a lower grade. Details carefully watched 

 spell success in any line of business. 



Oloser Belatlonshlp Essential. 



I believe most growers and whole- 

 salers do not keep in close enough touch 

 with each other. Advices from the 

 wholesaler as to the market conditions, 

 or advices from the grower as to his fu- 

 ture crops, probable quantity and when 

 these particular crops will come in, are 

 points that are too often ignored and 

 too little considered. Often a crop will 

 come in which could have been mar- 

 keted to much better advantage had the 

 wholesaler known about it and under- 

 stood what to expect, whether this was 

 a new crop coming on or simply an 

 extra big cut. The knowledge of this 

 would help the commission man to plan 

 for better sales of the stock, perhaps 

 even give him an opportunity to adver- 

 tise it, and the results would more than 

 offset the trouble and expense of the 

 grower 's writing or phoning about it. 



If it were possible for the wholesalers 

 and growers to visit e«ch other oftener, 

 it would be a great help to each of them 

 and would sa'^ 'tnany a misunderstend- 

 ing; it would. -bring them closer to- 

 LUontlnaad on pa«re 32.] 



