BULB STOCK FOR- EASTER 



201 



Fig. 70. — An Easter Lily Basket. Such 

 an arrangement will always find plenty of 

 admirers around Easter, for Lilies and 

 Primroses in a graceful basket make a 

 thoroughly pleasing combination 



day— that is, if you want to 

 make money. You can ship a 

 Hydrangea, Rose, Lily or Bou- 

 gainvillea, but you cannot near- 

 ly so well ship bulb stock in 

 flower any distance. And it 

 requires so little trouble to bring 

 such stock into bloom for Easter 

 — it might be done even without 

 the help of a greenhouse — that 

 every florist should be found 

 weU prepared with a full as- 

 sortment for that date. With 

 Easter coming around the first 

 of April and no room to spare, if 

 the weather isn't too cold, a 

 good way is to let the plants, 

 whether in pans or flats, come 

 along in a deep coldframe, out- 

 doors; here, with sashes and 

 plenty of shade on top, they 

 can be kept perfectly, much 

 better, even, than in a cool 



greenhouse. Any frame is good enough so long as you can keep the 

 frost out of it. During a hot speU such as we often experience 

 during the Easter week, with cool nights and shade you can keep a 

 deep coldframe down to 45 deg. without trouble. 



The Retailing of Bulbs by the Florist 



This is merely a side hne as yet and is almost entirely over- 

 looked by the average retail grower. 



If you supply the plants in Spring for the filling of flower beds 

 and borders, you have the best of chances to land the order for 

 bulbs to be planted in Fall for Spring flowering. We know there are 

 seed houses aU over the country specializing in that line and sending 

 out attractive catalogs, but in spite of that, you can get your share 

 of orders if you only go after them. The great majority of people 

 will not think of a bed of Tulips except when they see them in full 

 bloom, and, strange to say, we have folks come into the store in 

 May, wanting to know if they can have a bed planted. If you want 

 to have your customers buy bulbs from you, advertise, send out 

 an attractive folder, caU them up, remind them of the fact that the 

 Fall is the time for planting if they desire a show the foUow ng Spring. 



I always look at the selling of bulbs to one's customers in this 

 light: There may not be a great deal of profit in handling them, 



