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| FOR BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL f 
| GROWERS OF THE GLADIOLUS, DAHLIA, IRIS, ETC. [ 
I PUBLISHED MONTHLY ON THE FIRST OF THE f 
| MONTH BY MADISON COOPER, CALCIUM, N.Y. j 
[ IV ritten expressly for 'The Flower Grower. ] 
Peony Bloom for Red Cross. 
By J. P. Skinner. (Iowa.) 
W E NOTE A SHORT item in the 
March number of The Flower 
Grower relative to the sale of 
surplus Peony, Gladioli, and other 
bloom for the Red Cross, and 
soliciting suggestions from 
your readers. 
This leads us to think that 
our experience last June with 
a special sale of Peony bloom 
for the Red Cross may be of 
interest to you. 
We always have a large 
quantity of bloom that is too 
far along to ship to the florist 
trade, and rather than to see 
it go to waste, and to help in 
doing our bit, we decided to 
have a Peony Day. 
The Red Cross Association 
was very glad to take the 
matter up, and carried it 
through very successfully. 
Just at the time the bloom 
was at its best, we selected a 
Saturday for Peony Day, as 
Saturdays every one comes 
to town to trade and visit, 
and we wanted to reach the 
country folks as well as those 
in town. 
The special Peony Day was 
advertised about two weeks 
in advance, all the local 
papers donating the space, 
giving the sale wide pub- 
licity. 
The sale was conducted 
entirely by the Red Cross, 
they in turn interesting the 
Camp Fire Girls, who did the 
actual selling. 
Three stations were secured 
down town, one in the post 
office lobby, and the other 
two in prominent stores, 
space being donated by all. 
The sale started at 9:30 
a. m. and closed promptly at 
9:30 p. m., all bloom left over 
being sent to the sick, and to 
the hospital Sunday morning. 
for a person to get away from the 
Peonies that day. 
We sold them for 10c. each, 6 for 
35c., 12 for 50c., and at this rate, the 
girls received $142.10 for the 
days sale, every penny of 
which went to the Red Cross. 
We hope to better this sale 
this season, if the bloom 
comes good, for we are sure 
more enthusiasm will be 
shown now than a year ago. 
It may be of interest to 
Peony growers to learn that 
the dark reds were more 
sought after than any color, 
which leads us to think that 
the growers who are making 
a specialty of the very light 
shades, are getting away 
from the popular demand. 
A Red Cross Plea. 
We believe that not enough 
attention is being given to 
the work of the Red Cross in 
this country. There are Red 
Cross slackers as well as 
slackers for army and navy 
service. The Red Cross has 
recently issued a statement 
of disbursements showing a 
large amount of work which 
has actually been done in as- 
sisting the allied cause. We 
plead for more interest in the 
work of the Red Cross. Much 
time and energy which is go- 
ing to absolute waste or 
worse, could be put into pro- 
ductive work in connection 
with the Red Cross and there- 
by be made to help a cause 
which is the highest on earth. 
There is no work more de- 
serving and no work more 
for the benefit of humanity 
than Red Cross work at this 
time. 
The Editor. 
Three Camp Fire Girls were at each 
station, in relays, during the time of 
the sale, and other of the girls were on 
the street, so that it was a hard matter 
GLADIOLUS— RODANO. 
One of A E. Kunderd's new Primulinus Hybrids, described as a soft 
sulphur yellow. Sometimes has all petals penciled with pink 
markings. A very attractive and pretty variety. 
