j 1UL 14 '904 
Vol. LXIIl.l NoI 2842. 
NEW YOKK, JULY 16, 1904. 
$t PER YEAR." 
- P.-4 
WHAT THE FLORISTS ARE DOING . 
Present Work and Future Prospects. 
The profits of the great majority of cut flower growers 
were largely reduced during the past Winter in com¬ 
parison with former years, and there were at least two 
particular reasons for this condition, though both these 
reasons originated from the same cause, namely, 
the severity of the Winter. The first reason 
for decreased profits is found in the increased 
cost of production, owing to the fact that the grower 
was compelled to use from 15 to 40 per cent more fuel 
than in an ordinary season 
and while the cost of coal 
in the East was not unus¬ 
ually high, yet this extra 
quantity was a great handi¬ 
cap. The second reason is 
that a great deal of cloudy 
weather, coupled with in¬ 
tense cold, shortened the 
crop of flowers through the 
most valuable period of the 
year, the consequence being 
that while the expenses in¬ 
creased rapidly, the output 
decreased with an equally 
alarming rapidity. There 
were doubtless as many 
flowers used as usual in dec¬ 
orating the houses of the 
wealthy for various social 
functions, but there were 
less flowers worn on the 
street, for few ladies would 
sally forth wearing a bunch 
of expensive flowers that 
would freeze stiff in five 
minutes. It was a disas¬ 
trous Winter to many grow¬ 
ers, and the result is seen 
in a disinclination to make 
large extensions to the area 
under glass this season, 
there being comparatively 
few large building opera¬ 
tions going on at the pres¬ 
ent time, though there is 
much rebuilding and repair 
work. 
As to whether a man with 
a taste for flower-growing 
should embark in that busi¬ 
ness this season or not, I 
should say that much would 
depend upon his location. 
If he is so located as to 
command a good home mar¬ 
ket in which he may retail 
his product at fair prices, 
there is a reasonable pros¬ 
pect of gaining a moderate 
rate of interest on the iru 
vestment, but the day oi 
fancy profits for the small grower of cut flowers is 
unfortunately gone by. When the small florist ships 
his product to a distant city he not only comes into 
competition with larger and better-equipped concerns, 
but he also finds that expressage and selling expenses 
cut quite a large slice from the returns. The violet 
industry has been exploited by the public press during 
the past two or three years, and there are a number 
of growers who have made money by clever cultivation 
of this flower, but there was a serious glut of violets 
in several of our large cities during the past Winter, 
and when such a glut appears it is the little man who 
gets pushed to the wall. The limited output of the 
small violet grower prevents him from making season 
contracts for his flowers, such contracts being some¬ 
times entered into by the large retailers, and the result 
is that the man with only one or two small greenhouses 
often has to content himself with the tail end of the 
market. 
Regarding preparations that florists are making for 
next Winter’s campaign, it would appear that a more 
conservative spirit is abroad, as already noted in the 
less amount of building now going on. The florists in 
general are not a pessimistic class, but at the same time 
are reasonably clear-sighted, and consequently take 
THE VAN FLEET STRAWBERRY. Fig. 233. See Ruralisms, Page 542. 
note that the period of inflation is about over, that 
there is serious depression in some branches of trade, 
and that it will be the part of wisdom to work cau¬ 
tiously, for the florists are not like the beef trust in 
being able to add a large percentage to the price of 
their product at a day’s notice. In the meantime roses, 
carnations and violets will continue to be the three great 
staples of the trade, though Chrysanthemums will also 
occupy much space in the early part of the season, but 
the latter are much less profitable than they were a few 
seasons ago. w. H. taplin. 
Pennsylvania. 
In spite of the fact that business on the whole was 
better the paist season than ever before, owing to the 
extra amount of coal used, the proceeds will not come 
up to the average. Regarding prospects for beginners, 
I know of several such where apparently success has 
crowned the effort, but the person who enters upon 
such an undertaking must be a worker. More depends 
upon the man than the kind of work he may fancy. I 
would advise such a person to start with the growing 
of bedding stock, more especially geraniums, fully three- 
quarters of which should be red varieties. There is 
always a good demand for this kind of stock, and it 
is of that nature that will not demand much attention 
in Summer, when the far¬ 
mer should be fully engaged 
otherwise. His home sur¬ 
roundings would be very 
much more attractive by 
the addition of the neces¬ 
sary beds wherein to grow 
his stock plants in Summer, 
which by Autumn should 
give cuttings enough for 
Winter stock to work from. 
If successful in this line, 
then carnations for Winter 
cut flowers may be taken 
up. With regard to pres¬ 
ent work of florists, I pre¬ 
sume the majority of them 
are busy just now planting 
the new stock of Chrysan¬ 
themums and roses, and giv¬ 
ing field carnations necessary 
attention as to topping and 
regular cultivation, etc. 
JESSE ROBBINS. 
Pennsylvania. 
Business in flowers last 
year was very poor, and 
there are many small grow¬ 
ers in this locality who have 
gone behind and some good 
growers who have barely 
made their expenses. My 
advice to the man with a 
taste for it is at the present 
time the same as Punch’s 
i 
advice to the man about to 
marry: “Don’t.” In any 
case, when conditions im¬ 
prove the way of the small 
grower will be hard, as his 
few flowers are no factor 
in the daily market, and the 
great grower has manifest 
advantages. Some of the 
small growers in my district 
are looking for purchasers 
of their plants; some have 
sold, some are hanging on 
in expectation of the sher¬ 
iff’s visit, and the large 
growers are just going to 
do what they have done in 
other years, and hope for a better paying season. 
New Jersey. plantsman. 
I would not advise anyone to construct a small green¬ 
house for the sale of flowers alone; unless under ex¬ 
ceptionally favorable conditions. A small house can 
hardly hold enough to warrant a profit, after deduct¬ 
ing the cost of fuel, fertilizers, broken glass, pots, fumi¬ 
gating material, repairs, etc. There seems to be a 
fascination to many persons who pass through a green¬ 
house filled with plants, and they see only the sunny 
side, but after a Winter’s campaign tied to a boiler and 
thermometer, and sighing for a good night’s rest, they 
realize that it is not all sunshine. The care night and 
