Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-01-26
CUT FLOWERS.
ENORMOUS PROPORTIONS OF
GOrHANi's FLORAL TRADE.
Tho Florists Sell to tho WHOLESALER
and They Supply tho Retailcrs-
Expeditions Disposition OF
Quickly Spoiled Goods.

EVEhAli OF che leading florists
~ of New York agreo in saying
that the amount of business
done yearly in New York in
potted plants and out flowers reaches
81, 600, GOO. Such figure as this
seems excessive Mt first glance, but
when it il considered that there are in
the city nearly 200 florists who sell
their stock ut retail, and that about
one-tenth of that number do whole.
sale trade, the estimate docs not mp.
pear SO fur out of tho way.
1t is raro occurrence whom thero
are not enough flowers to satisfy tho
demands, because nearly oil of those
raised for this market are cultivated
in hot houses. However, very dry or
very wet weather docs affect tho plants
to some slight eytont.
The florists do not grow for them.
selves, nor do the wholesalers. The
latter are commission merchants, re.
ceiving their stock directly from the
grower by messengers or express. The
express companies do a large business
in handling flowers, and each OF them
keeps ono of the familiar big double
wagons busy ut this alone. Tho shall
low trays in which tho ont blossoms
are packed como into the wholesalers
stores Mt eight O'Clock every morning,
being shipped from the scores of gar
dens and nurseries SO rs to arrive ut
this hour. From thon on to eleven
O'Clock the wholesalers places present
busy appearance. like ono of tho CITY
mnrIynfq "a or.lxy II
the retail dealers, or their buyers ON.
ployed for this purpose, visit the
stores in turn to select their days
stock. Unless there is likely to be q
big demand for some especial yarie.
ties, rs for violets and yellow orysan.
thcmums ON Thanksgiving Day, when
tho Ynle-Princoton football match in
played, or for all sorts Mt Easter, no
stock is ordered before hand. Thu.
the buyers can personally select such
flowers rs they need for the day, choos.
ing only tho most perfect specimens
after visiting tho different Wholesale
stores, which aro not far apart. Per.
haps they will purchase from hnlf-a.
dozen, cach ono having aomo fine
blooms of ono particular variety tbai
tho othor Inns not.
There is much rivalry between tho
wholesalers. Euch ono naturally
wishes to net Ms agent for tho best and
most experienced growers, whose bios.
SONS may DO easily disposed of. Az
MI sales are on commission, n constant
warfare in percentages is wnged. One
man may handle the products of fifty
growers ono season and lose half ol
them the next, if nm agent Just n.
reputable MS he offers to accept lower
rate of commission. The manner OF
calculating the latter, however, j,
necessarily similar in nll cases; and nc
wholesaler ever returns unsold stock.
After eleven o'clock in tho forenoon il
is considered that mono of the flowers
on hand will be wanted by the retailers
here. All of the buyers havo disap
peared by TINT hour. Then tho worh
of getting rid of tho surplus is begun
by filling the orders of small out-of.
town shops. If any of the stock il
still left, it is sold ut low price to the
street vendors. That ia why some
very choice flowers are often seen OF
tho sidewalk stands. Of course, i.
several hundred perfect specimens of,
for instance, American Beauty o.
Jacqueminot roses were left on hand,
they would be Kept in n suitable plact
until tho following day. All florists,
Wholesale and retail, havo small glass
compartments in their stores, where
cool, damp temperature il maintained
nrtificially for keeping flowers fresh.
BY this system all salcs are averaged,
tho wholesaler losing proport;onntcly
in commissions what the grower doei
in not disposing of the stock he sendr
in at what it is really worth. Tho re.
taller loses nll he doea not sell, bu,
experience teaches about how much
will be needed in day.
The growers are generally specialists.
Certain men are noted for their roses,
others for violcts, dubious roots,
chrysanthemums, plants and forms,
otc. This is particularly truo oil
plant-growers, who, though they are
here included under the head o!
florists, are not technically 80. They
sell mainly to the retailer without til,
medium of commission agent
w 'iei 1ooSo hAC BicWd " lllO pTHcUlCH
exclusion of other flowers in winter
the latter receive attention in tn,
summer, SO as to give the cultivator
salnble crop all tho year around.
1t is fact youched for by one o
the leading wholesalers here TIM
there is not much tendency to expert
ment among many florists. If
prospective grower wishes to raise
certain sort of flowers be is apt to 20
where they have been silccessfull,
grown before. SO an experienced
florist will tell nm inquirer that nearly
all of the violets come from the bank
of the Hudson near Poughkeepsie, tn,
roses from Long Island and New
jersey, tho Dubious roots from nea,
Hoboken and Long Island City, gree,
plants from New jersey toward tn,
mountains, etc.
Orchids are comparatively new t.
florists and the public, but they ar,
becoming more common, and ut tn,