The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-06
BUY MORE SEEOS
THAN EVER BEFORE
Florists Tell Of Interest In
City Beautiful
SEE RESULTS MKT SPRING
Men Interviewed Say Citizens Are Bet
ter Informed Than Ever Before
About What They Want
to Plant

Actual results from the city beautiful
movement are marvellous. according to
the seed and plant merchants of Birming-
nam. 1t is pointed out that no one is in
better position than they to judge, for
they sell practically everything that goes
to beautify grounds and buildings
They are all enthusiastic with the sea-
sons results, declaring with one voice
that the people of the city were never
so wide awake, and never so energetic,
and never so eager to purchase just the
right kinds of seeds and bulbs. Their
business has increased 25 per cent over
any previous year, so far as Birmingham
is concerned, and they attribute 1t to
the city beautiful activities.
Movement Is Booming.
G. Is. McVay of the AMI Golden Seed
company one of the largest wholesale
and retail houses in the south, said
Eyes, the city beautiful is booming.
The reason I say this is because the tele-
phone is ringing almost constantly by
persons asking informatin about lawns.
grass seed, bulbs, plants, fertilizers, etc.
lady called up today and said she had
bought grass seed from AMI Golden
Seed company and that she was getting
fine stand of weeds, oats, and a lot of
other wild grasses. The question was
asked her what she had fortified with,
and the answer came back that she had
used stable manure. The answer to her
complaint was easy. The foreign growth,
of course, came from the stable manure.
&c hatt a
or barnyard manure to fertilize a lawn
with, but it should be old and well rot
ted; otherwise crop of weeds hard to
get rid of will be the first growth. Pure
raw ground bone meal, or any high-grade
complete commercial fertilizer is prefera-
BILE for fertilizing lawns 1t is not only
much cheaper, but through its use the
Objectionable foreign weeds and grasses
can be avoided.
Yes, / am glad to see that property
owners are taking a lively interest in
Mayor Wards campaign for the city
beautiful but let me tell you, the rent
ers of homes, both among the rich and
poor alike, are taking just as much inter-
est as the men owning their own homes.
This is the most encouraging feature of
the campaign. The interest being mani
tested by the different railroad companies
and other large corporations is bound to
have its effect on the individual and I
predict that inside of two years no city
in the north as large as Birmingham
can make better showing in civic pride
and beautifying improvements.
Just think If Mayor Ward had start
ed this programme when he first became
Mayor, what a difference would now be
exhibited.
'Why, even the public schools are talk
ing this matter in hand, and the children
are asked to bring in papers designating
what is being done ON their block in the
way of improvements looking to the city
beautiful" Now, whenever you take
great movement into our public schools,
get the children interested you can look
out for tangible results
"Of course, 1 give George B. Ward
credit for all this disturbance but let me
tell you, he has the women of Birmng-
ham behind him in this movement, so
there is going to be no fall down. You
can guess what the men will do
Arlie Barber of the Barber Seed COM
pany said: Il don't think the people have
ever taken so much interest in fixing up
their places as they have this fall L
have been selling seeds that | never sold
before, and more grass seeds than ever
went out of our store in one fall. This
is also true of plants and bulbs, and | no.
tce the people seem to be much better
Informed about what they want, and know
more about the best plants for the sea-
son than 1 have ever known to be the
case. Our customers talk great deal
about the movement, and | hear consider
able interest in the contest which the city
has inaugurated. The energy and push
of the authorities is to be commended, for
it has certainly produced great results"
Awakened Interest.
w. M. Lindsay, the florist, said: THE
city beautiful movement has created an
interest with which come in touch every
day. l find hitherto somewhat ignorant
public become suddenly perfectly edu-
Gated, and buying more bulbs, plants and
cuttings than We have ever sold before.
Only this morning L was called upon by
three parties who engaged me to lay off
a plan for the identification of their
grounds. / am receiving calls all the
time for advice, and to assist in fixing up
lawns, and have negotiations on with all
the residents of one block to work out a
harmonious scheme for their lawns and
premises.
"This activity is remarkable. 1t has
doubled business. and the people seem
more interested every day The number of
lawns now being replanted and improved.
Including small front yards, is three times
that of last year The city is to be con-
graduated on its course, and If the people
continue their interest, by next summer
there will be no prettier city in the coun-
try"
Results Already Apparent.
Said Hugh Scales, the florist: 81
will personally vouch for the statement
that the literature and pamphlets and
the publicity given to the city beautiful
movement has already mown off the ugly
corners and doubled the beauty of half
the city of Birmingham. This statement
will be proven next spring when the
,ff.1, I1A Mo tod