The San Francisco call., 1913-08-10
Homes of Blossoms
Which Have Made
District Famous


To the right on the trip down is the
wooded mountain range; to the left, for
% miles. the San Francisco bay; and on
either hand the country is studded with
the. magnificent estates and pretty
homes of the city's millionaires. mer-
chants and professional men But, al
though San Mateo county is pre-emin-
entity a residential suburb. hidden be-
hind the natural foliage of the valley
are countless flower gardens and con-
servatories which are repidly becom-
irg part of one of the most important
industries of the state.
California with her wonderfully
varied climate and topography, has a
fora spondingly rich and varied,
probably not surpassed by any region
Of like area in the world. Thus the
professional horticulturist found hlm-
self confronted for many years with an
ambarra ssment of riches rather than
with any lack of material Recently.
however. there has been an increase in
the demand for the product of the hot
house. and each of the central coast
counties is shipping large quantities or
flowers and plants TO other parts OF
the country in addition TO the big do
mestic business.
THE FLOWER GARDEN
san Mateo county supplies 10 per
cent of the flowers used in San Fran
cisco" Such was the remark OF one OF
The most successful wholesale florists
in California, and the statement is cor
roborated by all the big nurserymen in
this section of the state. Besides pro-
ducing three quarters of the local mar
lzet. the peninsula florists are making
daily shipments of cut flowers. plants
and seeds to all parts of the country
especially Oregon, Washington and the
middle ives tern states.
San Mateo countys floral business is
divided into three almost distinct dis
tricts. each adapted to particular va
rieties Of flowers, plants or seeds. In
the northern end of the county, which
is famed by the cool ocean breezss, are
the violet gardens: in the central por-
ton roses are the principal product, and
in the warmer southern district one
finds orchids. chrysa nthemums. carna-
tfons smilaX and other varieties In
abundance. The extensive seed indus
try is carried on in the southeasterly
portion of the county near the shores
of San Francisco bay and on the coast
side.
ITALIANS AS FLORISTS
Entering San Mateo county from the
north one finds $50 acres of land "
ing between Co1ma and South San
Of violets. grown chiefly by Italians,
and sold to the San Francisco whole
saIers. A great part of the output is
packed in cracked ice and shipped TO
customers as far east as Missouri and
Kansas One hundred dozen punches
come into San Francisco every day,
and estimating 80 violets to bunch.
it NAV be readily seen that more than
900 violets are shipped out Of San
Nateo county daily. The season eX-
tends from August | to June j. and the
popular variety IS the prince of Wales.
At Mlbrae. few miles south Of
the violet belt are the nurseries Of
Adolph r. I.udermann. who does ari
extensive business in cut flowers and
potted plants.
aILLsB0ROUGH NURSERY
At Burlingame two miles farther
south is the Hillsborough Nursery COM
pany. with its Conservatives situated
on the estate of Mrs. Malcolm d. Whit
man in Hillsborough, and its Offices in
the city OF Burlingame. Henry Maier
IS the manager. In addition to its To-
cal retail business the company makes
large daily shipments to San Fran
cisco of nursery stock and cut flowers,
including carnations, chrysanthemums
and roses. principally the American
beauty variety.
One of the largest flower growers in
san Mateo county is the E. W. McLel-
Ian company, which also has its hot
houses in Burlingame The company
confines its activities almost entirely
to the wholesale trade, and has its
headquarters in San Francisco. The
Mcclellan concern has 100000 square
feet of flower beds under glass, and
IS adding $4,000 square feet this year.
Roses make up the principal business
and the varieties handled include the
american beauty, pink and white XII
larneys, Richmond Mrs Arron Ward
and the Nine. Cecil Drummer. Bur-
lingame was the first place in which
the last named rose was grown un-
der glass, and an interesting story is
told in this connection.
SENT TO NEW YORK
While in the east last winter Mr. E.
w. Mcclellan, local florist discov-
cred that every first class flower store
in New York and other large eastern
cities was having calls for a certain
small pink rose known by some deal
ers as the Mignon and by others as
the Sweetheart. AS soon as Mcclellan
saw the popular flower he recognized
it as the Nine. Cecil Brunner. and since
that time he has supplied all the cut
buds TO the east except for one lot
grown in New York from plants OBJ
tained in San Mateo county. During
tie last season ne. mas SnIppeQ out
10000 plants of the Cecil Drummer.
consigned TO New York. and at present
1000 plants are going out daily
The Mcclellan firm sends an avera ge
of 1000 or 5000 roses to San Francisco
daily. Many OF them are boxed and
reshipped to the north and middle west
The buds are packed carefully in ice
and, when opened they bloom out for
The first time. Mcclellan also does an
extensive business In poinsettias and
gardenias-one of the most fashionable
flowers on the market.
San Mateo county's heavy shipments
to the northwest in winter is attrib-
uted to the almost continuous rainy
season in Oregon. Washington and
British Columbia. The Vancouver mar
ket is supplied almost entirely by local
growers. Portland grows roses with
great success in summer but the
clouded skies in winter make successful
culture in that season almost impos-
sble.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
South of San Mateo, near Beresford,
IS the establishment of the MacRorie-
GrI aren company. which located down
ne peninsula three years ago and now
has Is acres under cultivation. In addi-
tion to its nursery and flower business,
the concern engages in Landscape gar
dening and has laid out many of the
eautiful country estates in San Mateo,
Burlingame and Hillsborough. The ac-
tiyities Of the company cover the en-
tire globe, both in the buying and sell
ing branches. 1t has just received a