to me. It was a curious coincidence that the first town I reached was Columbia, Pa., the very town I mentioned in a former place when I first started out with florists' supplies. To my former benefactor, Mr. William Ahern, who had encouraged me eight years before, I went for my first order. I was not disappointed this time either. Mr. Ahern received me in his customary kindly manner, and after telling him about my extensive lines in a way that perhaps confused him at first, I finally succeeded in booking an order for a few pots, some florists' supplies, a few packages of seed, and a can of lemon oil. I distinctly remember that order, for it was the first one of the kind I took; and details pertaining to first events in one's life impress themselves indelibly on one's memory.
That first order was a source of great encouragement to me. I felt that I was on the right track. And since all I required was persistency, I determined to be persistent. I wound up that day at York, Pa.
In the evening I figured up my sales and found that not only had I paid expenses (which by the way were in noways commensurate with those of today), but I found that I was about six dollars on the right side of the ledger.
Victor and Flora Hill Carnations
I continued traveling, making an extensive trip through Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, everywhere doing what I considered a fair business. The Victor Carnation (a sport of Daybreak), and Flora Hill, which had been put on the market the year previous, were much in demand among the growers. I saw my chance, and despite my efforts to remain "neutral," I evinced a special partiality for these two varieties. I was assured by the growers, whose stock I handled, that these were two good commercial varieties, the bread-and-butter kind; and I found it no difficult matter to book orders right and left. As I recall the event today, it appears to me that parrot-like I adopted the very vocabulary descriptive of Carnations. Yet I did not fail to realize that other lines must have my consideration. If I did well with Carnation growers, I must do equally as well for the H. F. Michell Co., for the pot man, palm grower, and the rest. I began to push all lines alike, but to my utter dismay I found it impossible to do justice to all. If a grower, for example, gave me a fair-sized order for Carnation cuttings, he thought that he did enough for me. If he had any bulbs or other things to order, it was policy to reserve his orders for some other man. The fact that I could not talk knowingly about the lines I handled, in other words, that I lacked practical experience to give them pointers of value, may have served to hamper my success along all the lines. I decided to study up things, to be better posted, to meet men from whose very conversation I could learn things that would come in good stead for me.
Albert M. Herr of Lancaster is perhaps the first man to whom I am indebted for instruction on Carnations. The merits and demerits of a commercial variety he clearly pointed out to me on several occasions. I made notes of these points, and profited by them much in my business contact with growers.
Carnations in those days) as the older florists well remember, were not of the same high standard as the Carnation of today. Nor had the public expected or dreamed of the 4in. Carnation which John Thorp predicted about a quarter of a century ago, and which prediction has been amply fulfilled.
Lizzie McGowan, Daybreak, William Scott were in those days the money-makers for the small as well as for the large grower. Flora Hill came in later, and by degrees began to replace the ragged Lizzie.
Concentrating on a Smaller Line
I soon learned that the more I knew of my lines the better I was received. My first trip further taught me that the less articles I represented and talked
