Fitzgeralds Greenhouses Well Stocked With Beautiful Blooming Plants
Mr. Thomas M. Fitzgerald, the Beaver florist, and his corps of assistants, have been exceptionally busy the last few days, and the scenes about his extensive greenhouses have been animated ones.
Coupled with his regular business, which has been steadily increasing, Mr. Fitzgerald has been engaged in furnishing the Pittsburg and Lake Erie railroad with a large number of plants, with which the company has decorated the various station grounds between Beaver and Pittsburgh. He has also furnished Beaver Valley Traction Company a large number of plants, which have been used to enhanced the beauties of the company's popular pleasure resorts at Morado and Junction Parks.
Then, too, there has been the usual heavy increase of business due to the demand for plants for decorating the graves of loved ones in the various cemeteries, in preparation for Memorial Day.
Perhaps the larger part of the planting of flowers in the cemeteries, will be done tomorrow and early Wednesday morning, in order that they may appear fresh and attractive, and to obviate the danger of the plants being molested.
Notwithstanding the large demand for plants this year, Mr. Fitzgerald's immense stock still presents an imposing appearance, and the inroads made upon it are not noticeable as far as its wealth of beauty and color is concerned.
This is due to the fact that Mr. Fitzgerald has grown not less than on hundred thousand plants this year.
The plants most used for cemetery decorating are geraniums and vincas, and of these Mr. Fitzgerald has a most attractive display of beautiful and thrifty plants.
As soon as the rush of the present season ends Mr. Fitzgerald will begin the erection of extensive additions to his green houses. His wholesale trade has grown so rapidly that Mr. Fitzgerald has decided to make a specialty of selling plants in larger quantities. His retail trade will not be neglected, however, but the bulk of it will be done through local agencies in the various towns, which will be more convenient for his patrons.
Already the agencies established by Mr. Fitzgerald include the following:
Gamble & Allen, Rochester
George Stevens, at the Beaver cemetery
Kuhl Bros., D.J. Snead and Nicholas Bros., Freedom
Mrs. Pratt, Fifth street and Twelfth avenue, New Brighton. H.L. Schweppe, the Third avenue druggist, takes orders for plants
Mr. Fitzgerald desires to call attention to the fact that after Memorial Day he will be ready to devote more time to the bedding of plants or any character of lawn decorations that his patrons may desire.
A cordial invitation is extended to the public to visit the green houses of Mr. Fitzgerald at the head of Fifth street, Beaver, where they will be given a cordial welcome whether they desire to purchase or simply to admire the floral beauties with which the houses are crowed.
Telephone calls are given careful attention and prompt deliveries are made to all parts of the valley. His telephone number is 233.
In the connection it may be mentioned that Mr. Fitzgerald has furnished the members of Beaver Post, with 265 plants of the finest kind for decorating the graves of their departed comrades and has also furnished a like amount to the members of E. M. Stanton Post, of New Brighton.
Mr. Fitzgerald is having built one of the largest wagons ever constructed for the delivery of plants, five hundred of which can be transported in it at one time. This will aid him greatly in the delivery of plants to the various parts of the valley.
Source: Beaver Times, Beaver, Pennsylvania, 28 May1906, front page