MAY 4, 1S99. 



The Weekly Florists* Review. 



567 



Desjgn sent by the St. Louis Florists' Club to the funeral of the late Julius Koenig, Sr. 

 Arranged by J. J, Beneke, 



the hero should be left uncovered, that 

 the stranger to our shores may read 

 It. "Many men, many minds," is what 

 we are often, compelled to consider. 

 Some will want us to make the deco- 

 rations look big and imposing, yet 

 even under such circumstances we 

 need not give our work a ludicrous 

 aspect. Give them quality, for it never 

 faila to give satisfaction. You can 

 and should employ the best of your 

 ability on decorating a public monu- 

 ment, for your work is a long time be- 

 fore the public eye; you need to be 

 careful of your material just as much 

 as your design, and you need never 

 be afraid of the great beauty of sim- 

 plicity. 



Leave out your shields and flags 

 made of immortelles, but don't be 

 afraid to use the stars and stripes 

 made of cloth. We never recommend 

 the use of red, white and blue ribbon 

 for the reason that, although they 

 comprise the colors, still, they do not 

 convey the meaning of the stars and 



stripes; they are not expressive 

 enough; and then again, other coun- 

 tries have tri-colors like them. Use 

 the American flag with your decora- 

 tions whenever the occasion is a na- 

 tional event; its colors will blend 

 with any of nature's. One thing we 

 should be careful about; that is, not to 

 let tinfoil be seen, much less be a 

 prominent part of any design we ar- 

 range; if you make up wreaths of 

 flowers, don't mix up colors; make 

 clusters of them, remembering always 

 that one color is best, and that no 

 designs other than wreaths and gar- 

 lands, are permissible; that colored 

 flowers, particularly crimson, are best 

 to use. 



Suppose you use handsome garlands 

 of heavy laurel or arbor-vitae roping 

 looped in Roman style, or like extend- 

 ed crescents; then there is nothing 

 finer than a well made wreath of 

 Jacques for your front piece. If you 

 make up wreaths of galax leaves, 

 don't try to make a wreath with a 



handful of leaves; they are cheap 

 enough; it requires 500, yes, even 

 1,000, leaves to make a good wreath, 

 for both sides should be done, and if 

 you want to use some bronze ones, put 

 some on No. 30 wire and arrange them 

 in a cluster, or the colors can be used 

 vice versa. When arranging wreaths, 

 use the biggest leaves first, topping off 

 with the smallest; no moss should be 

 seen when the wreath is finished. 

 There is nothing handsomer than a 

 well made wreath of laurel with cross- 

 ed silk flags at the top; this design 

 alone in front of a monument means 

 volumes. Don't plaster any work with 

 palm leaves; if you use them, group 

 them as if they were gi-owing. A good 

 big wreath of cycas leaves, with a 

 flag entwined among the stems at the 

 bottom, is a most effective design. 



Now we come to the question of 

 plants. All manner of flowering plants 

 will be in demand, and the trade will 

 frown at us if he say much of the 

 stock offered is not appropriate. But 

 we do say so, nevertheless, because 

 we think that plants used on this oc- 

 casion should have some lasting quali- 

 ties about them. Geraniums have 

 been, and will continue to be, the great 

 favorite, and often we think that if 

 growers would put three or six plants 

 in a pot or pan they would sell well; 

 there are times when one plant is too 

 small.' Then again, if ivies and roses, 

 particularly the Ramblers or "Memo- 

 rial roses," were twined and grown in 

 wreath shape instead of screens and 

 balloons, they would look better and 

 sell better. Small pots or pans of for- 

 get-me-nots make a most appropriate 

 item. 



But you've got all manner of stock 

 growing and want to sell it, and it's 

 not our desire at this late date to 

 criticise what you have to offer. We 

 wish to help you to dispose of your 

 entire stock by meeting us half way. 

 Let us go to the public schools or 

 leading societies and by fair dealing 

 induce them to have the children carry 

 our stock to the graves; let us give 

 special offers to military societies; let 

 us educate the public by showing 

 them examples. Decoration Day gives 

 to every florist an opportunity to stand 

 out prominently in the public eye and 

 estimation. It gives to every nursery- 

 man or large grower a chance to put 

 to good use the thousands of flowers 

 that go to waste. We expect an in- 

 creased demand for flowers this Deco- 

 ration Day; there is reason for it; and 

 let us see to it that no soldier's grave 

 is without some small tribute of grate- 

 ful remembrance. IVERA. 



THE PRIZE COMPETITION. 



Editor Floa-ists' Review: The re- 

 marks of Mr. A. H. Ewing in regard 

 to the prize competition and particu- 

 larly as to the fumigator receiving 

 third prize, are a little premature. 

 What he says about the fumigator 

 would seem to reflect a little on my 

 veracity, for I believe the articles sub- 

 mitted were to be new and not here- 

 tofore published. I must say I was 



