AL'GL'ST 16, 1901'. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



299 



1*^. 



|. 



THE RETAIL 



FLORIST. 



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The Weather. 



A couple of uneasy individuals whose 

 only indication of witdom is shown 

 by their refuge in anonymity have 

 been distorting our writings in a man- 

 ner to suit the columns of the other 

 two trade papers. We know it is 

 wrong to notice their silliness, but we 

 do so merely to extend our sympathy 

 for their affliction. The weather has 

 been so hot and some pates are very 

 susceptible to old Sol's smiles: there- 

 fore we pity rather than laugh at 

 them. 



Prizes for Floral Arrangements. 



We have received one or two pre- 

 liminary schedules of prizes to be 

 offered at November flower shows. In 

 one we notice "Best head of cabbage, 

 $2.00": "Best Bride's Bouquet, $5.00"; 

 in another, "Best table decoration of 

 flowers and foliage, $8"; and in an- 

 other "Best table decoration of or- 

 chids, $10.00." We scarcely think it 

 necessary to draw attention to the 

 above great inducements to come forth 

 and show what your resources are. 

 You may find turnips and cabbages 

 more profitable from a monetary point 

 of view, but really, now. as a retail 

 florist you ought to spend the paltry 

 sum of $25 to compete for that $5 

 prize, just to show your friendship for 

 the cabbage-grower and his plans to 

 elevate floriculture. 



No, no, don't mention anything 

 about partiality or things that are; 

 remember the glory, my boy: think 

 of the fame of winning a pasteboard 

 prize card and five big dollars for your 

 bride's bouquet of lily of the valley 

 and orchids, and ribbons and such 

 cheap stuff. Pshaw, man! hunt up the 

 best flowers you can. get that special 

 corded, double-faced ribbon, tie it on 

 with silk tassels, too: yes, throw in 

 a bride's veil and spray or oraase 

 blossoms; you can afford it for tnat 

 five-dollar prize even If they take away 

 ten or twenty per cent, because you 

 have not the honor to belong to such 

 an enterprising society; you really 

 ought to thank the society for recog- 

 nizing your section of the trade and 

 allowing you the great privilege of 

 competing. 



As tor that $8 prize, why man, never 

 mind Mrs. Brown's dinner decoration; 

 that's only $50; just you take the best 

 150 Liberties you can get and six five- 

 inch pots of Farleyense; don't use a 

 basket — that's common; buy one of the 

 new porcelain dishes, or better still a 

 "Rookwood," and go in and win that 

 eight dollars. Why, Mrs. Millions will 



surely send you her trade when she 

 learns of your hard-won victory; what 

 need you care if that other fellow does 

 win $2 for his bunch of carrots or 

 $100 for his thirty-six chrysanthemum 

 flowers? Tut. tut, man! Be reason- 

 able and see things in a tolerant light. 



Show your interest in exhibitions: 

 get fifty of the most perfect Cattleya 

 Trianaes you can, and, well, four 

 nicely furnished pots of Farleyense 

 will do. and go for that $10 prize; you 

 will never have a better chance to dis- 

 tinguish yourself. In order to insure 

 success, it may be wise to hire a table, 

 cloth, set of dishes, candle-holders, in 

 fact the whole layout for a swell table 

 — a matter of fifty dollars or so. But 

 expense shouldn't freeze you; remem- 

 ber the flame of fame you will be 

 wrapped in as a prize-winner. If you 

 see a prize of $5 offered for "best 

 funeral design," there's your chance to 

 do something very, very pretty. Give 

 them a coverlet of violets or a e'ood 

 big loose bunch of white orchids end 

 taffeta ribbon; don't say a word — get 

 that five dollars; your reputation is 

 at stake. 



Better not refer to Billy Dianthus 

 winning $20 for his 100 carnations, or 

 John Rosa's getting that silver cup 

 for twenty-five bridesmaids — it would 

 only look as if you were sore. Be 

 generous, my friend: put up a mantel 

 or room decoration, "not for competi- 

 tion," just to show you are willing 

 to help the cause, and there's no tell- 

 ing, they might award you a certifi- 

 cate to hang in your parlor. We would 

 advise you to send for every society's 

 schedule of prizes. These schedules 

 are intensely instructing and are often 

 remarkable for the vast amount of in- 

 formation they impart, but not in 

 print. 



The Convention. 



Retailers attending the convention 

 in New York next week will have an 

 opportunity to see much of interest to 

 them in a business way. They .should 

 visit the florists' stores on Broadway, 

 Fifth and Madison avenues. They will 

 be welcome and shown whatever they 

 wish to see. The trade exhibit prom- 

 ises to be a good one; make a note of 

 what is good and may be useful. You 

 will no doubt see many fine things 

 from private greenhouses which would 

 be of great value to the store trade. 

 You no doubt find that business is be- 

 coming more exacting every year, finer 

 grade plants and fiowers are demanded 

 and whoever cjin control high-grade 

 stock comes out on top. Visit a few 

 of the principal plant and flower grow- 



ers, if possible: there is much to see 

 and learn among them. Just at pres- 

 ent the retailer has little beyond pros- 

 pects to deal with, and general elec- 

 tion year is always a dreaded one; so 

 far there is nothing in sight to indi- 

 cate a panic of any kind. 



The Coming Season. 



The season may be much later, but 

 it promises to be a good one. Carna- 

 tions will be plentiful and in greater 

 variety than ever. Many of the large 

 growers have discarded chrysanthe- 

 mums, but the smaller ones have taken 

 them up; there will be the same glut. 

 We are going to have more variety 

 in roses; Liberty will no doubt be a 

 great factor in next season's trade. 

 Give new flowers a fair chance, but 

 don't go by catalogue descriptions; 

 size them up yourself, for whilst the 

 introducer's idea of the fitness of plant 

 or flower may be correct as he sees 

 them, yet the man behind the counter 

 is like the man behind the gun, and 

 is best able to judge. 



When to Open a Store. 



We have been asked "What is the 

 best time of the year to open a florist 

 store, and how to judge a good loca- 

 tion?" The season to open a store 

 often depends on your resources and 

 opportunity. If you can choose your 

 own time, we would tell you the "best 

 time the present year is after election. 

 The fall of the year is best as a rule 

 for the reason that your chances to 

 get suflScient trade to pay expenses are 

 better in winter than in summer, and 

 you ought to make enough during 

 Christmas and Easter to tide you over 

 the dullness of summer. The right 

 location is often more important than 

 finances. If you wish to start a busi- 

 ness in a strange city it would be best 

 for you to work there for a while and 

 do your investigating quietly. The 

 streets where the greatest throngs are 

 seen are often not the best places for 

 a florist's store; a good wide street or 

 avenue near the residential section is 

 safest; many times a store in the hotel 

 or commercial localitv succeeds best 

 You might as well go to the races with 

 your money as open a store in a street 

 you know nothing about. The florist's 

 business is unlike any other in that 

 respect, and requires more study in 

 locating than experience in hybridizing 

 or knowledge of botanical lore. Better 

 work for a season near where you wish 

 to start and utilize your spare mo- 

 ments in weighing up the chances. 



Paint. 



A store can be made attractive at 

 very little cost. Spend your money in 

 white paint rather than in shelves and 

 useless stock. The value of a green- 

 house or glassroofed end of the store 

 cannot be overestimated, where it is 

 intended to keep plants for sale or 

 decorative purposes. 



About Plants. 



Stock of usable Adiantum Farley- 

 ense is limited again this year, and 



