NOVEMBER 1, 1900. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



643 



THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



'fe*' 



i^r»)'sJr»)'fe») 



Table Decorations. 



We are on Uie eve of the annual ehrys- 

 an-tliennim shows, and many are think- 

 ing of what they will exhibit. Some of 

 onr friends have written us asking for 

 pointers or information and suggestions 

 on M'hat is new or best to do, particularly 

 in the matter of table decoration. We 

 will talk to the crowd, and if anything 

 suits them they arc welcome. 



In the first place, the word "new" as 

 applied to table decoration worries the 

 intending exhibitor more than anything 

 else. It is often a superfluous night- 

 mare brought on by overheated thoughts. 

 Not one judge in a hundred can demon- 

 strate what is new. They have opinions, 

 of course, which guide them to a verdict, 

 but that does not establish the fact. 

 Jlany an "uncommon" design has been 

 put up as "new" and received an award 

 as sueli. 



It is a mistake to arrive at the conclu- 

 sion that "there is nothing new under the 

 sun," for there will always be .some 

 thing new whilst mankind is dissatisfied, 

 but you will firrd ninety-nine imitators 

 to one originator, especially in the best 

 parts. Floral art has by no means 

 reached the zenith of its glory; no mat- 

 ter how high the man's reputation or 

 way of doing things, there is still un- 

 limited room above him. Were the best 

 heads in each city put together they could 

 completely revolutionize the business. 

 But in the case of new designs it is a 

 matter of continuous study, and let us 

 say that new designs are rarely demand- 

 ed by exhibition schedules, and are sel- 

 dom appreciated at their full value. You 

 are sure to get better results from ar- 

 ranging an- old design in a new way 

 than from arranging a new design in a 

 clumsy way. 



Table decorations and any other kind 

 of decorations depend on "finish" even 

 more than it does on "design" in a way, 

 and many a prize has been lost througE 

 lack of finish. We would recommend all 

 intending exhibitors t« try to do their 

 prettiest, independen-t of the craze for 

 newness, paying close attention to the 

 language of the schedule, no matter what 

 that is. We have never j'et seen one that 

 would induce the poor florist to compete 

 with his ability against the rich florist; 

 quality of material has always and will 

 always win against quality of arrange- 

 ment, whilst the present system is in 

 force. 



One thing can and should be enforced 

 • — that is, all tables should be of the same 

 size and shape. At many of the shows 

 you will see square tables, round tables 

 and long tables in competition against 



each other, and where centerpieces only 

 are askeu tor you will see some two and 

 three times the size of others, all of 

 which is unfair. Most of the schedules 

 do n-ot specify what is all important to 

 the exhibitors; each is left to figure for 

 himself. Kound or oval tables are tlie 

 only ones suited to a public exhibition, 

 and every manager should insist on fair 

 treatment to all; this is a vital point, 

 and we would advise intending exhibit- 

 ors to have it settled at once. 



A round center piece on a long or 

 square table never shows to advantage. 

 There are certain laws governing table 

 decorations which should be recognized 

 more than they are. Where a center- 

 piece is placed on a table intended for 

 special decoration of such table it should 

 not interfere with the space required for 

 serving dinner; if it does, that, more 

 than any other point, ought to disqualify. 

 Breakfast, hnvcli and dinner tables ought 

 to be treated ditTerently. What is auiong 

 the wealthy usually termed the dinner 

 table should be most elaborate, and on 

 this the decoration should never be al- 

 lowed to obstruct tlie view. This docs 

 not prevent you from using tall effects, 

 some very pretty tables can be made by 

 the tall slender vase and large flowers, 

 but that class of arrangement seldom 

 beats the low one. 



If you are good at making rose trees, 

 an opportunity may occur where such 

 would take well in place of the vase, 

 but that is more dilHcult, and the major- 

 ity of chances are against you. It all 

 depends on the size of the table, but the 

 average size, sjvy for seating from 12 to 

 20 people, should have a clear space of 

 from lU to IS inches for service. Some 

 people who have fine dishes or other 

 ware to display often insist on 24 inches 

 of space. By this we don't mean that a 

 centerpiece should end stiffly at such a 

 measurement, for that is where you 

 would spoil everything; we mean that 

 flowers, greens or ribbons should not be 

 placed to in any way interfere with llic 

 service. 



Some decorators never want to stop 

 until they cover the entire table; we 

 have seen them tic bows of ribbon on the 

 candlesticks and silver vases, and often 

 wondered how the knives and forks es- 

 caped. Garlands of greens and ribbons 

 have partitioned each guest and all nuide 

 to feel uncomfortable. These types of 

 decoration often find their way to flower 

 shows and there, too, very often they are 

 rewarded. 



When we say a table decoration should 

 not obstruct the view, we don't mean that 

 ,voii should have your design arranged in 

 pancake fashion; use a small sized 



iKtsket or bowl and leave your flowers 

 long stemmed. Never put up a formal, 

 compact affair, always attempt the 

 irregular, placing your best blooms where 

 they will show to best advantage. 



Suggested CombinatioDs. 



Let us run over a few of the goo<l 

 things. Flat basket or dish of Farleyense 

 and Libert}- or Meteor roses (good Lib- 

 erties and Farleyense will be hard to 

 beat). Knock ferns out of pots, cut off 

 half the soil; fix in wet green moss, make 

 basket look as if a mass of growing 

 fern ; have f rorrds well down on table, 

 completely hiding basket, take poorest 

 and shortest roses first, and then the 

 finest ones; don't spoil effect of fern 

 l)y overcrowding; roses should be about 

 two or three inches from each other; not 

 too much of their foliage shown; keep 

 both as natural as possible ; don't have 

 arrangement flat; fi.x a few best blooms 

 to stand above others, highest need not 

 be above 13 or 14 iirches from table, very 

 finest flowers can face the guests, and 

 here and there one or two on cloth, ends 

 in basket or fern. 



Another: Take low Venetian vase or 

 large punch bowl. If of glass, fill up 

 bowl with rose foliage, rise no moss; -get 

 some blind wood first; fix the foliage as 

 if it were a low growing rose bush, hav- 

 ing some small and half open buds where 

 they will show to advantage (no fern 

 hhould be used in a properly arranged 

 bowl of roses) ; do as in the case of the 

 basket, use poorest (if any) blooms and 

 finish off' with the best and longest; a 

 branch of young growth, with some buds, 

 is of more value than a dozen roses some- 

 times. Don't try to cover the bowl, that's 

 why we put rose foliage instead of moss 

 in it. Do your prettiest and avoid the 

 cabbage design. Roses in a bowl need 

 not be even as regular as those in a 

 basket, and they can be closer together. 

 You will spoil all by a too studied regu- 

 larity. The majority of florists belittle 

 the difiiculties of properly arranging a 

 ba.sket or bowl of roses, but the minority 

 only can do it. 



Any other rose can be arranged in the 

 same manner. Red is usually the most 

 impressive. Golden Gates, Morgans, 

 Beauties, Bridesmaids, Cusins, Lady 

 Dorotheas, Pedes or Testouts can be 

 used, but your best chances will be with 

 Liberties. Meteors, Testouts. Good 

 Golden Gates may win because of their 

 novelty. Unless for a bride's table white 

 should never be used. 



A well arranged bowl of carnations 

 may succeed, yet the chances are that 

 the judge is partial, or other arrange- 

 ments are inferior. \Vhere carnations 

 arc used, flowers, buds and foliage of that 

 flower only should be visible or prom- 

 inent. 



Orchids. 



In the case of orchids we sometimes 

 see designs in the shape of cork bark logs 

 and other things put on the table, and 

 those who do this forget that diners at 

 such 1} table would be continually watch- 

 ing for ants or other insects creeping 

 from the logs. Don't do it. 



