JULY 13, 1S99. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



143 



One of the new Beauty houses at Reinberg Brcs.', Chicago. 



in warm weather. They are a fine 

 thing for extremes in temperature, and 

 generally give most satisfaction to 

 amateurs. Bronze Ieucothoe sprays are 

 extra fine material for decorative 

 work, but they must be in wreath de- 

 sign. They make a pretty little laure- 

 ate wreath by tying a few sprays to- 

 gether on a wire. A very much better 

 effect will be gotten if you use an open 

 crescent, lightly mossed, and make it 

 up good and full, leaving every other 

 wreath open at the top. Suppose we 

 have a long stretch of wall or balcony 

 to decorate; if you place one of these 

 wreaths alternately over loops of gar- 

 lands the decoration will look artistic; 

 have the garlands evenly hung and of 

 some fine green material that will be a 

 contrast to the bronze wreaths. 



Electricity is destined to be an im- 

 portant item in future decorations. 

 Storage batteries under the dinner ta- 

 bles and fairy lights in flowers are not 

 new to New York, but they are likely 

 to become more generally used. It is 

 difficult to get colored glass shades to 

 match flowers, but the colors can be 

 gotten in silk and paper. The great 

 trouble we have to contend with is the 

 abominable and destroying colored 

 lamp shades we are often compelled to 

 submit to in the most aristocratic 

 houses. Many of the wealthiest ladies 

 in this country have the poorest taste 

 or idea of art. Often we are made to 

 use pink or salmon shades over cattle- 

 yas, yellow on Meteors, or vice versa. 



Just for the sake of a few dollars a 

 table costing hundreds of dollars is 

 spoiled, and we dare not say anything. 

 The day may come — it's here now — 

 when we will have our own shades to 

 loan or sell in order to preserve the ef- 

 fect of our work, for the florist is 

 blamed for all mistakes. 



Renovating. 



It's time to think about repainting 

 the store. Don't make it gaudy, nor 

 yet funereal. A good rich cream color 

 with gilt trimming is be^t. A few 

 choice flower photos or water colors 

 on the wall look well, and whatever 

 else is done hide all your unusable 

 or unornamental traps such as wire- 

 work, old baskets, etc., down in the 

 basement. Even the poorest florist 

 should aim to have his store always 

 clean and inviting. 



Out-Door Decorating. 



There are times when the florist is 

 called upon to supply ideas and mate- 

 rial for all manner of decorations. This 

 is specially the case at seaside resorts 

 where Chinese lanterns are hung in 

 the trees and electric lights are made 

 to light up fountains, and it's well to 

 keep posted on values and where these 

 different goods can be obtained at 

 wholesale. A memorandum book of 

 such information is very valuable 

 when one Is busy. Very often a lot of 

 money can be saved by just knowing 

 how, where and when to buy. 



Speaking of fountains, the most 

 charming effects can be gotten from a 

 well arranged and lighted fountain. It 

 can be either permanent or temporary, 

 and if you get a chance this summer 

 make one. The best place to put it is 

 on the wide veranda or in the court 

 yard. Cover overhead with canopy of 

 greens, make the whole like a grotto, 

 cover the electric lights with one color 

 glass or silk, hide the basin with green 

 and arrange the lotos and colored 

 nymphaeas as if they were growing. 



In many of our notes we merely give 

 a hint, knowing that is sufficient for 

 many to work on. We shall be glad to 

 furnish detailed descriptions when re- 

 quired. We expect to see the "Philip- 

 pine" style of decoration popular here 

 next season, in which phalaenopsis 

 and many other grand flowers, natives 

 of those islands, will form a leading 

 feature. IVERA. 



CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 

 Watering and syringing just now 

 comprises the bulk of the work around 

 the houses, and plants that are mak- 

 ing good headway, more particularly 

 those in pots, need lots of it. At the 

 same time it is well to learn the art 

 of frequent syringing without getting 

 the bed too wet. When the soil is 

 heavy it sometimes gets waterlogged 

 and sour, and the plants will soon 

 show it by the foliage getting pale and 

 sickly. When you water a bed. do it 

 well and don't do it again till the soil 



