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The Weekly Florists' Review ♦ 



SEPTEMBER 7, 1899. 



of that type make splendid decorative 

 plants grown on a balloon or flat 

 trellis in large pots. For this purpose 

 they should not be cut down, as the 

 frost does our outside ones, but win- 

 tered in some very cool house and 

 merely thinned out and tied in spring 

 before starting into heat. 



There is a great number of species 

 and some of them are very distinct. 

 A few of them are natives of North 

 America and make splendid plants for 

 covering fences, railings, etc. 



C. paniculata is very hardy and is 

 covered from July on with its white, 

 finely divided flowers, resembling al- 

 most balls of cotton. 



C. coccinea is a very distinct species 

 with yellow and vermillion flowers of 

 an odd shape; fine for verandas. 



C. flammula has white flowers, is 

 very hardy and one of the strongest 

 growers. 



C. Fortunei: small, white, fragrant; 

 fine hardy climber. 



C. virginiana: a very strong grow- 

 ing climber with small white fragrant 

 flowers. 



The five species last mentioned do 

 not require any special care and when 

 once established live for years. It is 

 what is known as the Jackmanii type, 

 one of the first hybrids of which has 

 immortalized the name of the raiser, 

 Mr. Jackman, of Surrey, England, that 

 need the best of attention in planting, 

 etc., and which are to many people 

 the only clematis. An old species 

 from China with pale lavender flowers 

 five or six inches in diameter must be 

 one of the parents of Jackmanii. ' Of 

 this beautiful type there is a number 

 of varieties and among the best are: 



Jackmanii: Still one of the very 

 best color; a rich purple. 



Jackmanii superba: Violet' purple. 



Star of India: Reddish plum color. 



Sieboldii: Lavender. 



Henryii: The best white; very large. 



Mme. Edouard Andre: A very dis- 

 tinct variety, approaching a bright 

 red. 



Miss Bateman: An attractive vari- 

 ety; white flowers with dark anthers: 

 medium flower, dense grower and free 

 bloomer, but not continuous. 



Opening a Store. 



No matter how dull our business 

 may be you will find a great many new 

 stores being opened all over the coun- 

 try, but particularly in the large cit- 

 ies, and very few of them are failures 

 as compared with other lines of trade. 

 Florists are recruited from every class 

 of people, and success seems to come 

 to those who know little or nothing 

 about the business, as well as those 

 who know most of its intricacies. This 

 can only be attributed to their general 

 business ability, which is at all times 

 the better part of knowledge. 



This is a time of the year when 

 many are thinking of starting in the 

 retail section, and to them we say go 

 ahead, but measure well your ground. 

 There will always be room for more, 

 and remember it is better to start at 

 the bottom and climb up than start 

 at the top and fall down, which is 

 usually the case where ambition and 

 other people's money are used unac- 

 companied by common sense. Many 

 country people are attracted by the 

 great cities, their glitter and hum, 



and imagine that the streets where 

 pass the greater throng is just the 

 place to start a store. This may be 

 correct with most lines of business, 

 but not always with the florist. The 

 right location is the all important 

 item to start with, and a little time 

 spent in studying a locality, even in 

 the way of working in the neighbor- 

 hood, may prove a good investment. 

 We have very often been asked the 

 question: "How much does it require 

 to open a florist's store?" and these 

 few notes are written with a view of 

 assisting such querists. It is very 

 difficult to answer the question in a 

 few words by saying, 'Oh, anywhere 

 from $200 to $20,000," for although 

 such is the case, yet there is so much 

 to explain that the matter cannot be 

 satisfactorily disposed of thus. Very 

 much depends on the man or the 

 woman and the extent of their popu- 

 larity, which means credit and trade, 

 and in that respect is an equal to cash. 

 Of course it is necessary that a flor- 

 ist's store should be in a prominent 

 place, always under the eye of the 



people, and in that case rent is the 

 great consideration. If a certain class 

 of trade is desired you must locate 

 where it will always see you. 



The fixing up or furnishing of a 

 store is a matter of varied taste, but 

 you will find that the greatest sim- 

 plicity will bring you the best re- 

 sults. The store should be scrupu- 

 lously clean, a rich cream color is 

 best, and it's an easy matter to have 

 all the furniture the same color. Your 

 window should be as low as possible 

 because flowers show up best when 

 you look down upon them; shelves are 

 neither necessary nor yet desirable; 

 a few handsome baskets, a good plain 

 mirror, a couple of easy chairs, and 

 one or two fine vases. The ice-box 

 ought to be the most impressive item 

 in your furnishing. You will find it 

 the most expensive, and yet with a lit- 

 tle study and less frivolity you can 

 get up a good box for much less than 

 is generally supposed. Use as many 

 tiles, either white or green, as you 

 can in its construction, because they 

 are coolest, and have the front as 

 much glass as possible. 



It is in the purchasing of stock that 

 you are liable to be the most foolish. 

 Go around and see what is on the 

 market before you start buying, and 

 pick out the best, whether it be the 

 latest thing out or not; the most ex- 

 pensive is not always the best. Don't 

 make your store a junk shop; keep 

 your wirework and such stock out of 

 sight. You will need a few plain, 

 cheap baskets, both flat and handle, 

 and one or two fancy ones for show; 

 these should not be gaudy; some white 

 enameled fiber vases, white tissue, 

 white wrapping and a little wax pa- 

 per; plain white boxes and tags to 

 match. 



Wires? Well, many florists differ on 

 wires, but Nos. 32, 25 and 21 will do 

 for all the trade you can get. and you 

 can get it ready cut in neat boxes, 

 though some in the ring will be need- 

 ed. Get good, strong match sticks and 

 green moss. Two important little 

 things are a good stemming box for 

 your wire, tinfoil and sticks; it should 

 be like a low knife box, with com- 

 partments for each article; and one 

 or two convenient pockets for twine, 

 and in front of the counter is where 

 you need one most. 



There are lots of stands in the mar- 

 ket, but we have found the graceful, 

 green painted, wooden one the best, 

 the most reliable of all, and you can 

 get them cheap enough at the turn- 

 ing mill. The most important thing 

 is to keep good, fresh flowers, never 

 let stale looking ones be seen, sell 

 your goods at reasonable prices. You 

 will need a few plants such as will ap- 

 peal to your class of customers, and 

 remember, above all, that civility 

 costs nothing but is very valuable. 

 The more pretentious your establish- 

 ment the more prominent and the less 

 excusable will any boorishness ap- 

 pear. 



It requires more capital to cater to 

 wealthy trade and there is not so 

 much pleasure or in most cases money 



