The Weekly Florists' Review. 



223 



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FLORIST, 



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The Summer Resorts. 



Tliis is what is commonly called har- 

 vest time for the florists at the summer 

 resorts, and so far we have not heard a 

 complaint about dullness. The pros- 

 pect seems to be unusually good in all 

 directions. Of course, there are a great 

 many summer resorts where there is not 

 Millicient trade to support a resident flor- 

 ist, and others where the returns would 

 be much larger had the florist sufficient 

 capital to develop possibilities. The sum- 

 mer trade, except in a few rare cases, 

 is even more speculative than winter 

 trade in the cities. 



There are many ways to look at this 

 section of the business. The plant trade 

 done at these places is considerable, and 

 cdulil be vastly enlarged were more suit- 

 iilib' matcriais offered at reasonable 

 price-. In many places we note the cx- 

 i-lcu(c of cstabiishments which seem to 

 base a starved out look about them, a 

 .liurl and most powerful trade killer; 

 greenhouses emptied of their stock of 

 bedding plants seem to be deserted 

 places, 



(irowers must not imagine that know- 

 ing how to grow a few coleus or gerani- 

 ums, or even roses and carnations, con- 

 stitutes the all in all of the requirements 

 of today where a retail business is de- 

 >ircd. People nowadays look for city 

 styles everywhere, and there is di.sap- 

 jxiintment if they cannot get what they 

 want even in the m"=t obscure place. 

 Tlierc is -r,ii,,l\ n ilniisfs place all 

 aloii- tlic .In-.i r.M.i iMilay that ap- 

 ]icals by if- iiruliir-- or ;i ttractiveness to 

 the p;i--crby. How little it would re- 

 quire to make them so and how much 

 c\cii ill self satisfaction there is to be 

 ;;aincil hy it. We know of numerous 

 small jilaccs that do a retail business 

 where riistomers — refined ladies — arc 

 faUcu into the "office," a dirty potting 

 -hid with its unmentionable furnishings 

 anil -111 iii\niiliiiL:^. and made to witness 

 tbc iiiakr -bin- tor what ought to be. 

 (bid iiiih kiiii«- how some people get 

 abni'^; h- im\ -i n imis In say the lea.st; 

 ;ii'ili:i |i- th.\ iH.ibr :i liitlc more than if 

 llir\ wni wiiil: cabbjLlc or COru, but 



IS they could, 

 ■ity and yon 

 can be done. 



I Newport, R. T. It 

 idy people and what 

 I ibivisfs trade. We 



Newpoi 



are a popular flower at 

 e they can often be seen 

 lut not in as great variety 

 as 'one would wish. The trouble with 

 sweet pea growers is that there are one 

 or two old varieties that have woven 

 themselves into their hearts and no oth- 

 ers can get a chance. There is no doubt 

 about it, sweet peas are destined to be 

 even more popular and serviceable than 

 they are today, and more attention as to 

 variety, or rather color and succession, 

 will be paid to them when this is more 

 fully understood. One of the greatest 

 sights we have seen for a long time, and 

 one that would gladden any old timer's 

 heart, was the Marechal Niels at Mrs. 

 Astor's. Thev were very handsome and 

 a.cciituatnl I lie fact that it is still today 

 tlie bii'-i mIIiiw rose in existence. Pity 

 it i- (b;ii tlirx are not obtainable on the 

 markcl. A- lo doubts about their value, 

 pshaw, there are men in the retail busi- 



ness of the year. We know several large 

 and prosperous establishments today that 

 owe much of wdiat is to the steamer flow- 

 er trade of, say, fifteen years ago, 



A most remarkable thing is that al- 

 though every steamer going to Europe 

 takes away her quota of flowers, the Ger- 

 man boats are where the most flowers 

 are seen. This does not imply that the 

 Germans are the greatest lovers of flow- 

 ers, for the boats are popular with all 

 classes; still there are many that point 

 most creditably to that race of people. 

 We cannot help thinking that there is 

 room to dispose of many bouquets and 

 loose flowers on the docks on sailing days. 

 Some enterprising people may cater to 

 this trade some day. We leave every- 

 thing to the Greek and then hollo be- 

 cause he succeeds. 



A great change has come over steamer 

 work. Once upon a time every kind of de- 

 sign could be seen in the saloons of the 

 lx)at and anything could be used in stiff 

 work. That's where it was profitable; 

 but now it is mostly boxes of cut flow- 

 ers and not infrequently we see tags and 

 boxes from florists in Boston, Philadel- 

 phia and farther away places. This box 

 business has its drawbacks from a local 

 point of view; it is scarcely any use to 

 send flowers if they are not seen in a 

 case like this, because the effect is lost 

 to a great extent. 



Of course, it is handy to put flowers in 



Funeral Design Arranged by W. E. King, E. Santa Cruz, Cal. 



Burpee' 

 praise. 



iioss in evciy city Avhose brain and tongue 

 can make anything go. We intend to 

 write about Newport styles next month 

 and pass on for the present. 

 Steamer Trade. 

 In New York here the business can be 

 likened to a lialky horse. Steamer work 

 has been very good this summer, in fact, 

 much better than for the past five years. 

 This is a good sign. Years ago it used 

 to be for many the most profitable busi- 



a box; that requires no ability as thin; 



are generally done today, but it d 



quire some pretense ti 



put a bit of rilibnii 



should be a general iiin 



florists that the m<.i. 



more people will be iml 



flowers even as a luai 

 and greater pleasure li 

 pie going away like ti 

 flowers about the deck 



bunch and 

 it, and there 

 -I anilni'j among 

 lOMi- -reii the 

 ■d 1 M liiiw there- 

 |i \i'ni -teamer 

 111 .iijivcnience 

 le lerener. Peo- 

 arry Ininchcs of 

 th their friends. 



