The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



643 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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 the llorist. 



Ilrh (Ml.lihll hill :iimI jlitluipa- 



• iMsliatioii (it aliilily is iic-tual- 

 sity. To will mti.I kn-p trade 

 iinist at all tinic-i slinw. and 

 show liis very best, and \vu wonder why 

 it is that that spirit doesn't more gen- 

 erally crystallize at the annual Hower 

 shows where the necessity seems so much 

 greater. 



The majority of retailers will go to 

 expense in making up special designs 

 for their windows and often these de- 

 signs cost more and are prettier than 

 those seen at exhibitions. In this light 

 they cannot be accused of impecuniosity. 

 "What, then, is the cause of the seeming 

 indifference toward flower shows? Is 

 there a general understanding that art 

 is not understood by the average judge 

 appointed to dispense honors at these 

 annual events, and that the average re- 

 tailer prefers to keep out rather than be 

 made a victim? Well, if it be so the 

 remedy is in the retailers' own hands; 

 they are sufficiently strong in any city 

 to dictate the policy and workings of 

 any floricultural club, and their failure 

 to do so is rather a reflection upon their 

 branch of the trade. 



It is to the matter of non-competitive 

 exhibits that we would draw special at- 

 tention. There are so many beautiful 

 things not mentioned in schedules, where- 

 by every retailer can win more than mere 

 cash or cup for a prize. There are de- 

 signs in plants for instance. With a 

 little timber, cork-bark, green sheet moss 

 and some plants we can make a grotto, 

 or arch, or arbor, or cosy den effect that 

 will attract more attention than all your 

 formal benches put together. Or get a 

 mantel or mirror, and what cannot be 

 done with mirrors ? Put one on the floor 

 for water effect and others standing to 

 lend distance. The people look for ideas 

 at a show and it costs less than you 

 imagine to enchant them. It's easy to 

 make a miniature lake. Get a large mir- 

 ror, lay it flat on the floor, get some 

 sand and pebbles and a piece or two of 

 rock, make an imaginary shore at one 

 end, and fringe all around with Lycopo- 

 dium denticulata; you can finish off with 

 taller plants, making vistas and attrac- 

 tive little nooks here and there with 

 or without other mirrors. In many cases 

 water can be used instead of a mirror, 

 and it can be made to trickle over and 

 down rocks. Other places there are 

 where electricity can be utilized in many 

 ways. 



In the matter of table decorations we 

 have before us now several letters ask- 

 ing for advice as to what to use at dif- 

 ferent shows, and in all eases we advise 

 a strict adherence to the language of 

 the schedule. Language and intent in 

 many schedules are indeed illogical para- 

 doxes. Quality of course adds value to 

 any design, but there is too much weight 

 given to quality in the case of table dec- 



orations. Wlieie a grower hup])ens to be 

 judge he will invarial>ly give tlie award 

 to size of flowii, I'jni.iiirj the form or 



finish of your woil> In il ase of any 



flower outside chi \ -aiii In liniiiis, the finer 

 the better, but e.siircially fur small tables, 

 medium sized chrysanthemums are pref- 

 erable. Harry Balsley or Helen Blood- 

 good for pink, BonnafTon for yellow, are 

 very s""'! 'vpt>s to work with". The fnl- 



left clear for dishes and service. Don't 

 make your decorations oppressively 

 heavy nor formal; have your flowers 

 arranged unevenly, yet even in outline. 

 No llowcr should touch the other, and 

 cai/h sliould be so placed as to show its 

 best from the side. Huge corsage bou- 

 quets tied with ribbon are no longer 

 used; just a fine flower for each guest; 

 if it be a chrysanthemum the dense fol- 

 iage is taken off and a spray of Farley- 

 ense is substituted; better to have the 

 gentlemen's flowers pompons. 



In the uptodate table decoration the 

 same variety of flower is used for all 

 the guests. Ribbons are no longer used 

 in first .class table work unless where 

 velvet is used on the flowers to be worn. 

 The service or dishes count for overmuch 

 at most shows and the rich florist gets 

 a ehance- to show the power of wealth. 

 Of course a fully finished table is a 



Large Corsage Bouquet of Orchids. 



lage of Acer atni|iiir]niiiiiiii -^anguiiHUiiii 

 will go best Willi wliit,- iI.i\m.|^ ami A. 

 atropurpureiiiii ili^-irtiiiii lin-t with yel- 

 low. Ferns, sui.li a» Adianlum larley- 

 ense will go with any color, but autumn 

 foliage does not go well with reds or 

 pinks. 



Always select a round or oval table 

 and everything on it should harmonize. 

 The rule to rigidly observe is that from 

 eighteen inches to two feet should be 



nice thing, but not all florists can af- 

 ford to put one up. There should be a 

 class for all where flowers and design 

 alone are considered. The use of flat 

 baskets permits of a more studied or 

 formal style of decoration and it is usu- 

 ally the easiest form to arrange; finer 

 work can often be done by using a large 

 low bowl. 



A very important point is to arrange 

 your fiowers sp they will not obstruct 



