704 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



March 3, 1904. 



object of this sceiety is to help and bene- 

 fit every member aud what I propose 

 ■woukl, f think, go far towards that end. 

 There is. of couree, detail to be worked 

 out in the plan, but something along the 

 lines T have endeavored to explain would 

 I think be a blessing to the thousands of 

 men and women who are striving to nuik" 

 an honest penny in the virtuous and gen- 

 tle art of raising blossoms of the divine 

 flower. 



MANAGEMENT OF EXHIBITIONS. 

 By Willis N. Rudd, Mt. Greenwood. III. 

 The manager of a horticultural exhi- 

 bition, especially one intended for the gen- 

 eral public, must be prep.iied to expend 

 all his energies, both of brain and muscle: 



jioverned by the amount of money avail- 

 able. Loeal firms and individuals can 

 generally be induced to subscribe lib- 

 erally toward the premiums. In order 

 to >ecure a well balanced exhibit it is 

 advisable to block out the list first and 

 then solicit the prospective donors to 

 assume the paynu'iit of various premiums 

 therein, rather than to otl'er special pre- 

 miuni-i. It shou'd be borne in miuil 

 tluit the exhibition is held in order to 

 interest the public and the list must be 

 designed to secure a con,])rehensive and 

 attractive exhibit. After thi.s. and al- 

 most of equal importance, the list must 

 be so arranged as to attract the ex- 

 hibitor. 



It is unfortunate, but true, that very 

 few florists can ba made to see whit an 



Carnation PhvUis. Exact Size of the Bloom Photographed. 



lie must be prepared to crowd two work- 

 ing days into every twenty-four liours: 

 lie must be firm and determined, yet 

 good natured and diplomatic: and. abovjf 

 all, he must be able to think and "^^; 

 quickly under unforeseen difficulties, ag^ 

 perhaps amid a storm of abuse, 5^ 



Given a man with the proper quajjlt 

 fieations, there is still, generally, ^Tie 

 lack of experience on his part, and in- 

 ability to secure experienced assistants. 

 It is customary to divide the work of ex- 

 ploiting and holding an exhibition 

 among various committees, and this is 

 an excellent method if the proper men 

 can be placed on the committees, and 

 the proper co-ordination can be secured 

 and the proper amount of enthusiasm 

 developed among them. The manager 

 should, however, be in constant touch 

 ■with all the committees and have an in- 

 timate acquaintance with tlie w-ork they 

 are doing. 



After deciding to hold an exhibition, 

 the first thing to be done is to issue a 

 premium list. A preliminary premium 

 list should be gotten out as early as pos- 

 sible; a year in advance will be noite too 

 early. Of course the extent of the Ifsl 

 and the size of the premiums will be 



immense incentive an exhibition is to 

 the buving public. Every exhibition 

 makes new buyers and nmkes old hu_yers 

 purchase more frequently and pay higher 

 prices for better goods. Added to the 

 general increase of sales and prices in 

 the locnl market is the direct advertis- 

 ing value to the grower of a good plant 

 cr vase of flowers, or to the store man 

 exhibiting an artistic arrangement. 

 While something can lie done in the 

 way of missionary work, it must be ad- 

 mitted that the prizes must be made as 

 large as possible in order to appeal to a 

 large proportion of the growers, and — 

 let me whisper it — a still larger propor- 

 tion of the store men. 



To secure quantity and variety a cer- 

 tain number of premiums for "collec- 

 tions'' are necessary, but there are but 

 few growers who can compete in such 

 classes, and the bulk of the premium 

 money should be offered for specific 

 things. When the individual premiums 

 are not so large as might be desired, 

 sweepstakes, open to the winners in sev- 

 eral other classes, are attractive. ' Pro- 

 vision should be made for gratuities to 

 exiiibit.s not coming w-ithin the classified 

 list of premiums. 



A final premium list containing rules, 

 dates, iocation of exhibition, addresses, 

 miscellaneous information and the re- 

 vised and numbered premiums should 

 be mailed at least two weeks before the 

 exhil)iti()U. The ]n'emiums should be 

 groujjed under the day and date on which 

 they are to be staged and should be 

 numbered consecutively, as "class 1," 

 '"class -2," etc. Repeating the same num- 

 bers under different divisions or grand 

 classes must be condemned, as it leads 

 to confusion and error. The final list 

 may be arranged to be used as a pro- 

 gram for the public but a special pro- 

 gram giving the musical numbers for 

 each day. as well as the premiums, is 

 better and can generall}' be paid for by 

 the advertising privileges in it. 



As soon as it is decided to hold an 

 exhibition the press should be notified 

 anil short notes, more or less directly 

 bearing on the show, should appear at 

 intervals. About three weeks before the 

 npening day the "strenuous" advertising 

 \MJik shciuld be done. The press should 

 lie supplied with photographs and mate- 

 rial for reading notices. This work 

 should culminate upon the Sunday be- 

 fore the opening day. If the dates have 

 been so arranged that the exhibition does 

 not immediately precede some event of 

 ci\eish;idowing importance, such as a po- 

 litical convention, or — sad to relate — - 

 the hor.se show, with tact and hustle 

 on the part of the advertising committee, 

 the newspapers can be induced to give 

 liberal space. Banners across the street, 

 street car advs. large billboard posters 

 and small posters in shop windows, res- 

 taurants, hotels and public places are all 

 good. On the evening before the opening 

 day an effort should be made to induce 

 the reporters and photographers for the 

 morning papers to be present and pre- 

 pare illustrated write-ups. The after- 

 noon papers upon the opening day will 

 fidlow with pictures and descriptions of 

 the completed show and the exhibits and 

 a part of the awards. An effort should 

 be made each day to reserve part of the 

 awards to be first published by the morn- 

 ing papers upon the following day. 



A press committee should be appoint- 

 cil. some member of which should be 

 ]>resent at all times, while the show is 

 open, to talk with and explain the exhibits 

 to the reporters. The best men available 

 should be detailed for this purpose, as 

 the amount of space given in the papers 

 will largely depend on their work. Ar- 

 rangements should be made for quickly 

 copying and manifolding the awards, 

 which should be sent direct to each pa- 

 per by a trustworthy messenger. 



A first-class press agent will be well 

 worth his hire, but he must be kept in 

 close touch with some one well posted 

 on horticultural stibjects, or the informa- 

 tion given to the public will he weird 

 and wonderful. Tlie newspaperman or 

 press agent simply cannnot spell botan- 

 ical names. 



As soon as the premium list is out the 

 manager should by personal visits and 

 by personal letters begin drumming up 

 exhibits and keep at it until the show 

 opens. 



If possible a treasurer snould be ap- 

 pointed who will be responsible for the 

 ticket taker and seller and the handling 

 of all mone.v. Small bills, after receiv- 

 ing the O. K. of the manager or propeir 

 committeeman, can be paid by the ticket 

 seller, the receipted bill being retained 

 and turned in at night as cash, larger 

 items being, of course, paid by check ii» 

 the usual way. The professional ticket 



