The Weekly Florists' Review. 



489 



A Part of the Exhibit of M. Rice & Co., Philadelphia. 



While some of the large eastern cities 

 might have done much better in attend- 

 ance, it is compensated for by splendid 

 delegations from smaller central cities, 

 and by just what we expected — hundreds 

 of new members from small towns of 

 the middle west. 



We did not see that Chicago train of 

 thirteen cars arrive with standing room 

 only, but if the windows were open, the 

 hot air escaping must have scorched the 

 grass on both sides of the track. 



We miss several good old familiar 

 faces, but John Westcott is here with 

 his bowling enthusiasm and famous 

 brand of S. A. F. brew, and that con- 

 vinces you a convention is on. 



Detroit has sent a splendid delegation, 

 and if other towns had done anything 

 like as well, we should have to have over- 

 flow meetings. 



Vice-President Pollworth is here and 

 there and everywhere and has more than 

 fulfilled all he promised, and does it all 

 with a perennial smile and no worry or 

 fuss. It is evident that the men of Mil- 

 waukee have worked hard in making this 

 a memorable and enjoyable convention. 

 And Mr. Holton, the superintendent of 

 exhibits, has had a great chore on his 

 hands and has succeeded. 



Dear Baby Foley is not allowed to 

 stand too long in one spot, as the Ex- 

 position Building has been built some 

 years. 



Phil nauswirth is working hard to ar- 

 range the great bowling match, and what 

 a game it will be. At least a dozen 

 teams will compete, and sixteen fine al- 

 leys In roll on. It was considered un- 

 fair that Anton Then and Fritz Bahr 

 should both root for Chicago, so Anton 

 lias been loaned to Buffalo, and if Billy 

 Kasting's voice gives out he will be 

 needed. 



One of the most picturesque features 

 of the convention is six stalwart men 

 from far off Denver, headed by J. A. 

 Valentine, a large six shooter in their 

 belts, a bowie in their boots, but those 

 are common things on the plains. Their 

 hats are the feature — soft grey felt, 

 three feet in diameter. I am afraid if 

 they do not win on the alleys the Red 

 Cross officers will have real work to do. 



The President 's reception was a bril- 

 liant affair and everyone enjoyed him- 

 self, renewing old and making new 

 friends, and as I hear the band just 

 striking up "Willie, we will miss you," 

 1 shall leave other items for next is- 



sue, and in conclusion will say that 

 when President Burton spoke of ' ' this, 

 our nineteenth annual meeting ' ' it made 

 some of us feel old. Eleven of the ex- 

 presidents sat in a semi-circle on the 

 stage and it was such a touching and 

 inspiring sight that I noticed several 

 elderly ladies in the audience wipe away 

 tear or something. The hall sadly 

 ventilation, so no wonder we all 

 used handkerchiefs. WILLIAM Scott. 



MODERN METHODS IN FLORAL 

 DECORATION. 



The artistic arrangement of floral dee- 

 orations for best effect is an important 

 factor and well deserving the study of 

 the professional florist, especially the 

 younger generation, who are ambitious 

 to become proficient in their chosen pro- 

 fession. 



A progressive movement in the ar- 

 rangement of floral effect has been man- 

 ifest to all observing admirers of the 

 blending of color and the graceful clus- 

 tering of Nature's most beautiful gifts. 



The incongruous massing of flowers 

 regardless of harmony of color, ignor- 

 ing surroundings where it is desirous to 

 produce an artistic effect, is frequently 

 the cause of failure and disappointing 

 results. 



Church weddings of the present day, 

 where the decorator has been given 

 carte blanche, or a liberal remunera- 

 tion for his material and artistic skill, 

 are certainly an improvement on the 

 decorations of auld lang syne; no reflec- 

 tion on the ability and refined taste of 

 the operator of the past. Lacking the 

 material from which to select for pleas- 

 ing and beautiful effects, set designs of 

 decapitated flowers entered largely into 

 the arrangements. Specimens of the 

 graceful and stately kentia with its 

 dark, rich foliage, contrasting in color 

 and characteristic habit, with Areca 

 lutescens; the expansive foliage of La- 

 tania borbonica and other natives of 

 the tropics could not then be obtained 

 in stately specimens as today. 



One of the most important factors 

 in church wedding embellishment is the 

 proper grouping of the magnificent 

 palms, elevated to the proper height, 

 not in a conglomerated mass. but 

 grouped to show individuality and grace- 

 ful habit. 



In the floral arrangements cut flow- 

 ers with long stems are now, and should 

 be, used wherever most effective. The 

 sacred altar and chancel decorated with 

 a tasteful profusion of white flowers 

 and Asparagus plumosus ; columns or 

 arches garlanded with the same attrac- 

 tive green or perhaps, which is more 

 pleasing in a large hall or church, the 

 glossy foliage of southern smilax, in- 

 troduced in the north a few years ago 

 and now almost indispensable to the 

 floral decorator. 



The lycopodium, or Christmas green 

 roping, which was considered very es- 

 sential in days of yore, is almost obso- 

 lete excepting for the Christmas fes- 

 tivities. 



The decorators should ever bear in 

 mind to obtain a successful result the 

 treatment of the church should be as 

 pleasing and effective on entering the 

 holy edifice as at the altar. 



The decoration of the home for the 

 wedding festivities has been somewhat 

 revolutionized. We seldom behold flow- 

 ers contorted in such emblems as cupid's 

 darts, bow and arrow, or balls of flow- 

 ers massed in solids and suspended in 

 some prominent place in the drawing 

 rooms. The ancient wedding bell ap- 

 pears to be the only reminiscence of 

 ' ' Ye olden time ' ' and its apparent fas- 

 cinating influence on the fair sex justifies 

 the belief that the old emblem may con- 

 tinue to ring joyfully for many moons 

 to come. 



In modern treatment of the house the 

 same conditions may be adhered to as 

 in the church or hall. The grouping of 

 the plants, artistically arranged in the 

 parlors in a selected corner, forms a 

 bower, giving sufficient space for the 

 performance of the wedding ceremony 

 and for the bridal party to receive its 

 congratulations. The wire frame in the 

 shape of a canopy, covered with green 

 and wired flowers, has lost its popular- 

 ity and is now supplanted by the digni- 

 fied palm. 



The banked mantels of growing adian- 

 tum, interspersed with long-stemmed 

 roses of one color, arranged in a loose 

 and natural habit, are much more attrac- 

 tive than the ancient formal stereotyped 

 arrangement, where so much wood and 

 wire entered into the construction. Gar- 

 lands of Asparagus plumosus, or smilax, 

 entwined on mirrors and wherever ef- 

 fective, orchids with stems in water con- 



