J 66 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



the soil i- allowed to laj undisturbed 

 and, from the watering il gets, a pasty 

 . i usl i omi - ovei it. whii h keeps the air 

 • iiit of it, while the carnation roots are 

 still inactive. 



Wherevei the weeds and grass come up 

 thickly they keep the soil 'loose and they 

 take up the properties thai bj decaying 

 cause 'the soil t.. sour. When you pull 

 them up after the carnations have been 

 planted about two to three weeks the 

 roots loosen up the -"il to some extent 

 half way down and the carnation roots, 

 having become active again; will have 

 tlie same effecl "" the -"il as thi weed 

 roots had. 1 believe this is one of the 

 reasons why sterilized soil has not been 



i in j are about three iin-hc- high they 

 become voracious feeders and will -"<m 

 rob the -"il of it- plant food, and that is 

 when you want t" -tup them short. 



We have, today, had a fine soaking 

 rain and it will put the carnations in 

 fine condition, even if we do not have 

 much move vain before the middle of 

 July. An occasional shower now and 



then "ill be all that i- n led. 



A. F. J. IUur. 



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BACKGROUNDS AND ACCESSORIES. 



A rummage in the well-stocked work- 

 room of a floral decorator would be en- 

 joyed by any artist, for there he ought 

 to see the choicest flower receptacles 

 produced. A -mall armj of baskets of 

 varied character- — tall, low. slender, 

 ji.i. i ml. round, .-quale, coarse, delicate, 

 -real and small— should forever dispel a 

 -n-fi. em that the.se useful and orna- 

 mental articles may go out of style. 

 There might lie some improvement in 

 coloring of basket materials over what 

 we now have. As it is. the mixed pat- 

 terns, green-, browns and yellows, an 

 easily procured; but why do not the 

 manufacturers give us more of the rich 

 solid colorings mi the body of the bas- 

 ket': Crimson-, heliotropes, delf blue and 

 ultra marine ought t" be favorably re- 

 ceived. 



One of the many accomplishments use- 

 ful in our line of work i- the making of 

 Indian baskets. Size- and -liapc- i t bas 

 kets unobtainable on short notici can 



thus lie -ii| plied .it heme, and son t 



the designs and colorings are very prettj 

 even for tit -t choice. 



We should also be aide mure easilj !>• 

 obtain baskets finished on the bottom. 

 When one wishes to suspend a basket 

 overhead, il take- some maneuvering i i 



The vase sup] Ij need not be so varied 



as to material uoi size as that ai the 

 basket, imt their capacity need- careful 

 inspection. Narrow-necked vases are 

 more of a nuisance than a help, ordina- 

 rily, and they are usually the kind that 

 ■ pei ted t" use in decorat ions at 

 private residences. 'Jinn graceful shape 

 becomes an aggravation when the inside 

 proportion- are tested. Natural colored 

 pottery, jugs and pitchers may be util- 

 ized for ">ld studies for display pur- 

 other desirable flowei i ., , p 

 china hanging vases, decorated with con- 

 wiitioiial pattern-, and .lapane-e p,.. 1.,-t- 

 of china and bamboo. \\ it h thi 

 quaint outline designs can l>e traced 

 around a window, dour or mirror frame, 

 while the -tern- have the advantage ••!' 

 remaining in watei 



Besides ;t cc»— eric- f"i .hi flowers and 

 foliage there are numerous helps and set- 

 tings i"i plants. In every first class es 



tablishment will be toumi jardinieres, 

 birch bark, raffia and paper put covers, 

 -I t mo—, ferneries, pedestals, jardi- 

 niere stands, and wire or galvanized 

 mantel pan-. In grouping plain- il l- 

 decidedly monotonous to see all the pots 

 covered in the same way. no matter of 

 Ih.w tine a quality the material may be. 

 A small proportion of jardiniere-, a 

 more liberal supply of birch bark or raf- 

 fia covers, a few crepe paper wrappings, 

 ii ■ of -beet ni"-- and some uncovered, 



add to its convenience. 



In addition to the foregoing, useful 

 help will be found in bits of draperies. 



ill, 



.lie. 



With some such assortments it is not 

 so difficult I" ■'.liv-- up'' for -peeial oe- 

 casions, but even then there is more or 

 less begging and borrowing to do. For 

 a patriotic occasion "i a convention in 

 town, it is both complimentary to the 

 guests and profitable to tic dealer to 

 devise a window decoration for the oeca- 

 — i . .ii. It l- seldom advisable to work out 

 emblems to the smallest details: but se- 

 lei i some part or part- that arc graceful 

 and suggestive enough not 1" need a 

 label, and then give it a good setting 

 and bring in the business end in a prom- 

 isor instance, we entertained in our 

 •iwn. once upon a lime, the state D. A. 

 ]: ."mention. Their badge i- the wheel 



the window on a bed of blue cornflowers, 

 and on the eross-beam of the frame set 

 .i generous bunch of white jx-as and 

 Sprengeri, training the long sprays 

 through the spokes and away up in 

 among the flax on the distaff. Banked 

 up behind and around was the usual 

 stock of palms and ferns for out-of-town 

 trade. The members of the convention 

 in their carriage ride through the city 

 changed their route to pa-- our window, 



an. I ,il-.. deposited some pin money with 

 us before they left. The public i- not 

 always thi- cold-hearted, unappreciative 

 person for which it gets credit. 



A tent, among the palms and jasmines 

 w.i- used effectively for some G. A. U. 

 celebration. Another excellent opportu- 

 nity for a good display was the meeting 

 of the National Grain Dealers' Associa- 

 tion. A shock of corn formed a back- 

 ground in the window. In the far cor- 

 ner was a shock of "at- just a- it -t....il 

 in the field. But hidden in the heal t 

 was a prosj paper vase tilled with Amer- 

 ican Beauties, which peeped out here 

 and there through the hanging grain. 

 The floor of the window was covered 

 with autumn leave-, and over these and 

 between the -hock- of grain were the 

 plants and flowers offered for sale. The 

 grain dealers bought. This same design 

 would be suitable for a Harvest Home 

 or Thanksgiving occasion. 



If no such opportunities are offered 

 fin complimentary displays, current 

 events, heal and world-wide, could be 

 presented. Read like a caricaturist and 

 there will lie more material at hand than 

 can be used. Or the seasons could be 

 represented. Here is a scheme for win- 

 ter: Have some fancy evergreens and 

 display them with their natural settings. 

 — cones and pine needles. Then for a 

 vase gather up some patches of mosses 

 that grow around the hydrants and un- 

 der the benches, and have a few lyeopo- 

 (liiim ferneries tilled for sale. Fin- 

 i-h with lycopodium draperies. 



For a summer scene have a min- 

 iature lake with pond lilies, and a 

 birch bark canoe tilled with small flow- 

 er- hauled up on the beach, or a few 

 flshing-rods with a china hanger in 

 camp-kettle style. Drape a fish-net with 

 - ■ Miie- over the top. 



tractive, ii" matter what, their fine points 

 are. Another requisite is frequent and 

 eiiinpleie changing. A window full of 

 one kind of plants is a good aid to sales 

 with an advertised announcement. 

 Speaking of advertising, it pays better 

 to cut out program., club directory, year 

 book and all such hold-up advertise- 

 ments, and invest the same amount of 

 money in a good window and liberal 

 -pa..- in the best newspapers. Keep in 

 mind that one element of the artistic is 

 the striking, which in its best sense is 

 by no means unnatural or vulgar. 



Several grades uf. heavy wire are a 

 great help for large bunches of flowers, 

 extra basket handles, etc. A bronzing 

 outfit with silver, green, gold and cop- 

 per paints is very convenient. Wire 

 frame-, plant stands and brackets need 

 freshening once in a while. The ready- 

 mixed bronze paints are not as satisfac- 

 tory nor economical as what can be 

 mixed with the dry paint and liquid in 

 bulk. 



A large mounted mirror is a most 

 useful adjunct, as well as a few table 

 millers. Their rent in decorations will 

 alter a while pay for their cost. They 

 will la-t I'm' years with careful handling 

 and protection from direct sun rays. 



The ability to draw free hand is more 

 than helpful. In planning a decoration 

 with a customer, illustrate if possible. 

 The average imagination is not stretch- 

 able beyond the visual angle. "What it 

 will look like" in black and white may 

 gain the job. A few photos of your best 

 work will demonstrate your abilities. 



