798 



HORTICULTTTRE 



May 24, 1913 



Of Interest to Retail 

 Florists 



ORIGINALITY. 



"We lead; let those that can, fol- 

 low." How many florists can really 

 use this phrase? Not very many make 

 attempts at originality, only when they 

 are driven to do so by flower shows, 

 etc., otherwise they seem perfectly 

 satisfied to go on year in and year 

 out with the same old designs, bou- 

 quets and baskets as long as their 

 customers will stand for it. 



Hats off to our basket manufactur- 

 ers, for the changes they have given 

 us in the past tew years, their intro- 

 duction of baskets with linings to hold 

 water, so the flowers can be arranged 

 to keep for some time; otherwise we 

 would still be using the old method 

 of moss, sticks and wire. 



Recently an original design was 

 called for at a florist shop in the East, 

 the lady asking for something that 

 would travel a long distance and still 

 retain its freshness on its arrival. The 

 ■florist seeing a chance to make a fine 

 sale, was there with the goods; and 

 here was his suggestion. An empire 

 •wreaih made of Richmond roses; noth- 

 ing out of the ordinary, of course; but 

 the originality was the frame. In 

 place of the ordinary wire frame he 

 had a frame made of light zinc in the 

 form of a trough, thus holding water; 

 the moss was soaked well and then put 

 in the frame and tied in the usual 

 way; the roses used had short stiff 

 stems and were inserted in the water- 

 soaked moss which held them firmly 

 and also supplied the necessary mois- 

 ture. After si.x days the lady returned 

 from her funeral trip and congratulat- 

 ed the florist for his cleverness, say- 

 ing that the wreath had kept beyond 

 expectations. 



While bridal novelties are never at 

 an end, we must keep in touch with 

 the up-to-date weddings, the bride-to- 

 he ever hunting for originality. Brides 

 have carried the shower bouquets for 

 many years, then some genius orig- 

 inated the bridal prayer-book; an- 

 other suggested the muff, another the 

 fan; still another produced the para- 

 sol, but florists of this hemisphere have 

 been puzzled of late as to what they 

 should flttin.gly suggest next for the 

 bride. A bridal-scarf of chiffon, lace 

 or net, decorated lightly with lily of 

 the valley and small sprays of adian- 

 tum or asparagus caught with tiny 

 bows of baby ribbon is what will be 

 seen at many of the foremost June 

 weddings this season. The scarf can 

 he worn over the shoulders, hanging 

 loosely and the decorated ends falling 

 gracefully, the right hand gripping one 

 ■end of the scarf against the bodice, or 

 it may be gently thrown over the right 

 arm with the decorated ends in full 

 view, this being a matter of choice. 



Originality often requires nerve. 

 If you lack that confidence in your 

 creation it will never make a hit and 

 you will find yourself playing second 

 fiddle to some other originator's Idea. 

 Mr. Storeman. 



FLORIST 

 WASHINGTON D.C. 



the clerks act like they are glad to 

 see me. 



I like to go into a store where I feel 

 welcome. In some stores I have felt 

 like an intruder breaking into a pri- 

 vate home. 



I like to enter a store by being in- 

 vited in by attractive window dis- 

 plays. I generally choose a store by 

 the windows and I very seldom find 

 that they misrepresent the quality of 

 the store. 



I like to deal with a stoi-e where I 

 know the clerks work together pleas- 

 antly, where they receive proper credit 

 for what they do, and the proprietor 

 treats them well. 



When I go into a store. I like to 

 have the clerk take my complete or- 

 der, and then collect the articles, 

 wrapping them in as few parcels as 

 possible. 



I like a store where the clerks know 

 where to find what I want without un- 

 necessary delay. 



I like to go into a store where there 

 is plenty of light, both in the daytime 

 and evening, and where there is good 

 ventilation. 



I like a store where the shelves are 

 clean and where they do not show 

 dusty packages and cans. I always 

 patronize the cleanest store I can find. 



I like to go into a store where the 

 clerks are anxious to wait on me, 

 where they are desirous of showing 

 me goods, even though I may not 

 make a purchase. 



I like a store where I always get a 

 receipt, for it is the only safe way. 

 and I know I am getting exactly what 

 I pay for. 



When goods are delivered or I send 

 after them. I always like to have the 

 store send me a receipt, so I may 

 know that I get what I ordered. 



The ideal store is the one that has 

 these good qualities and more. — 

 N. a. R. Weekh/. 



THE IDEAL STORE. 

 I like to go into a warm store — not 

 steam-heated, particularly, but heart- 

 heated — a store where the proprietor 

 is cordial, obliging and cheerful, where 



PHILADELPHIA NOTES. 



The voice of the lawn mower is 

 heard in the land and the cheerful snip 

 of the hedge shears. The seed stores 

 clap their hands with joy and rush 

 them out with ball-bearing celerity. 



glory! The rhododendrons are 

 in bloom. What effulgence of pink 

 and lavender in a sea of green! Let 

 "the dogwood trees bark, and the pus- 

 sywillows purr;" rhododendrons for 

 mine. 



Edward Reid has been entertaining 



during the week at his Lansdowne 

 Villa. Mrs. Jno. L. Radclyffe and 

 daughter, of Richmond, Va. A feature 

 of this visit was an auto trip to At- 

 lantic City. 



Apropos of the proposed Fathers' 

 Day some of the militant element 

 among the ladies are rather free to 

 assert that until the "old man" be- 

 haves himself better than he has been 

 doing of late there will be no red rose 

 for him. 



Water lilies of the choicer large- 

 flowering varieties made their appear- 

 ance in this market on the 21st. The 

 Pennock-Meehan Co. stated that they 

 expected regular shipments from now 

 on. These are very useful in decora- 

 tions and all very lasting and effective 

 for summer suggestions. 



The past ten days have been quite 

 cool and have kept back the local peony 

 crop nicely, so that these will be in 

 good shape for Memorial Day. On 

 Sunday, the 18th, many people around 

 here, were out of coal and had to go 

 to bed to keep warm! If you don't 

 believe me, ask Com. Westcott. The 

 peach crop and tender vegetables suf- 

 fered considerably. 



Visitors: Wm. J. Halliday, Balti- 

 more, Md.; Mrs. Jno. L. Radclyffe and 

 daughter, Richmond. Va.; G. R. 

 Gresham, of C. A. Dahl Co., Atlanta, 

 Ga.; Stephen Mortensen, Southamp- 

 ton, Pa. W. C. Langbridge, represent- 

 ing Jerome B. Rice Co.. Cambridge, 

 N. Y. 



ORDERS FOR 



NEW YORK 



WIRE OR PHONE TO 



MAX SCHLING 



22 West 59th Street, adjoining Plaza Hota 



Best Florists in the States as References 

 EUROPEAN ORDERS EXECUTED 



Rochester, N. Y. 



J. B. KELLER SONS, 



FLORISTS 

 25 Clinton Avenue, N. 



Rochester Phone 506. Long Dist. Bell Phone 2iS<) 



Memben Florists Telegraph Delivery 



