474 



HORTICULTURE 



March 29, 1913 



OF INTEREST TO RETAIL FLORISTS 



WINDOW DISPLAY. 



Keen competition has forced many 

 florists to pay more attention to their 

 windows the past few years, and 

 those striving for honors in this line 

 rarely have anything to regret for do- 

 ing so. By all means this should not 

 be overlooked if you are in hopes of 

 Increasing your business, as the pub- 

 lic is not slow to observe a display 

 that has become stale. Your compe- 

 titors see it at once and set to work 

 immediately to take the glory that 

 once was yours, and, behold, your 

 trade goes with it! Therefore see 

 that your windows have a daily 

 change, no matter how slight, as this 

 is one way of advertising. Very often 

 the general public judge your work 

 by the appearance of your windows. 



When decorating your window use 

 discretion, bearing in mind the sea- 

 son and making your display accord- 

 ingly. People enjoy looking at a 

 pretty window that has character and 

 when this lacks, you fail to attract; 

 whatever you put in, let it be the 

 best you have. As an example, if 

 roses be the attraction, let the stems 

 be a credit to the flowers, not weak 

 and limp as though they were about 

 "all in." Let the people see you have 

 the goods and that you are not afraid 

 to show them. 



When flowers are not coming in as 

 they should, then as a quick change 

 for a snappy looking window, get to- 

 gether a group of your prettiest bas- 

 kets and the window arrangement has 

 taken on another aspect, ever keep- 

 ing the public and your competitors 

 guessing what you are going to show- 

 next. Fancy vases and jardinieres 

 mounted on velvet with a background 

 of ferns and palms make a pretty 

 window display. Many interesting 

 and striking effects can be produced 

 by using birch-bark, cedar-bark and 

 seasonable foliage. 



Though we see quite a few windows 

 with large groups of plants artisti- 

 cally arranged, they lack something, 

 and that is color. There is nothing 

 that will draw the attention of the 

 passer-by quicker than a flash of 

 color. A green window may be pretty, 

 but too often tiresome, whereas a 

 touch of color appeals. In my various 

 observations I have often noticed what 

 might have been a pretty window 

 spoiled by the decorator allowing the 

 red clay pots to show, and by the use 



A PROFITABLE SHOW HOUSE. 



Our cover illustration shows the in- 

 terior of a show house in connection 

 with the florist store of Whittle Bros., 

 Albany, N. Y., erected by Lord & Burn- 

 ham Company. On this page also ap- 

 pears a view in the store proper, show- 

 ing its relationship to the show house. 

 Messrs Whittle make a statement that 

 their sales have very materially in- 

 creased since the conservatory was 



added, especially in potted plants, cus- 

 tomers who come to buy flowers and 

 who never before were known to pur- 

 chase plants often selecting plants and 

 having them sent home. We believe 

 that Whittle Bros.' experience is iden- 

 tical with that of all store florists who 

 have had plant houses erected in con- 

 nection with their store. Where there 

 is room for such an addition it is a 

 sure paying investment. 



of cork or laurel branches, etc.; this 

 can be overcome. 



The window always acts as a silent 



salesman, and many wide-awake flor- 

 ists make their windows talk. 



Mb. Stoeeman. 



