HORTICULTURE 



Vol. XXX 



JULY 19, 1919 



No. 3 



MY CANDID OPINION 



By a Retail Salesman 



Perm, of Boston, has originated prob- 

 ably the boldest departure from ordi- 

 nary methods of florists in newspaper 

 advertising that has yet been recorded. 

 In several of the Boston papers he has 

 been putting out copy without any 

 name signed. The copy reads as 

 follows: 



"Whose slogan is this? 



""When you think of flowers think 

 of !' 



"When a business organization has 

 reached that point in its relations 

 with the public that it is unconsciously 

 associated with its own industry as a 

 whole, there must be a substantial 

 business reason for it. In this instance 

 the reason is found in the unswerving 

 policy of rendering at all times the ut- 

 most in service. 



"Of course everyone knows Boston's 

 flower phone — Beach 6900." 



This copy was put up in very attrac- 

 tive shape, with plenty of white space 

 to set off the lines. Now the point to 

 decide is whether this is really adver- 

 tising of the best character. Mr. 

 Penn's reputation for originality has 

 not suffered by it, and the likelihood 

 is that it has aroused considerable in- 

 terest. After all, though, advertising 

 flowers should be considered, it seems 

 to the writer, largely from the view- 

 point of the public. As Mr. Penn says, 

 the florist should seek to serve, and 

 it is a question whether this service is 

 accomplished when the public is called 

 upon to exercise even a little extra 

 thought or a bit of speculation when 

 it desires to order — say a wreath for 

 a funeral. Isn't the essence of adver- 

 tising after all to be found in meeting 

 the want of a customer almost before 

 he feels it? If suggestion has any 

 value anywhere it is in advertising 

 copy. Isn't it possible, too, that this 

 kind of advertising may raise almost 

 unconscious resentment in the mind of 

 competitors, which is something not 

 to be desired in the interests of the 

 trade as a whole. 



All this will be understood, of 

 course, as not in any sense a criticism 

 of Mr. Penn's advertising, which is al- 

 ways to be followed with interest, but 

 as a general discussion of newspaper 

 advertising in its widest application. 



One original idea of Mr. Penn's is 

 a capital one, that of using the expres- 

 sion "flower-phone." When he says at 

 the foot of his ad. "Of course every- 

 body knows Boston's flower-phone," 

 and then gives the number, he is in- 

 evitably inviting the calls of all his 

 readers who may be in need of flowers. 



Florists of twenty or even ten years 

 ago would have been amazed at the 

 way in which modern store keepers 

 are reaching out for business. It is 

 no longer considered efficient to en- 

 close one's self in a flower filled glass 

 case and invite people to come in and 

 buy your stock. A Cleveland retailer 

 hit upon the idea some time ago of 

 distributing cards all through business 

 offices saying that he would be pre- 

 pared to keep fresh flowers on the 

 desks each day for a specified sum. 

 The plan worked so well that it had 

 to be stopped. That is to say, the 

 business grew to such an extent and 

 brought about so many complications 

 that it was impossible to carry it on. 



Another suggestion along the same 

 line comes from England, where a 

 writer encourages the use of flowers 

 in shop windows. As he says: "It 

 may be well worth while to supply 

 your tailor, draper or grocer with 

 sufficient flowers for a week or a fort- 

 night free of charge, for the encour- 

 agement of others." 



Storekeepers as a whole have not 

 come to realize the value of flowers 

 in their show windows, but this is 

 something which can be brought about, 

 not only on special occasions, but at 

 all times. A few flowers properly ar- 

 ranged set off a window to a greater 

 extent than any other adjunct. No 

 doubt it would be feasible for a florist 

 to undertake the business of supplying 

 flowers, and perhaps arranging them, 

 in order that there might be a fresh 

 supply every day. Getting the thing 

 started is largely a matter of sales- 

 manship, but if an offer to do it for a 

 week free of charge is accepted, and 

 the florist can prove his point, there 

 should be no difficulty in keeping the 

 trade, once it is obtained. This would 

 seem like a fertile field, and one well 

 worth cultivating. 



GARDENERS' AND FLORISTS' CLU B 

 OF BOSTON. 

 The annual picnic of the Club will 

 be held at Cunningham Park, East 

 Milton, on Thursday, July 24, 1919. 

 This will be the first picnic held since 

 the close of the great European War, 

 in which over 20 of our members have 

 been engaged, and some have paid the 

 supreme sacrifice. On the coming oc- 

 casion a good many of our members 

 who have been demobilized will be 

 present and participate in the games. 

 We therefore look for a record attend- 

 ance and the most successful picnic 

 in our history. 



TRADE PRICES TO THE TRADE 

 ONLY. 



The full resolution adopted at the 

 Nurserymen's Convention in Chicago 

 in regard to trade prices was as 

 follows: 



Recognizing the great diversity of 

 interests of the members of the Nation- 

 al Association of Nurserymen, we offer 

 recommendations only on such ques- 

 tions where the interests of all con- 

 verge, and where in the silence of the 

 Association the interests of all would 

 suffer. 



Realizing the necessity of keeping 

 open and profitable, the outlets for the 

 distribution of nursery stock as funda- 

 mental to the success of the industry, 

 therefore, be it 



Resolved: The members of the 

 American Association of Nurserymen 

 shall not sell to any consumer of nur- 

 sery products, whether private owners, 

 parks, cemeteries, realty developments, 

 municipalities, department stores, or 

 other large buyers at prices which do 

 not adequately protect in his sales and 

 distribution expenses, the nurseryman 

 who buys similar stock to sell again, 

 and 



Whereas: The professional land- 

 scape architect buys only as an agent, 

 for his client, the planter, therefore, 

 be it resolved, 



That we disapprove of nurserymen 

 giving their wholesale trade lists or 

 trade prices to or through professional 

 landscape architects. 



Resolved: That any member who 

 violates the foregoing resolution, shall 

 forfeit his membership as provided in 

 Article IX of the constitution. 



