206 



THE FLORISTS' MANUAL. 



The Intermediate and East Lothian 

 Stock is much raised in Europe for 

 winter blooming. Sow in August and 

 September and as soon as the seed 

 leaves are formed put into 2-inch and 

 shift on and flower in 5-inch, and if 

 wanted for spring use keep in cold- 

 frame. 



The Brompton Stock is the most 

 handsome of all, and where it does not 

 freeze more than 15 degrees in winter 

 it is a grand flower. I have seen spikes 

 of the Brompton that I am sure were 

 more than a foot long and three inches 

 in diameter, and in a cottage garden. 

 They are a biennial, and if attempted 

 here should be sown in August, win- 

 tered in a cold-frame and planted out 

 in spring. In a more temperate ' cli- 

 mate they should be planted in the 

 border in October. 



STORE MANAGEMENT. 



The evolution of the florist's store 

 from its beginning, with most of us 

 twenty-five years ago and with the 

 oldest not more than forty years, is 

 remarkable. It has kept pace with the 

 enormous increase in the use of flowers 

 and perhaps has bean no little incen- 

 tive to our patrons in the laudable lux- 

 uury of the use of flowers. 



We can all remember when the 

 seedsman in many of our cities com- 

 bined cut flowers and plants with his 

 business. Now the line is as distinctly 

 drawn between the seed store and the 

 flower store as between a bank and a 

 barber shop, although I have heard 

 with surprise and regret that one of 

 our most widely known New York 

 wholesale and retail seed, bulb and 

 requisite houses has recently opened 



Bed of Ten-Week Stocks. 



a cut flower department. This is to be 

 regretted; it is a step towards the de- 

 partment store and is to be con- 

 demned, in our line particularly and 

 on principle generally. We all re- 

 member exhibitions called florists' 

 stores. 



When the florist first essayed to rent 

 a store and make it his exclusive busi- 

 ness, the window decorations consisted 

 in the main of straw baskets, a stuffed 

 dove and some beautiful designs in 

 wheat, all suggestive of the inevitable, 

 but nothing to gladden the eye or 

 heart. The gradual transition to the 

 modern, first class store of today would 

 be interesting to note were it any ben- 

 efit, and what will be the appearance, 

 appointments and tempting luxuries of- 

 fered to the public by the florist of a 

 future generation would be highly in- 

 teresting could we foresee the hig/her 

 development of our business. From a 

 basement or a narrow, cheap store the 

 florist now demands the best stores in 

 our very best streets. 



Before I attempt to say what a high 

 class retail store should be it is quite 

 pertinent to mention a few things that 

 it should not be. The florists and 

 their clerks (or more properly shop- 

 men) must have the reputation for 

 good temper, civility and a most pa- 

 tient and obliging disposition, for the 

 florist is asked more questions and 

 more little favors than any other class 

 of shopkeepers. If a lady faints in 

 the street car she is carried into the 

 florist's store. If a glass of water is 

 wanted by a temperance man, if your 

 neighbor wants to use the telephone, 

 if a stranger wants to know where Mr. 

 Tile, the hatter, is, or even when one 

 lady will meet another, it is all at Mr. 



Bud's, the florist, that they come in. A 

 civil, polite answer should be given to 

 all. Perhaps by discreet affability you 

 have made a friend. 



You store snould never be Known as 

 a place where other florists congre- 

 gate. If they have any business with 

 you, let them do it quickly and get out. 

 No loungers of any kind 1 , friends of 

 your own or of your employees, male 

 or female, should be tolerated dur- 

 ing business hours. Book agents, and 

 what we are fearfully pestered with, 

 advertising agents, should receive a 

 civil but short answer. Drummers of 

 all kinds should be put in a back room 

 to wait your convenience, or if that is 

 not agreeable to them then told to 

 come around, if you need them, after 

 business is over. Be sure and avoid 

 having a group of three or four grow- 

 ers in the rear of your store discuss- 

 ing with animation the merits of the 

 new carnations. If you are a grower 

 yourself break up the meeting by lead- 

 ing them around the corner; it is 

 cheaper and there they can argue with 

 lubricated energy while you step back 

 to attend to your business, for in these 

 days of keen competition and all try- 

 ing to excel, nothing but the closest 

 attention to all departments o f your 

 business will bring even moderate suc- 

 cess. 



To be known as a reliable and 

 prompt business man among your pa- 

 trons is a blessing. To have the repu- 

 tation of a good-natured, jolly fellow 

 among your brother florists is a mis- 

 fortune. You can be good, you can be 

 jolly, even a philanthropist, but in 

 self-defense and self-preservation sub- 

 ordinate the effervescence of your good 

 nature till the appropriate occasions 



