14 



The Florists' Review 



March 2, 1916. 



many of his patrons are a^vay for vaca- 

 tion, for the planted grounds need at- 

 tention in the suninior. Moreover, the 

 evergreens \vliioh Mr. MoConnell has 

 in stociv can Ix' transplanted at almost 

 any time, if the opciation is proiierly 

 performed. 



In Suburbs or Small Cities. 



Florists of the class represented l>y 

 Mr. ]\IeConnell, however, are niucli less 

 conveniently located for the prosecn 

 tion of outdoor planting than are those 

 llorists whose stores are in the suhurhs, 

 or in towns or small cities. Florists so 

 situated, surrounded by j)ri\ ate homes 

 with grounds in various stages of adorn- 

 ment or disligui'eiiient or neglect, ought 

 not to have great dilliiulty in building 

 up a business in the i)lanting of hard- 

 wooded stoili. Their tield of lalxir, 

 their har\est lieM, is all around them, 

 if they can obtain contr.acts to beautify 

 OJie or two homes, tliese homes will 

 thenceforth be successful solieitors foi' 

 more contracts — uidess theit^ is some- 

 tliing desperat(dy wrong with the be;iu- 

 tifying. 



Few of these llorists, ol' course, can 

 have their own nurseries. In most 

 cases, in fact, they can get along much 

 better withmit their own nuiseries, 

 especially at first, when tludr vi'uture 

 as shrubbery j)lanters is still in its 

 \indevelopetl stage. They can establish 

 business connections with the nearest 

 lirst-class nurs(M'vman, so as to obtain 

 the stO( Iv as it is needed and at such 

 reasonable trade prices as the nursery- 

 man will gladly grant. And many ol 

 them can liave at least a small pat(di 

 of grouiKl for the effectixe display of 

 sample shrubbery, in the planting sea 

 son or all the year, in ailditioii to su(di 

 stock ;is they exhibit in the store itself 

 or about the doorwjiy. 



Making Fall Planting Popular. 



Since one of 1ht> idiief ]iurj>oses in 

 undertaking tlie jilanting t>( hard 

 wooded sto(d\ is to lengthen the outdooi- 

 season, the florist should do ;ill in his 



power to overcome the popular preju- 

 dice against fall planting. He can ex- 

 ert his persuasive ability in that direc- 

 tion without any twinges of conscience, 

 however sensitive his conscience may 

 be, for most deciduous shrubs flourish 

 as well when planted in the fall as 

 when planted in the spring. Only 

 shrubs that are not entirely hardy are 

 endangered by fall planting. By en- 

 lightening the public on this point, the 

 florist will bi'nefit the nurse'vinan as 

 w(dl as himself, for the nurseryman will 

 be decidedly thankful for an incre;ise<l 

 ]iroportion of fall business. However, 

 this idea need not be ])ut into effect 

 until autumn draws near. It is spring 

 business that is wanted now. 



As to the arrangement of the shrubs 

 on the grounds, there is only space 

 enough liere to draw attention to one 

 ov two elementary principles, whi(di are 

 iilready well known to most florists, Vjut 

 which cannot be too foreildy or fre- 

 i|uently mentioned. 



Magical Power of the Planter. 



since the honu' grounds in towns or 

 suburbs art! generally small, it would 

 be a gre.'it mistake to reduces the ap- 

 parent size of the grounds by planting 

 a shiub or a (dump of shrubbery in the 

 inid<lle of the space. it would be an 

 equ.'illy serious blunder to clutter shrubs 

 promiscuously all over the grounds, thus 

 produ(dng an impression of ci-udity and 

 confusion. The central space should be 

 left 0]>en. .•ind the shrubbery should be 

 placed along th(> boundaries, in the 

 corners of' the grounds, and in the tri- 

 angular, oblong or iiregul.'ir s]>aces 

 around the jiorch .and other ]>arts of tln^ 

 residence, especially wh(>re grass wouhl 

 not grow well. Here and there a shrub 

 or two shouM protrude just a little be- 

 N'ond the main l)Ody of the shrubbery, 

 like military sentinels- or, lather, like 

 ■'standing invitations," or adxance 

 agents to bid \ isitors welcome. 



Su(h a system of jdanting, if skill 

 fully carried out, gives the outline of 

 the grounds a softened, gracefully indefi 

 iiite, picturesijUe aspect, with delusixc 



little o])enings or miniature imitations of 

 vistas, thus magnifying the dimensions 

 of the place instead of belittling them. 

 An ingenious, tasteful planter is a ver- 

 itable magician in his power of pro<luc- 

 ing transfornuitions. 



A Planting Plan for Each Place. 



Another important rule is to study 

 tdosely the distinctive features and 

 adaptabilities of each home aud use a 

 different planting plan for each one. 

 Each home has, or should have, its own 

 separate individuality and re(]uires sep- 

 arate treatment. It sliould l)e the aim 

 of the florist-planter to add to the home 

 such horticultural adornments as fit tht; 

 contour of the place an(] look like a 

 completion of the architect's design. 

 Any niaiked peculiarity of the building 

 cu' its surroundings provides a first-rat(! 

 oj)portunity for the planter, either to 

 accentuate the peculiarity or to veil and 

 obscure it. 



If, as is sonietinu^s the case, a wlude 

 ldo(dv of residences is built after the 

 sam(> pattern, looking as if (diopjied out 

 of one piece of material by a huge auto- 

 ni.atic matdiine, then the florist may 

 perhaps have the difficult but worth- 

 while task of doing what the architect 

 neglected to do, giving each place a 

 ( haracter or individuality of its own. 



At first a florist may be slow and 

 dubious in estimating the possibilities 

 of a place and laying out a planting 

 pl.an, but he will gain quickness, skill 

 and ceitainty by continuing in practice, 

 ;is a physician attains proficiency in 

 diagnosing his cases. As a planter 

 ^ains in experience, he acquiies an in- 

 creased power of \ isioning the finished 

 job, seeing it in his imaginatifoi liefore 

 he begins [d.anting. In the worrls of 

 file ]io]iular figure of sjieeidi, ht» "'has .'I 

 photogiMpli ' ' of the coinpleted job be- 

 fore he puts a sp.ade in the ground. 



BUSINESS EMBARRASSMENTS 



Stamford, Conn. — The Stamford See<l 

 \ Nuisery Co., by .lanu'S 1'. PalnuM-, 

 treasurei. tiled ;i petition in hank- 



When a Retail Florist Goes into the Nursery Business he Must Offer a Grade of Stock Above the Average. 



