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14 



The Florists' Review 



OCTOBEB 5. 1016. 



alike except for some variation in size 

 and material, or half a dozen pillows, 

 or a dozen sprays all alike except that 

 a different flower has been used in 

 each as far as the limits of stock would 

 permit. Then is the time that the cus- 

 tomer wants something different and 

 the florist needs to use all his inge- 

 nuity to keep the variety up and the 

 customers satisfied. There are, and al- 

 ways will be, people who will stick to 

 the old, standard designs for funerals, 

 but the greater variety a florist can 



grovide the better his trade will be. 

 iaskets add considerably to the variety 

 and we have used in some instances a 

 wicker stand with a large bouquet ar- 

 ranged in it, with ribbon bows and 

 streamers. These have been as success- 

 ful, almost, as the baskets. 



The Big Shower Wreath. 

 Another design, more of the usual 

 character, that we have found quite 

 successful where the customer wants 

 something nice and is willing to pay 

 from $50 to $100, is the shower wreath 

 shown in the illustration on page 15. 

 This standing wreath with shower effect 

 is over six feet high. The one shown 

 in the illustration was made of pink 

 and white asters for a foundation, with 

 auratum lilies, Ophelia roses and gla- 

 diolus tips, Ophelia being used in the 

 shower part. The wreath is not only 

 large but full, giving a massive appear- 



ance that makes it look worth the 

 money. We have found it invariably 

 successful where the customer wanted 

 something from $50 up, the size of the 

 wreath varying, of course, with the 

 price. 



Working to Win. 



The retail florist who wishes to make 

 a reputation that will bring him a 

 greater number of the large orders will 

 do well to study the subject. He must 

 not only actually put in the value, but 

 he must make the designs look to be 

 worth the money; he must make the 

 costly design different from the inex- 

 pensive one in more ways than simply 

 in size, and he must obtain the distinc- 

 tive qualities without the use of the 

 freak arrangements that sometimes are 

 described as "occupational" designs, 

 the beer keg for the brewer, etc., which 

 seldom enhance the florist's reputation. 



LILY OF THE VALLEY. 



I expect to use side benches for lily 

 of the valley. Will these do well for 

 cut flowers in the same house with 

 lilies? Please advise as to the culture 

 of valley. A. L. — Mo. 



You should build cases along the side 

 of your house for valley and arrange 

 for a good, steady bottom heat of 80 

 degrees or thereabouts. The overhead 

 temperature can be 25 degrees lower. 



Plant the valley pips in clean sand, 

 keep them close and dark until they 

 are well drawn up, then give a little 

 more light to give the flowers sub- 

 stance. Start the batches at frequent 

 intervals. Avoid wetting the plants 

 after the flowers start to open. 



C. W. 



OALLAS FOE OUTTINO. 



Kindly tell me the best way to grow 

 callas for cut flowers for winter sale. 

 What variety is best for this purpose! 



M. D. — Mass. 



I have found the Godfrey calla much 

 more productive than the old Nile lily, 

 Bichardia ^thiopica. JThe flowers are 

 fully as large as three of the old va- 

 riety, much purer in color and the bulbs 

 carry at least twice as many flowers in 

 a season. If you plant three bulbs each 

 in 7-inch or 8-incn pots they will give 

 you excellent results. Stand the pots 

 on a light, sunny bench where they will 

 receive a minimum temperature of 55 

 degrees in winter. Use a rich soil for 

 them and when the pots are well filled 

 with roots feed them liberally with 

 both liquid manure and top-dressings of 

 fine bone. Callas are fond of bone and 

 you can add some to your soil at pot- 

 ting time and give top-dressings once a 

 fortnight as soon as the pots are full 

 of roots. C. W. 



»v RETAIL STORE MANAGEMENT 



WHAT THE LEADERS IN THE TRADE ARE DOING 



SPECLAL CARDS WITH FLOWEES. 



Many of The Review's progressive 

 readers may find it to their advantage 

 to use something other than a plain card 

 to enclose with flowers. We have found 

 it highly profitable. Our first venture 

 in a special card was one we had made 

 to enclose with fiowers sent to hospital 

 patients and to those sick at home. For 

 this card we selected the little poem of 

 good cheer, "The Four-leaf Clover." 

 In addition to always having this card 

 on the desk, we often suggest its use, 

 and find many customers who appreciate 

 the suggestion. 



Flowers sent to hospitals are gener- 

 ally opened by the nurse, who places 

 them in a vase and carries them with 

 the card to the patient. The latter sel- 

 dom ever knows from what florist they 

 came. With the use of the special card 

 it is different. They bear our name and, 

 where the card is preserved, which it 

 generally is, we have a pleasing stand- 

 ing advertisement. 



In filling out-of-town orders we also 

 use a special card where it is appropri- 

 ate to do so, and we have received a 

 number of complimentary letters from 

 other florists whose customers have told 

 them about this feature of our service. 

 This is good, both for ourselves and for 

 the out-of-town florists who send us 

 their orders. 



The most gratifying feature, how- 

 ever, is the number of persons who come 

 to our store to purchase flowers and 

 say in effect: "When I was sick So- 



and-so sent me dowers from your place 

 with a little poem on a card, and I 

 want to send one of the same cards 

 with this order of flowers. ' ' Many new 

 customers have come to us ip this way. 



Our second card is one appropriate to 

 send with flowers purchased for birth- 

 day and wedding anniversaries and to 

 new mothers. This card is printed in 

 four colors and, in addition to the print- 

 ed bit of sentiment, it shows a taste- 

 fully arranged basket of flowers. So 

 pleasing is the sentiment on this card 

 that we are getting as good results from 

 it as we do from the first one. 



A few days ago we received a tele- 

 phone order from a man who never be- 

 fore had purchased from us. After 

 placing his order for two dozen good 

 roses he asked us to send one of our 

 special birthday cards to his office in 

 order that he might write a personal 

 message and have it sent with the flow- 

 ers. We learned later that he had seen 

 one of these cards at a friend's home 

 and, when he had occasion to order 

 flowers again, he remembered the florist 

 who furnished the pleasing card. 



Florists adopting special cards should 

 be careful about every detail. Better a 

 plain card than a special one that is not 

 right. Be sure that the message it car- 

 ries is appropriate for the occasion. 

 Talk to a commercial artist rather than 

 a printer about this work. Don't try 

 to cheapen the job in any way. Our 

 first cards cost us but little more than 

 plain ones. Both cards referred to, how- 

 ever, are printed from hand-lettered 



plates on high quality stock and are 

 special sizes. 



Reynolds Flower Store. 



F. T. D. TO MEET. 



An Important Session. 



What is expected to be the most im- 

 portant session of the Florists' Tele- 

 graph Delivery members since the or- 

 ganization was formed will be held at 

 Hotel La Salle, Chicago, October 11 

 and 12. Incidentally, it is expected to 

 call together the largest number of re- 

 tail florists who ever have met in this 

 country. 



Experience has taught the officers and 

 members that the rules of the associa- 

 tion require revision to provide for fur- 

 ther growth; there even is a proposi- 

 tion to change the name of the organi- 

 zation in the hope of making it more 

 intelligit>le to the public. Dues may be 

 raised to provide for publicity. 



The Objects. 



Secretary Pochelon, whose heart is 

 wrapped up in the work, has prepared 

 an outline of the rules he thinks de- 

 sirable. He sketches the objects of the 

 organization as follows and suggests 

 rules to attain the objects: 



1. Shall be of an educational purpose and 

 for the benefit of the retail florists' trade in the 

 United States and Canada, so that orders re- 

 layed to other retailers will get the best and 

 most efficient serrlce. 



2. Every F. T. D. member shall rive enough 

 publicity to his patrons so the public will get 

 better acquainted with out-of-town serrlce. 



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