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The Florists' Review 



MmCH 28. 1917. 



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Other Flower Show Echoes 



or What Was Heard Over a Lunch Table 



Last Week at the Biltmore 



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IHERE were six of us— Mr. Bohannon.'of Bohannon Fl. 

 Co., Chicago; Mr. Brown, of J. M. Gasser Co., Cleveland; 

 Mr, Philip Breitmeyer. of Detroit; Mr. Max Schling. 

 New York; Mr. Arthur Langhans, of Wheeling, W. Va., and 

 our comDany representative. 



We were there as Max Schling's guests to talk over the 

 Question of forming a definite organization of one or two re- 

 tail florists from each state, with the idea of doing some na- 

 tional advertising to broaden the sale of flowers. Also with 

 the aim of an intimate co-operative senice between 

 members. 



After the organization business was over, the talk turned 

 towards business methods. 



Already ads have been issued reaching over si.v million 

 readers. 



Mr. Bohannon, of Chicago, said that with every basket of 

 flowers they sent out, a card was enclosed stating that "if the 

 flowers were not fresh and entirely satisfactory when re- 

 ceived, to immediately let them know, and a fresh lot would 

 promptly be sent," 



Mr, Brown, of the J. M. Gasser Co., Cleveland, said he 

 didn't like that word "if." It at once put a person in a need- 



lessly critical state of mind. Their method was to enclose a 

 card saying; "These flowers are fresh. If not satisfactory, 

 let us know at once." 



Mr. Breitmeyer then spoke up in his auiet, sunny way, 

 carrying indisputable convincement with it: "I don't care 

 what you print on your cards, boys.— the thing is to make good, 

 and do it promptly and cheerfully." 



Mr. Schling mentioned that when he was asked to refill a 

 basket that was not fresh and clean, or the color scheme out 

 of all harmony wiih the flowers, he first had it understood 

 that his name-card would not accompany it. Said he could 

 not aflford to have his reputation risked. 



Right then and there I would like to have spoken up and 

 said that for exactly the same reason Lord & Burnham often 

 refuse to build certain houses, certain ways, for possible cus- 

 tomers. We simply cannot aflford to build houses we know 

 are not practical. Neither will we lower quality to cut down 

 costs to meet competition. 



The only way we meet competition is in giving a man a 

 better house for his money. 



If you want to talk over that kind of a house, say when 

 and where, and we'll be there. 







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MJDW TORK 

 4ad BtTMt Bids. 



BOSTON 

 Tremont Bldg. 



TORONTO 

 Boyml Bank Bldg. 



Builders of Qrccnhouses and Conservatories 

 SALK8 OFFICB8 



PHTLADELPHIA 

 Wldener Bldg. 



DKTROIT 

 Penobscot Uldg. 



CIIICAOO 

 ContiniMitiil and t'ciniiiorclal r.ank Bids:. 



ROCHESTER 

 Granite Bldg. 



MONTREAL 

 Transportation Bldg. 



CLEVELAND 

 Swetland Bids. 



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FACTORTKS: IRVINGTON, N. T. DES PLAINES, ILL. ST. CATHARINES, CANADA 



