OCTOBEE 2, 1918. 



The Fbrists^ Review 



11 



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THE RETAIL 



J 



FLORIST 



DAHLIAS FOR THE RETAILER. 



The accompanying illustration is of 

 interest ^or the reason that it is repro- 

 duced from a photograph made by G. 8. 

 Crego, the originator of the Crego 

 aster, as well as for the evidence it 

 gives of the adaptability of the dahlia 

 to the needs of the retail florist. These 

 are of the type of peony-flowered dah- 

 lias; The variety is Hortulantis Witte. 

 The basket was on exhibition at the 

 dahlia show held at Portland, Ore., 

 September 24 and 25. It was arranged 

 by the Portland Seed Co. 



THE TREND OF THE TIMES. 



The Rise of the Retail Trade. 



Forty years ago the possibilities of 

 the retail business were not realized. 

 In fact, the majority of the few re- 

 tailers then existing were really lovers 

 of flowers, and followed their profes- 

 sion as much for the pleasure it gave 

 them as for the actual profit derived 

 therefrom. Roses with stems from four 

 to six inches long were considered the 

 height of perfection, from the grower's 

 standpoint. Bouquets made up of a 

 variety of flowers and enhanced with a 

 paper holder were considered as beau- 

 tiful then as the finest creations of the 

 present time appear to the flower lov- 

 ers of today. 



A few years later we were blessed 

 with the hybrid roses, Gloire de Paris, 

 Mabel Morrison, Baron and Baroness 

 Rothschild, Magna Charta and General 

 Jacqueminot. These handsome roses, 

 long since discarded for roses of 

 greater producing qualities, were, and 

 in reality are now, of greater beauty 

 than some of the present day commer- 

 cial roses. In those days, a cluster of 

 any one of these varieties, combined 

 with mignonette, was a choice remem- 

 brance, fit to be sent to the finest lady 

 in the land. Mignonette was good then, 

 and thoroughly appreciated. 



Appearance of the Dollar Rose. 



As far back as at this time, about 

 thirty years ago, we first find the dol- 

 lar rose. That is to say, roses sold at 

 from $10 to $12 per dozen, one promi- 

 nent retailer handling the entire hybrid 

 crop and paying as high as $50 per 

 hundred for the blooms. This same 

 retailer was cutting Jacqueminot roses 

 with 36-inch stems that sold at retail 

 for $1 each. 



While the hybrids were good, other 

 roses, such as Bon Silene, Perle des 

 Jardins and Nephitos, were extremely 

 short-stemmed. In fact, the average 

 retailer in those days, in making de- 

 signs, usually cut the stems still 

 shorter. The mossed wire work used 

 was almost the size of the finished 

 product, little allowance being made 

 for the increase the addition of the 

 flowers might make. 



Ingenuity of Older Florists. 



Twenty-five years ago we find the 

 leading florists possessed of as much 

 ingenuity and initiative as the present 

 day business man. Large decorations 

 for balls, receptions and elaborate din- 

 ners were more plentiful, proportion- 

 ately, then than now. New York and 

 other city society leaders vying with 

 one another to have the latest ideas 

 and most original surroundings for 

 their entertainments. If we promised 

 stately orange trees in full fruit and 

 could not get them as originally 

 planned, we simply fastened the fruit 

 on with wire a»d produced the des*ired 

 effect. Lilac bushes were grown to 

 bloom during January and February, 

 for the flowers for the social functions 

 taking place during these months were 

 ordered early in the season from the 

 grower, so that they would be ready 

 at the proper time. 



Orchids Were Scarce Articles. 



Orchids, though scarce, could be had 

 by a resourceful florist. In those days 

 we had a great variety of bloom», while 

 today the cattleya has proved to be 



the real commercial flower. If we had 

 promised a bower of orchids, growing 

 and in bloom, and could not induce the 

 owner to let us have the plants of all 

 the different varieties, we simply fast- 

 ened the blooms on whatever orchid 

 plants we could get. I say owner in- 

 stead of grower because most of the 

 orchids came from private collections. 

 Thus, in many ways, the greatest ar^ 

 tistic effects were produced with a 

 little ingenuity. During these years of 

 trials and tribulations practically all 

 the different designs and set pieces 

 were first thought out. Today we have 

 the improved flowers to work with and 

 the addiiional help of a complete line 

 of accessories. 



A little over twenty years ago we 

 first became acquainted with the possi- 

 bilities of the American Beauty as a 

 commercial flower. Stems up to 

 twelve inches long were the average 

 then. Gradually the quality of the 

 flower improved and the length of 

 stem increased until today we have 

 the finished product, a flower that car- 

 ries with it all the qualifications neces- 

 sary to become an American Beauty 

 in the real sense of the word. 



Recent Progress Slow. 



The progress of the retailer for the 

 last fifteen years has been as slow as 

 New Orleans molasses. All around us, 

 on every side, everywhere, we see other 

 trade interests keeping abreast of the 

 times, always pushing and striving for 

 the phantom goal. Merchants in other 

 lines become wealthy and enjoy their 

 declining years in ease and comfort. 

 Why not the retail florist? 



The retailers we might place in two 



The Peony-flowered Dahlia is Fine for Retailers' Work. 



