10 



The Florists^ Review 



July 8, 1915. 



Cooperation. 



The clangers to cooperation come 

 from within, and not from without, and 

 the cooperative movement is no weaker 

 and no stronger than the intelligent 

 determination of those who engage in 

 it; therefore, let us have in the na- 

 tional organization your assistance in 

 bringing it about. As John Stuart Mill 

 has said, "All advantages that a man 

 may possess arise from the power of 

 acting in combination with his fellows, 

 and of accomplishing by the united ef- 

 fort of members what could not be ac- 

 complished by the individual effort of 

 individuals." I believe that you will 

 carry home from this convention a 

 practical conception of the difficulties 

 which beset our business, and the re- 

 ward that awaits their solution, and I 

 feel that we in the national society can 

 help in this solution. I extend to every 

 member of the Texas State Florists' As- 

 sociation a most sincere invitation to 

 enroll as a member of the Society of 

 American Florists. We look to the 

 great state of Texas to send us some of 

 its giant intellect to help in this so- 

 ciety, and I feel that we will not be 

 disappointed. 



WOMAN'S VALUE IN THE TRADE. 



[A paper by Mrs. Annie Wolfe Brlgance. of 

 Waco, Tex., read at the convention of the Texas 

 State Florists' Association, at Fort Worth. July 

 6, 1915.1 



It is with the greatest pleasure that I 

 offer an answer to the question, "Why 

 Is Woman Indispensable in the Florists' 

 Business?" There are more answers 

 than one to be given to this question, 

 and each alone could be reasonable and 

 correct. 



The major portion of the florist's 

 purchasers are men, who prefer to have 

 women serve them, for the reason that 

 when a man is sending flowers to his 

 mother, his wife or his sweetheart, or 

 to someone else's wife or sweetheart, 

 or some "real friendly" female ac- 

 quaintance, if the florist does not hap- 

 pen to have just exactly what he wants, 

 nine times out of ten a woman can 

 suggest something that suits the pur- 

 pose admirably. If you do not believe 

 what I say, we will call on our honor- 

 able brother, Henry Greve, of Dallas, 

 Tex., to answer in this cause. He saw 

 that he could not get along without 

 woman, and so had to marry a woman 

 florist to run his business. 



The Limitations of Mere Man. 



I will give an instance: Many times 

 I have asked my own brother to stay 

 in the store for me five minutes in my 

 stead, but on my return he has always 

 been absent and I have always said 

 to him, "Tom, where did you go?" 

 His answer always was, "I was afraid 

 some customer might come in and I 

 do not like to wait on the women 

 trade." And he gave me as an illus- 

 tration our brother, J. E. McAdam, of 

 Fort Worth, whom he never has caught 

 in his place of business, but always 

 finds a woman there, with a man as her 

 aide. 



In my honest judgment, the forego- 

 ing one solitary reason is sufficient 

 proof that woman is indispensable in 

 the florists' business. 



Women are given credit, as a rule, 

 for their artistic taste in designing, 

 but their ability along this line is often 

 equaled and frequently surpassed by 

 men. 



Woman's Taste and Tact. 



A woman in a florist's place of busi- 

 ness can generally give satisfaction to 

 the women patrons of the establish- 

 ment, as well as to the men. Some 

 women, of course, have pronounced 

 ideas as to what is the correct and 

 proper thing in flowers, but they are, 

 in the main, willing to be shown. If 

 a woman florist, whose time and atten- 

 tion are given over to the work, can 

 present arguments to show that flowers 



Mrs. Annie Wolfe Brigance. 



of an entirely different species are in 

 reality just what the woman customer 

 is looking for, the result is that the 

 buyer leaves the shop perfectly con- 

 tent, and grateful for the suggestions 

 made. 



There are beauties in flowers that 

 perhaps a man might be prone to over- 

 look were it not for the wakefulness 

 of woman, who can point out the deli- 

 cate tints and shadings, and who, if the 

 patron be a woman, can give many val- 

 uable pointers on the harmonizing of 

 flowers with the surroundings, and on 

 other decorative features. 



I believe woman to be a most valu- 

 able adjunct to the florists' business, 

 if she cultivates a love for flowers 

 and studies, in earnest, the tastes and 

 desires of her patrons. 



Fort Worth, Tex. — E. Drumm is con- 

 templating a number of additions and 

 repairs at the ranges of the Drumm 

 Seed & Floral Co. There are seventeen 

 acres at the Riverside establishment 

 and ten at the range west of town. A 

 large number of carnations and chrys- 

 anthemums are growing for fall cut 

 flowers. 



HOW TO TREAT COMPETITORS. 



[A paper by H. 0. Hannah, of Sherman. Tex., 

 read at the convention of the Texas State Florists' 

 Assotifttlon, at F'orth Worth, July 6, 1015.] 



Your competitor is your best friend. 

 You may call him a friend in disguise. 

 He keeps you from being sordid, arro- 

 gant, selfish and perhaps unaccommo- 

 dating. Hence, treat him fairly, 

 squarely, honorably, justly, truthfully 

 and considerately. Remember that the 

 success of his business may often add 

 to your success. No firm is going to 

 sell all the flowers; each has his friends 

 and there is a place for him. Do your 

 best; grow the best flowers and plants; 

 keep the most attractive store; arrange 

 your flowers most artistically; excel in 

 all your decorations. Be original; be 

 inventive, but never be a "copy cat," 

 using your competitor's brain. Set the 

 pace and let him follow. 



Competition has given us such men 

 as Smith, of Adrian, Mich., in chrysan- 

 themums; Hill, of Richmond, Ind., in 

 roses, and Fisher in carnations. Strive 

 to excel. It is the same in all busi- 

 ness; competition has given us the Cad- 

 illac, the Pierce-Arrow and the Ford. 

 Make your own price and be sure' you 

 make it so it will leave you a profit. 

 You owe this to your business and to 

 your competitor, and if he is a man he 

 will do likewise. Be on good terms; 

 visit him and his store, and never do 

 anything that would cause you to avoid 

 his presence or his confidence. Honor 

 and truthfulness should govern your 

 acts toward him. Sell, all the stock you 

 can, but do it in the right way. Never, 

 no never, let the thought occur to you, 

 ' ' I will cut the price or quality to keep 

 my competitor from making the sale." 

 That is dishonorable. 



Flgnring on Contracts. 



If you are making prices on a large 

 job of decorating, for a wedding, party 

 or hall, and you find out his price and 

 take the job for almost half his price, 

 making no money for yourself but rob- 

 bing him, this is almost grand larceny. 

 In furnishing figures for such an occa- 

 sion, state, as we do, that you are not 

 figuring against your competitors, but 

 will make the job complete and guar- 

 antee satisfaction. This is what we do, 

 and if the other fellow wants it for 

 glory, we do not. We are in business 

 for money, but will seek glory and 

 honor on other fields. We often cheapen 

 work until the other fellow gets it, the 

 customer knowing cheap price often 

 means cheap work. 



Never treat your competitor in such 

 a way that he will censure you either 

 to your face or to your back. Truth 

 prevails and lasts. Special sales of 

 surplus stock are legitimate and honor- 

 able, but to make floral wreaths for 

 50 cents, or to sell carnations continu- 

 ously for 25 cents or 35 cents per dozen, 

 is disastrous, cheapens the goods, and 

 can bring little or no profit. It costs 

 in Texas to grow flowers, and in buy- 

 ing we all know there is a cost and ex- 

 pense. The trade wants good stock and 

 is willing to pay for it, as is done in 

 other lines. 



Acts That Dishonor the Trade. 



Never "pull crepe" against your 

 competitor, nor allow your agents to 

 do so. That is dishonorable and un- 

 worthy of your profession. Remember, 

 you sell God's most gracious gift to 

 man in all its sweetness and beauty; 

 [Oontlnaed on page 17.] 



