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MAY 25. 1005. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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THE SHEAF OF WHEAT 



And the Flowers That Go Betv^^een. 



The amount of flowers in the first 

 illustration is made purposely scanty to 

 plainly illustrate the principle of to- 

 day's discussion, namely, that all lines 

 of a design should have a common 

 source. To explain, the lines of this 

 design can be found by making a very 

 simple drawing, two or three lines to 

 represent the position of the wheat 

 straws from the tie upwards, and the 

 same from the tie downwards. Then 

 add one line to represent the general 

 direction of the principal group of 

 roses on the right side of the center of 

 the sheaf, and another to show the stem 

 of the roses which stands out higher on 

 the sheaf than the others. Add an- 

 other line for the other group, the one 

 on the left, being careful to trace the 

 lines in to the point of the tie on the 

 sheaf. They are all drawn in toward 

 the tie on the center of the sheaf. 

 Then some of them scatter again, out- 

 wards, like the wheat straws below the 

 tie. From this standpoint our piece is 

 correct according to a well .known prin- 

 ciple of art. 



We will state it again for emphasis: 

 All lines of a design should tend to a 

 common source or center. Growing out 

 of this principle, naturally enough, is 

 the lesson of the sheaf and the roses. 

 They appear to have been cut just as 

 if they were found growing together 

 and to have been bound in the same 

 bundle. Does this not appear to you 

 as being the true motive for the com- 

 bination of the wheat and flowers, 

 rather than the common practice of 

 making a flat bunch of the flowers and 

 laying it on top of the sheaf? 



The stems of the flowers thus ar- 

 ranged may not all be seen, but the 

 position of the flowers will tend to 

 show their whereabouts. Some can be 

 set under the sheaf and the flower 

 pulled through the wheat. The lines 

 that are shown of the stems among the 

 wheat can be much larger and heavier. 

 Foliage in the way of ferns or vines 

 can be added, and the piece made more 

 or less elaborate as the case requires. 

 Ribbon, if used, should be tied tight as 

 though the whole bundle were held to- 

 gether by this tie alone. Where ribbon is 

 used, remove the tie that comes with 

 the wheat. Otherwise the tie will be 

 too bulky. 



In getting the flowers in among the 

 wheat it is not necessary to insert all 

 the flowers individually. In the illus- 

 tration two or three groups were made 

 according to the principles for making 

 clusters, and these small clusters were 

 wired together securely and set into 

 the sheaf after the surplus foliage was 

 removed. If a flower strays out of 

 place^ or the stem breaks and bends 

 back, never mind. It is so much the 

 better. Only fasten it securely where 

 it lies. This design also enables .one to 



make a better showing with a small 

 amount of flowers. 



With Valley and Adiantum. 



The second illustration is an elabora- 

 tion of the first, using lily of the val- 

 ley instead of the roses, and introduc- 

 ing adiantums as extra foliage. It is 

 a series of sheaves with a background 

 added. The nja+ertaTTised is^Jhree large 

 sheaves of'w'heat, 150 adiantum — and- 

 150 valley. The wheat ties of the 

 sheaves were removed for purposes of 

 convenience in this case, although they 

 might have been left on as far as ap- 

 pearances are concerned. The inten- 

 tion was not so much ,to give an im- 

 pression of a mads-up piece, but to find 

 the most convenient and substantial 

 mounting. A rectangular panel of thir- 

 ty inches length made of light wood, or 

 one of the ordinary wire frame is made. 

 If the wood panel is used the sphagnum 



project slightly over the edge of th* 

 panel, with its center about the center 

 of the panel vertically. The top sheaf 

 is placed with about one-third of its 

 height projecting over the top of th» 

 panel, and the third sheaf back slightly 

 from the right edge of the panel, and 

 so that its top is below the center of 

 the panel horizontally. When the 

 sheaves are on, not much of the sphag- 

 num will be seen, only patches here and 

 there; but we will not be in a hurry 

 to cover up the patches yet awhile^ 

 Stem about 100 of the valley in clusters 

 of two or three, sheathed with a leaf 

 of their own foliage. In cases like 

 this, where there is no danger of the 

 picks protruding at the back of the 

 frame, use the whole picks wired. Many 

 florists use these exclusively, but it i» 

 better to have both kinds and choose 

 /to suit the occasion. The groups of 

 valley in this piece lie against the panel^ 

 so there is plenty of depth to tho mos» 

 filling. In arranging the valley with 

 the sheaves follow the same plan of 

 design as was outlined for the first 

 sheaf and the roses. For the upper 

 sheaf make an ordinary spray of about 

 two dozen valley. Next make a staple 

 from a heavy, yet pliable, wire; lay the 

 spray flat against the moss, close to 

 the left side of the upper sheaf, a little 

 higher on the panel than the upper 

 sheaf is placed. Pin it firmly to the 



A Sheaf of Wheat and Roses. 



should be packed on about two inches 

 thick and wrapped over and over closely 

 around the back and front. If it is a 

 wire panel the' usual method of lining, 

 filling and wrapping is followed. If 

 the latter is used the sheaves must be 

 tied on over the sphagnum, but if the 

 former is used they must be nailed 

 through the sphagnum into the wood 

 back of the panel. 



The left sheaf is placed so as to 



sphagnum with the staple. Continue 

 this process with the stemmed bunches 

 of valley through the top sheaf, fol- 

 lowing out the design of the roses and 

 wheat in the first illustration. Run the 

 stem ends of the small valley group 

 firnfly into the sphagnum fan-shaped 

 until the upper sheaf is closely deco- 

 rated as shown. 



Then start in on the lower sheaf^ 

 scattering the bunches a little more, aa 



