234 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



Dbcbhber 14, 1905. 



Showing the Character of the Fixtures in the New Breitmeyer Store. 



mented beams, is richly frescoed in deep 

 blue, representing the Italian sky. Four 

 columns of Verde antique marble sup- 

 port the beams of the ceiling and are 

 finished with rich capitals in antique 

 Boman gold. 



In the east end of the store is the rose 

 room, which will be cooled by a cold air 

 device, thereby doing away with the 

 mess usually made in handling ice. This 

 room is constructed entirely of plate 

 glass and mirrors, with marble tables 

 to hold the ornamental vases of roses. 

 Above the rose room is a small balcony 

 provided for an orchestra. 



The north end of the room is devoted 

 to the oflBce, wrapping table, ribbon case 

 and a handsome rosewood case containing 

 customers' cards. 



In another corner of this beautiful 

 store, we find an old Carrara marble 

 fountain, brought from Florence. It 

 is beautifully sculptured, with three 

 basins, and being plainly visible from 

 the street, it can be used to very good 

 advantage for displaying a variety of 

 flowers. 



All the furnishings of the room, in- 

 cluding large tables and benches, is of 

 classic design, well sculptured in Car- 

 rara marble, with heavy Verde antique 

 marble tops. This furniture was all 

 carved in Florence, Italy, under direction 

 of Signor Nenciollini, one of Florence's 

 finest sculptors. 



Great attention has also been given to 

 the scheme of lighting. The main chan- 

 delier suspended from the center panel 

 in the ceiling is of Eoman gold and 

 crystal and is copied from one of the 

 chandeliers in an ancient Italian palace. 

 The side lights are also of rich orna- 

 mental bronze and Eoman gold, finished 

 with rich crystal prisms. 



The basement under the store is de- 

 voted to workroom, storage, ice box, pot- 

 ting bench, etc. To make a long story 

 short, the whole building is certainly 

 a grand monument to the trade. 



The store was opened to the public, 

 with due formality, on Tuesday, Decem- 

 ber 12, but engraved invitations were 

 sent out to the trade for an inspection 

 on Monday evening, which brought out 

 not only all Detroit florists, but many 

 from a distance. The Breitmeyer brand 

 of hospitality is well known, and the 

 guests had full opportunity to inspect 



this wonderful store. There could be 

 no question as to the verdict. The many 

 nice things they said to .the proprietors 

 were not flattery, being well merited. 

 Among the out-of-town visitors were 

 Messrs. Smith and Fetters and J. M. 

 Gasser, of Cleveland; Henry Smith and 

 Eli Cross, Of Grand Eapids; J. A. Peter- 

 son, Cincinnati; G. A. Heinl, of Toledo, 

 and many others from near-by towns. 



Smith & Fetters sent two novel at- 

 tractions in the shape of a hat and cor- 

 sage bouquet, the main part being a 

 head of kale trimmed with orchids, val- 

 ley, violets, etc. 



B. Schroeter sent a vase of his rose 

 pink sport of Enchantress. 



Poehlmann Bros. Co. sent a fine vase 

 of Sunrise roses. 



J. A. Peterson sent a specimen plant 

 of Gloire de Lorraine begonia and also 

 a fine plant of the white variety. Turn- 

 ford Hall. 



Harry Bunyard sent a silver horseshoe. 



H. S. 



A TANTALIZING ADDRESS. 



[Delivered to Edward Neville on the occasion 

 of his assuming the office of President of the 

 Germantown Horticultural Society for the 

 eighth time.] 



I have been asked, Mr. President, by 

 the executive committee, to say a few 

 words to you on this occasion. It is 

 seven years since three members of this 

 committee waited on you to ask you to 

 accept the highest oflace in the gift of 

 the Germantown Horticultural Society. 

 They poured broadside after broadside 

 of argument upon you, without effect, 

 until, happily, one of them urged that 

 they wanted a president who would pre- 

 side, not a mere figurehead. This argu- 

 ment, Mr. President, proved effective, 

 and you have filled the office since that 

 time with honor to the society and credit 

 to yourself. 



Seven years! This recalls a curious 

 custom among our progressive neighbors, 

 the Japanese. In Japan the marriage 

 contract lasts for exactly seven years. 

 At the expiration of that time the wo- 

 man is free to marry another man. The 

 man is also free to marry another wo- 

 man, or they may remarry for another 

 seven years. 



Seven years! Have you ever asked 

 yourself the question, Mr. President, 



"Am I the best man to occupy the chair 

 of this society?" 



Have you thought of the bright blue 

 eye and the kindly smile of the senior 

 vice-president, how they would light with 

 pleasure were he asked to sit in the chair 

 which you now fill? Have you asked 

 yourself the question, Mr. President, 

 "Am I a better man that Charles J. 

 Wister?" 



Have you thought of the second vice- 

 president; of how well the experience 

 gained over the unruly coolies of India 

 would fit him to rule over our turbulent 

 meetings? Have you asked yourself the 

 question, Mr. President, "Am I a better 

 man than the Eev. Francis Heylf" 



Have you thought of the junior vice- 

 president, with what wild joy he would 

 discover a new Asplenium Ebenoides, 

 were he asked to take your place? Have 

 you asked yourself the question, Mr. 

 President, "Am I a better man than 

 Edwin C. Jellett?" 



Have you thought of the secretary and 

 treasurer, with what pride he would 

 send out the society's notices with the 

 words, "President, secretary and treas- 

 urer of the Germantown Horticultural 

 Society," printed under his name? Have 

 you asked yourself the question, Mr. 

 President, "Am I a better man than 

 George Eedles?" 



Have you thought of N. Dubois Miller, 

 with his vast legal knowledge? Of C. S. 

 "Wertsner, with his world-encompassing 

 business experience? Of Frank Miles 

 Day, with his great knowledge of land- 

 scape architecture and gardens of old? 

 Of S. Mendelson Meehan, with his execu- 

 tive experience gained in managing a 

 department of the corporation that bears 

 his father 's name? Of John F. Sibson, 

 who rules over the McKean estate with 

 power as autocratic as that of the czar 

 himself? Of Albert Woltemate, with 



The Breitmeyer Building. 



his martial bearing? Of Peter McGowan, 

 with his wonderful new greenhouse? 

 Have you asked yourself the question, 

 Mr. President, "Am I a better man 

 than each and all of these?" 



I do not know, Mr. President, whether 

 you have asked yourself these questions, 

 or whether you have given the matter 

 any thought, but we have, and we feel 

 that much as we value every one of 

 these and many other members, there is 



