234 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Decembkk 14, 1905. 



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



nn'iiteil beams, is richly frescoed in deep 

 blue, represent iiiff tlie Italian sky. I'uur 

 columns of Verde antique niarl)le suji- 

 p(;rt the beams of the ccillni^f and aic 

 iinished ^vitll ricli caiiitals in aiiti(|ur 

 l^)nlan gold. 



In the east end of tiie store is the rose 

 room, uhich \\ill be cooltHl by a cold air 

 device, thereby tloinj^ away with the 

 mess usually made in liaiidliiifij ico. This 

 room is constr\icted entirely of plate 

 j^lass and mirrors, with marlde tables 

 to lidld the ornamental vases of roses. 

 Abo\<' the rose room is a small balcony 

 proxided for an orchestra. 



The n(utli end of tiie room is devoteil 

 to till' ollii-c, wrappinj; table, ribbon case 

 and a handsome idsewned ease c(Uitnining 

 customers' eaids. 



In another eiuner of tliis beautiful 

 store, ue lind an (dd Carrara marble 

 fountain, luoujiht from I'iorenee. It 

 is beautifully scul|>tur('d. with thre(> 

 liasins, ami lieiny plainly \isilil(> from 

 the street, it can be usimI 1e very <;(iod 

 a(hantaj.'e fer dis|)layinn a xariety of 

 ilowers. 



All the fuiiiisliiiiiis ef lln' roum, in- 

 (dudin'' larm> tablis aii<l benelu's, is of 

 (dassic design, well sculptuied in Car- 

 rara marlde, with heavy Verde antiiiue 

 marble to|)s. This furniliiie was all 

 carved in Florence, Italy, under direct i(Ui 

 of Hi^nor Nenciollini, one of I'loremo's 

 finest sculptors. 



Crcat attention has also been <i\\cn to 

 the scheme of li^htinp. Tlu' main chan- 

 dtdier suspende<l from the center jmnel 

 in the oeilinjj; is of l\oman <iol<l and 

 crvstal and is copied from one of the 

 eliandeliers in an ancient Italian ]>alace. 

 The side licrhts are also of rich orna- 

 iiHidal bronze and l?onuin gold, finished 

 with ri<'h crystal prisms. 



The basement under the store is de- 

 bited to workroom, storage, ice box. j>ut 

 ling bench, etc. To make a long st(uy 

 >hiu-t, the whole building is certainly 

 a yrand monument to the tra<le. 



The store was openeil to the public, 

 with due formality, on Tuesday, Decem- 

 ber 12, but engraved invitaticms were 

 sent out to the trade for an inspection 

 ,,n Monday evening, whiidi limught (uit 

 not only all ]>etroit florists, but many 

 from a distance. The Breitmeyer brand 

 of luispitalitv is well known, and the 

 guests had full opportimity to inspect 



this wonderful store. There could be 

 no (luestion as to the verdict. The many 

 nice things they said to the proprietors 

 weic not flattery, being well merited. 

 \mong the out-of-town visitors were 

 Messrs. Smith and Fetters and J. M. 

 (iasser, of Cleveland; Henry Smith and 

 i;ii Cross, df Orand Kapids; J. A. Peter- 

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

 and many others from near-by towns. 



Smith iV: I'Vtters sent two novel at- 

 tractions in the shape of a hat and cor- 

 ^aL;e bdiuiuet, the main ])art being a 

 head (d' kale trimnuMl with (U'chids, val- 

 ley, violets, etc. 



P>. Scdiroeter sent a vase of his rose 

 pink sport of Enchantress. 



I'oehlmann Bros. ('i>. sent a fine vase 

 of Sunrise roses. 



.1. A. Peterson sent ;i specimen plant 

 uf (iloiro do Lorraine begonia and also 

 ;i line plant of the white \arielv, Turn- 

 furd Hall. 



Ilarrv P.unvard sent a silver horseshoe. 



II. S. 



A TANTALIZING ADDRESS. 



I liilivticd In IMwMi.l Ncvillo en tlu' occasion 

 Ml his ;issiiiiiiiii.' ilic i^llicc of President <if ilic 

 I ;riiu.iMl(i\vn llorliciilluial SucU'ty for Ilic 

 (■i^;hlli linie.l 



I have been asked. Mr. President, by 

 the executive c(unmittee, to say a few 

 words to yini on this occasion. It is 

 seven years since three members of this 

 committee waited on you to ask you to 

 accept the highest oflice in the gift of 

 the Cermantown Horticultural Society, 

 'i'hev poured broadside after broadside 

 of iirgumcTit up<ui y(ui, without effect, 

 until, hapjiily, one of them urged that 

 thev \\ anted a i>resident who would pre- 

 si<|e. not a mere figurehead. This argu- 

 ii'eiit. .Mr. President, jiroved effective, 

 and you have fdled the otiice since that 

 time with honor to the society ami credit 

 to yourself. 



Seven years! Thi.s recalls a curious 

 ciistoTii among our progressive neighbors, 

 the Japanese. In Japan the marriage 

 contract lasts for exactly seven years. 

 At the exjdration 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 a.sked 

 y(Uirself 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 

 ]>leasure were he asked to sit in the chair 

 which you now fill? Have you asked 

 yourself the question, Mr. President, 

 "Ara 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 Rev. Francis Heyl?" 



Have you thought of the junior vice- 

 president, with what wild joy he would 

 discover a new Aspleniuni 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 Ilorticultural 

 Society," printed under his name? Have 

 you asked yourself the question, Mr. 

 President, "Am I a better man than 

 George Kedles?" 



Have you thought of N. Dubois IMiller, 

 with bis vast legal knowledge? Of C. S. 

 Wertsner, with his world-encompassing 

 business experience? Of Frank Miles 

 Day, with liis great knowledge of land- 

 scape arcliitecture and gardens of old? 

 Of S. Mendelson .Meehan, with his execu 

 five 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 

 ]iower as autocratic as that of the czar 



The Breitmeyer Building. 



his iimrtial 1 -earing? 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 md 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 



