Apbil 28, 1908. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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EASTER TRADE. 



A summary of the Easter business in- 

 dicates that it was generally satisfactory. 

 There are a few reports of decreases in 

 the volume of sales, but in the majority 

 of cases these" are due to local causes; 

 for instance, in the eastern manufactur- 

 ing cities, where the retail business of 

 a town is dependent upon one big fac- 

 tory, if that factory was closed down, as 

 sometimes happened, the florists felt the 

 effect in lessened Easter sales. Also, the 

 neather man was unfriendly in a number 

 of eastern cities and there was rain on 

 Saturday and Sunday, which ot course 

 caused a great deal of loss. 



West of Pittsburg the reports are al- 

 most unanimous that the volume of East- 

 er business was greater than ever before. 

 The quantity of stock disposed of made 

 a new record, but prices were lower, 

 both at wholesale and at retail, than 

 they usually have been. As a conse- 

 quence most wholesale markets report the 

 money value of sales only about as last 

 year, but in almost every instance where 

 a retailer looked to wholesale sources 

 for his supply, he was able to buy cheap- 

 er, sell cheaper, increase the volume of 

 his business and make an entirely satis- 

 factory profit. 



It is quite generally reported that the 

 individual purchases at retail were small- 

 er than usual and the moderate-priced 

 plant arrangements were the ones that 

 sold. "Where a retailer had provided any 

 considerable number of big, expensive 

 plants, he had some of them left, while 

 the neighbor who had only moderate- 

 priced specimens sold out as cleanly as 

 could be expected. In cut flowers all 

 prices were sufficiently low for desirable 

 stock to move freely. 



The supply of carnations was some- 

 thing phenomenal and the street vend- 

 ers competed with the store florists on 

 these. Easter is generally considered 

 a day for white flowers, but red roses 

 were in most demand and it was the 

 white carnations that were slow to 

 move. The violet enjoyed a period of 

 great demand and sweet peas sold well. 

 Bulbous stock .was slow to move in the 

 face of the abundance of other mate- 

 rial. 



The Easter lily was in heavy supply 

 throughout the country and prices in 

 many instances were the lowest ever 

 recorded for Easter, with many lilies 

 left over. 



While there are various reports of its 

 being '<a plant Easter," it was fully 

 demonstrated that cut flowers still 

 would sell fully as readily as plants, 

 provided the retailers could be assured 

 of the character and moderate price of 

 the stock a few days in advance of the 

 holiday, as they can be with plants. \ 



GROTESQUE DESIGNS. 



The call for unusual designs is so fre- 

 quent with certain stores that the moat 

 grotesque idea occasions little comment, 



but a Toledo florist received an order for 

 a design -to be presented to the Toledo 

 ball team at the opening of the season 

 last week that was about as unusual as 

 anytbing he ever had been called on to 

 make. 



The offering consisted of a large hen 

 made of violets. A number of rooters 

 presented the floral piece to the team 

 and chose the peculiar design because the 

 Toledo club is known about the circuit 

 as the Mud Hens. Manager Armour 

 received a large bouquet from the Elks 

 club, as did his wife, and the team was 

 also given a large floral horseshoe made 

 of carnations, roses and spring flowers. 



FLORAL FASHIONS. 



One Chicago retail florist showed 

 practically all his Easter plants made 

 up in baskets of one style. It was a 

 green and white round braided basket, 

 with a large handle, and on the pieces 



showed nearly all its plants in either 

 earthenware of one sort or another, or 

 in metallic receptacles. Of course, a 

 few large baskets and hampers were in 

 the display, but the majority of the 

 pieces were simple in character and lit- 

 tle ribbon was used. The best selling 

 line was a good imitation of the expen- 

 sive Italian terra cotta, which may be 

 had in an infinite variety of sizes and 

 shapes. Also, the Pompeian toneware 

 and the Bussian brass were largely used, 

 with some fine English china. In these, 

 as a rule, one plant only was placed, in 

 most cases removed from its pot and 

 planted directly into the receptacle. The 

 soil was covered with live sphagnum 

 moss, and no other embellishment was 

 used unless asked for by the customer. 

 On those pieces which were provided with 

 upright handles, ribbons were used of a 

 color to match the flowers of the plant 

 in the receptacle. 



This style of arrangement provided re- 

 lief from the monotony of basket and 

 hamper arrangements which have been so 

 numerously shown in recent years, and 

 also met the demand for Easter gifts at 

 popular prices. 



ARTISTIC ARRANGEMENTS. 



Unique Plant Receptacles. 



The accompanying illustration shows 

 one of Charles H. Fox's unique plant 

 receptacles designed at the Sign of the 

 Rose, Philadelphia. The hydrangea is 



Unique Plant Receptacle, Designed by Charles Henry Fox, Philadelphia. 



of greatest size there even were two 

 handles, crossing each other from side to 

 side of the basket. There was consid- 

 erable variation in the style of arrange- 

 ment and the stock used, while ribbon 

 was employed lavishly and served to give 

 variety to the stock. 



Most other retailers used a variety of 

 baskets, but the E. Wienhoeber Co. 



not an easy plant to decorate, but with 

 this basket in silver or gold, according 

 to the color of the hydrangea blooms, it 

 makes not only a unique and striking but 

 exceptionally pleasant effect. 



ROCK'S SHOPPING LIST. 



A number of retail florists who cater 

 to good trade, sent out, just before Eas- 



