,t ^Hj^f-Jxy^'^'V 



10 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



June 25, 1908. 



of fine specimens of palms, for which 

 the Fries greenhouses are noted. These 

 formed a pleasing background. Studded 

 in front of the palm banks were rub- 

 ber plants, variegated begonias and arau- 



carias, and other potted plants. Very 

 few flowering plants were in the exhibit, 

 as the display was entered in competi- 

 tion for potted plants. The exhibit took 

 up two large sections. 



^s^.^r..^r..^ r:.^\:<^-,^.^fi.^r^.''m<^r^^^ 



THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



i 



HOUSE DECORATING. 



Flowers for the Table. 



I will now cite a few different ideas 

 that you can work from in table deco- 

 rating. 



There are as many ways of decorating 

 a table for a wedding, a reception, party, 

 dinner, etc., as there are tables in this 

 country. Not that every decoration is 

 different in the main idea, but the de- 

 tails are carried out a little differently. 



When you decorate an open fireplace 

 you usually do so because it is not in 

 use and you want to cover the unsightly 

 appearance of the opening, but when 

 you are called upon to decorate a table 

 the idea is not to hide the table, but to 

 make it still more attractive, and this 

 you do not do by crowding it with a 

 large centerpiece or a number of small 

 ones. 



The artist must also consider the taste 

 of the people to whom he is catering. A 

 beautifully arranged centerpiece of val- 

 ley would hardly appeal to the poorer, 

 less educated classes. A large, showy 

 piece of some sort will make more of a 

 hit with them. 



The color of the decorations in the 

 dining-room should also come in for con- 

 sideration. Some time ago I was called 

 upon to decorate a table in a rather 

 small dining-room, where the wallpaper 

 was a decided yellow. Using a low vase 

 with a large, flaring opening, I arranged 

 in it a loose bouquet of spiraea and yel- 

 low iris. This produced a pretty effect, 

 but purple iris would have killed the 

 whole business. 



A florist who wants to do decorating 

 must carry an assortment of vases. Not 

 necessarily a large assortment at first, 

 or cut glass vases, but a variety to pick 

 from. You will often be called upon to 

 furnish your own vases. Whether to 

 make a charge for this, is a question. 

 Unless the vase should be broken, I 

 would not charge anything for the use 

 of it. 



If you have a long table or rather a 

 good sized table to decorate, and you do 

 not wish to make a large centerpiece, a 

 pretty plan is to make a small center- 

 piece or have a vase of flowers in the 

 center and then have some quite small 

 vases of flowers to correspond, near the 

 comers of the table. 



Smilax or other green run fi'om the 

 chandelier to the corners of a; table is 

 usually more of a nuisance than a deco- 

 ration. I never can see any sense in 

 tying the table to the chandelier, and 

 that ifl just what you do in the above 

 case. 



When the guests are to be seated, be 

 sure to keep your center decoration low 

 enough to be seen across without stretch- 



ing one's neck. When working in a very 

 high room and on a large table, you may 

 use a tall, slender vase and have the 

 flowers arranged at the top so as to leave 

 the view of the guests unobstructed and 

 at the same time fill out the room. 



Baskets always look well on a table 

 when they are not too large. They may 

 be either of a low type or a pretty 

 handle basket. 



Palms or small Scottii ferns, with the 

 pots nicely covered, will trim the tables 

 for a large banquet nicely where the 

 expense is not to be too great. 



With the above few hints and a few 

 original ideas of his own, even the be- 

 ginner should be able to turn out some 



pretty fair work. As in all other work, 

 it takes much experience to become really 

 proficient in ,6ur art. 



, ,i| ' Hugo Schroeter. 



STANDING WREATH. 



The Elks of Michigan recently held a 

 convention at Kalamazoo. Harry Fisher, 

 who runs a flower store in that town, is 

 a member of the order and sent his best 

 wishes with a "Welcome" wreath, shown 

 in the accompanying illustration. It was 

 made entirely of white carnations, save 

 for the lettering, "Welcome, Brother 

 Elks, ' ' and was so highly appreciated 

 that the convention adopted resolutions 

 of thanks and while in town bought their 

 flowers of Mr. Fisher. 



FOX^S UPTOWN SHOP. 



The accompanying illustration is pre- 

 pared from a photograph of the up- 

 town shop. Fox's, at Twenty-first and 

 Columbia avenue, Philadelphia. You 

 want to know whether Fox's uptown 

 shop bears any relation to the Sign of 

 the Eose in the heart of Philadelphia? 

 Yes; they are both owned and operated 

 by Charles Henry Fox. As the Sign 

 of the Rose expresses Mr. Fox's artis- 

 tic ideas, so Fox's flower shop expresses 

 his commercial ideas. 



Charles Henry Fox established his 

 florists' business at Twenty-first and Co- 

 lumbia avenue many years before he 



Wreath Presented to Elk's Convention. 



