Jvhx 16, 1908. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



i 



THE RETAIL 



FLORIST... 



SHEAF OF WHEAT WITH ROSES. 



The illustration on this page is one 

 of the series of funeral designs by C. H. 

 Fox, Columbia avenue and Twenty-first 

 street, Philadelphia. The idea Mr. Fox 

 has brought out is unusual. We fre- 

 quently see sheaves of wheat filled at 

 the top with roses, but the addition of 

 a bunch of roses tied with ribbon lower 

 down displays individuality. The roses 

 used were Brides; Mr. Fox prefers this 

 variety when obtainable in summer. The 

 objection to the use of Kaiserins is their 

 being so readily bruised. Phil. 



THE STOREMAN AND RETAILER 



Vacation Problems. 



As a sequel to our notes on "The 

 Storeman and Eetailer," it is well to 

 consider, at this vacation time, what in- 

 fluence the judicious giving of holidays 

 has on the employees. 



There are those who do not consider 

 their just due has been awarded them 

 unless they have their wages gratuitously 

 extended to them and are sent away, with 

 good wishes, to some secluded place, 

 there to ponder over their glories or fret 

 over their fancied wrongs of the past 

 season. 



We are pleased to believe that the ma- 

 jority of our employers, recognizing the 

 faithfulness of their workers, take the 

 opportunity of the quiet summer to show 

 their appreciation of the hours of over- 

 time, worked during those busy days of 

 the "season" — hours that kept the clerk 

 from the pleasures of life, while he 

 worked without complaint, in the knowl- 

 edge that he was not only building the 

 business of the master, but securing and 

 advancing his own interests. 



Such, we know, are the conditions ex- 

 isting in many of our best establish- 

 ments, conditions which are right and 

 just. But there are those who have 

 smaller places, with only one or l^wo 

 clerks, where the prolonged absence of 

 even one is a serious thing and can hard- 

 ly be permitted. It is to such, particu- 

 larly, that attention is drawn. 



Occasional Outinsfs. 



There is a possible way to give recrea- 

 tion without hampering business, by ar- 

 ranging time off. 



Who of us do not long to go to the 

 ball game or the picnic, or to have a 

 morning or afternoon with hook and 

 line? Here, on this North American 

 continent, we are blessed with the possi- 

 bility of a good half day's outing at 

 any of our chosen pastimes whenever the 

 opportunity presents itself. 



If you are an employer, build up the 

 mental and physical condition of your 

 help by allowing them all the relaxa- 

 tion possible during the quiet season. 

 Arrange your staff in such a way that 

 you may allow them all the time you can 

 for play, that in the memory of your 

 generosity during the quiet days they 



may be fortified to greater effort when 

 the coming season — which we believe 

 will be a hummer — arrives. 



The writer only too well knows the 

 impossibility of set rules for time off. 

 The head must impress all with the fact 

 that should the loss of an allotted time 



ment in the crucial moments of the win-. 

 ter rushes, when a certain amount of re- 

 sponsibility falls on the shoulders of 

 each employee, and from the head down 

 to the messenger we are given the op- 

 portunity to prove the interest we have 

 in the success of our place. 



The foregoing puts us in mind of a 

 conversation we had with the owner of 

 one of our large retail stores, he stating 

 that many of his help would not appre- 

 ciate holidays given in addition to his 

 regular ' * one week pay, one week own 

 expense" plan. This man, by the way, 

 outside of his store manager, believed 

 in cheap help. 



Now, to discuss the propriety of com- 

 pelling a clerk to take the same length 

 of time off without pay as with pay, is 

 hardly necessary, as he is indeed short- 



Sheaf of Wheat Filled with Roses. 



be compelled through a little rush, or for 

 any other reason, it must not be consid- 

 ered as a hardship, but only attributed 

 to the uncertainty of the business. 



Far-reaching Effects* 



Our experience has been that where 

 some such practice has been carried out, 

 it has been far-reaching in its effect and 

 has done much toward assuring the faith- 

 ful cooperation of the whole establish- 



sighted who cannot see the poor policy 

 in that plan. 



There should be no discrimination in 

 the length of time Off, as all should be 

 equal, but the senior hands should have 

 the choice of time. Should longer than 

 a proportionate time be required, it 

 should be at the expense of the one re- 

 ceiving it. 



If you cannot afford to carry out the 

 plan of not laying off your staff a week 



