The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



July 30, 1908. 



A good combination is stained or 

 painted wainscoting with rough plaster, 

 washed, or wainscoting with the upper 

 wall burlaped. This latter material does 

 not retain its original freshness of color 

 a great while, but it can be painted as 

 often as desired. 



If wall paper is used, by no means 

 consider any style which has a decided 

 figure. Plain ingrain is usually most 

 suitable. The floral decorator wants to 

 make his own lines and figures. A dim 

 suggestion of a design might do as a 

 starter of his decorative lines, but he is 

 bound to be limited at best, for the rea- 

 son that new decorative lines which he 

 may devise may run counter to the direc- 

 tion and style of the wall paper figures. 

 The answer to the problem will be a 

 meaningless confusion. 



The Question of G>Ior. 



Now, as to the all-important question 

 of color: A neutral shade should be 

 chosen. It will be observed that the 

 term "shade" is used, while no mention 

 is made of ' * tint, ' ' for the reason that 

 the darker colors are usually the best, 

 choice, if one color is used. If two colors 

 are to be used, the lighter should be 

 set on above the darker. 



But why neutral shades? There are 

 t\Vo "becauses" for this; namely, to 

 avoid strikingly inharmonious color com- 

 binations, and to supply a softened back- 

 ground which- develops the beauty, of 

 color in the flowers and foliage, rather 

 than thrusts itself within view. The 

 observer should forget the wall coloring 

 and background for the time being and 

 be lost to all save the attractionfofSlie 

 flowers displayed. 



Regarding the use of dark wall color- 

 ing for the one-toned plan, there, are 

 strong arguments on both sides of the 

 question. The majority of flowers dis- 

 played are light colored and show to. bet- 

 ted. advantage against a dark background. 

 Dark eol6rs show the wear and tear 

 and knocks less. On the other hand, it 

 may be , urged with some force that a 

 dark wall lessens the daylight which, is 

 reflected about the room. Leave the 

 light to the windows and the electricity 

 or gas, as the case may be. 



Skill in lUumination. 



Wall or ceiling lights are the best for 

 the store room, with white opaque shades, 

 so that there shall be an abundance, of 

 soft light, but no burners visible. Every 

 well lighted place should also have, an 

 entrance light. Reflector. shades are, not 

 desirable. Especially in. window lighting 

 should the lamps themselves and, better 

 still, all the light fixtures; bje concealed 

 and only the diffused light be' reflected. 



Returning to the discussion of the col- 

 oring for walls and woodwork, we find 

 a fascinating array of dull reds, buflfs, 

 olive greens, old gold and browns,;,.. Blues 

 are trying for any but skilled co^brists. 

 White and gold have been toov much 

 used of late, as also have green and- gold. 

 Green, if not too much inclined toward 

 the blue, is a fine background for flow- 

 ers, but not at all sajtisfactory for fo- 

 liage, as palms, wild smilax, laurel or 

 Christmas green, etc. It is a poor con- 

 ductor, so to speak. A delicate tint 

 of Nile green, in combination with mis- 

 sion or a darker green, might partially 

 remedy this lack of color contrast. 



A wainscoting of mission oak finish, 

 with a' soft yellow wall tint, is a finish 

 much in vogue at present, and well worth 

 its popularity. Ivory with olive green or 

 dull red brown and buff are charming 

 and restful cpmbinations. Mahogany, 



mission or walnut stains are all rich and 

 beautiful, if carefully laid on .soft, 

 smooth wood. 



' vv,'- The Miff Of G"aze« 



Quite a proportion of florists have the 

 mirror craze, and one finds stores at- 

 tempting the effect with cheap mirrors 

 in small panels, very suggestive, indeed, 

 of barber shops and restaurants. Our 

 daiqty wares are worthy of better set- 

 tings than are shaving mugs and steaks. 

 Have several good-sized mirrors finished 

 like the woodwork, but removable, for 

 the back of the window. Between times 

 use one of them, half hidden among the 

 foliage and flower displays, in the store. 

 Used as a surprise piece, a mirror is a 

 delightful adjunct. It is well to re- 

 member that direct sun-rays are in- 

 jurious to a mirror. 



Once in a while draperies of silk and 

 fringe are met with nowadays in a«8tore. 

 At best these are cluttery, dirty and 

 soon faded. 



Have, if possible, the fittings and fur- 

 niture of the store movable,, so that from 

 time to time you may change the entire 

 make-up of the store. Make screens, 

 pedestal and jardiniere stands and all 

 such to conform to the general style and 

 finish of the woodwork. 



It is not beyond the most modest and 

 plain to have a pretty store. Even if 

 means are at hand to furnish the store 

 completely to start with, it is better to 

 begin with the bare essentials and pick 

 up other furniture piece by piece, always 

 bearing in mind the character of its 

 companion fittings. Not the number of 

 opportunities, but the improvement of 



these one by one, opens the wider doors. 

 Those who have a small trade and few 

 orders have a better chance to make each- 

 piece a gem than others who must ex- 

 pect a steady rush of trade daily. 



Every flower that grows is graceful in 

 its own place. Our task is to find that 

 place, and our leisure may be well em- 

 ployed in studying the art and science 

 of our profession. Geetbude Blair. 



A BUNCH NOT BUNCHED. 



Possibly the most notable wedding of 

 the season was that at the national capi- 

 tal June 10, of Joseph Leiter, of Chi- 

 cago, and Miss Williams, of Washing- 

 ton. President and Mrs. Roosevelt were 

 there and all the social set at the capi- 

 tal. It was therefore only natural that 

 the floral features of the affair should be 

 elaborate. These were in the hands of 

 J. H. Small & Sons, 



The bride's bouquet is shown in the 

 illustration opposite, which is worth 

 study by every retailer. One seldom 

 sees so fine a bunch. It is elaborate, 

 without being loud; large, without being 

 heavy. The shape is excellent and the 

 looseness of the arrangement gives an 

 air of lightness and grace too often 

 missing from large bunches. Indeed, 

 the trade name "bunch" is exactly de- 

 scriptive of many a bride's flat-topped, 

 round bouquet of valley. In the ar- 

 rangement carried by Miss Williams the 

 orchids were placed just high enough 

 above the valley £o get the full value of 

 the blooms. This bouquet was the work 

 of A. Klopper, one of Small's regular 

 Washington staff. 



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AntiiThinums. 



Antirrhinum plants required for 

 benching in September should have 

 been rooted and potted off before 

 this time. Keep them in a cold- 

 frame, protecting them with sashes 

 from drenching rains, which are liable 

 to start blight on the foliage. There 

 is still ample time to sow seed or root 

 cuttings for batches to follow chrysan- 

 themums. While these plants can be 

 lifted' from^.the open ground and bench- 

 ed with a" fair amount of success, we 

 prefer to ^ave them in single pots. If 

 you have some strong plants growing out- 

 doors and will head them back well, they 

 will soon give you a fine crop of cut- 

 tings. These old plants themselves are 

 often lifted and, if the roots are kept 

 intact and shade given for a couple of 

 weeks, they will produce splendid spikes. 

 It is better to stick to one or two clear 

 colors, rather than grow a mixture. If 

 you carry your flowers to market the 

 separate shades will sell, but you will 

 have hard work in disposing of mixed 

 bunches. 



Mignonette* 



The first week in August is suflSciently 

 early to make a sowing of mignonette. 

 As your benches may not yet be ready. 



use 2-inch pots, placing three or four 

 seeds in each. A compost of loam, leaf- 

 mold and sand is suitable. Keep the lit- 

 tle pots shaded until the seedlings ap- 

 pear. Be sure to give them abundant 

 light and air and do not, in your rush 

 of work, turn the hose on .them. Let 

 watering be done with the watering pot 

 while the seedlings are small. Have 

 your benches or beds ready before the 

 roots of the seedlings get matted around 

 the sides of the pots. Solid beds are 

 much to be preferred to benches for 

 mignonette, and any with heating pipes 

 below them are entirely unsuitable. For 

 compost a mixture such as you would 

 use for chrysanthemums will answer well. 

 We find that a rather heavy loam gives 

 better results than a light, sandy one. 

 All the seedsmen offer special forcing 

 strains of mignonette. Be sure to get 

 the best. It will pay you in the end. 

 Once you have obtained a really first- 

 class strain, save one or two of the 

 finest plants for seed. 



Schizanthus Wisetonensts. 



The useful annual, Schizanthus Wise- 

 tonensis, is becoming more appreciated 

 each year by up-to-date retailers. It is 

 of such easy culture and flowers in so 

 short a time that it is a wonder more 



