The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



October 29, 1908. 



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I 



THE RETAIL 



FLORIST, 



THE EXHIBITION SEASON. 



An Opportunity for Retailers. 



The season of fall flower shows is 

 one which affords the retail florist his 

 best opportunities of the year to get be- 

 fore the public. It presents an oppor- 

 tunity for achieving two results. In 

 the first place, it gives the retail florist 

 an opportunity to show his skill to those 

 who are buying flowers, and to win away 

 the trade of the m^ who does not take 

 advantage of his opportunities. But 

 better than all else, it affords an oppor- 

 tunity to show the people who are not 

 flower buyers what excellent results can 

 be achieved by skillful florists. Every 

 large flower show proves that the retail 

 exhibits are among the most attractive 

 features and each such show goes far to- 

 ward creating new flower buyers. Each 

 retail florist owes it to the business to 

 do his part toward the education of the 

 public and the creation of new buyers. 



The accompanying illustration is from 

 a photograph made at the Washington 

 flower show in 1907. It shows a table 

 and mantel decoration by George Cooke. 

 The mantel was covered with specimen 

 plants of Adiantum Farleyense, with 

 which Bonnaffon chrysanthemums were 

 used. The large parasol which was so 

 striking a feature of the decoration, was 

 made with yellow pompon chrysanthe- 

 mums, and the same flowers were used 

 for the low tablg centerpiece, also with 

 cut fronds of Farleyense. 



This corner was one of the most at- 

 tractive features of the Washington 

 show and Mr. Ck)oke said that the eftect 

 was at once apparent in his business, 

 for new customers came at once to him, 

 and these, with old ones, spoke of his 

 show exhibit and even asked for work of 

 similar character. 



TO INCREASE CASH SALES. 



We have a local retail business and 

 find our cash receipts to be much less 

 than we think they should be. We would 

 like to hear through the columns of the 

 Review suggestions as to how to in- 

 crease cash sales. We live in an agricul- 

 tural section, where the credit system is 

 in full possession, and. the daily sales 

 light. The heaviest item of our trade is 

 funeral work, which is generally ordered 

 over the telephone and therefore charged. 

 We believe we ought to take in enough 

 cash throughout the week to pay our 

 hands on Saturday. We don't come to 

 this by half. 



We do not believe it would be possible 

 to stimulate the local demand by cash 

 bargains. We have tried that in a lim- 

 ited way. People regard flowers as 

 luxuries and, in most cases, only buy 

 when occasion demands; hence we do not 

 believe that price cutting pays in a 

 small or medium sized place. 



We had considered the feasibility of 

 growing one or two side lines for the 



trade. Can you tell us what can be done 

 in this line on a small place in a mild 

 climate? Jno. L. Sahel. 



f\Ve have no doubt that replies to the 

 above questions will be read with interest 

 by many in the trade. — Ed.] 



THE STAR. 



The illustration herewith is a good 

 example of one of the ways C. H. Fox 

 treats this form of design at his store, 

 The Sign of the Eose, Philadel- 

 phia. The groundwork is of Bride roses, 

 the points of lily of the valley. While 

 grace is desired, the first object is to 

 clearly bring out the lines of the star. 

 To further this end the base is just suffi- 

 ciently decorated with roses to relieve 

 the green, but not enough to detract 



from the star above. Mr. Fox always 

 makes up designs of this nature prone on 

 the counter, attaching them to the base 

 when completed. Phil. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR WINDOWS. 



A Pond With Live Ducklings. 



Here is an early spring or Easter 

 window: Collect a number of water 

 plants, ilike cyperus, calla, water hya- 

 cinth, etc. Set these on and between a 

 number of rocks and construct an island 

 in a prominent part of the window. 

 Cover the pots over the top with sand 

 and gravel high enough to be out of 

 the water and yet have a slope down to 

 it. Build a mainland with a good, long 

 stretch of beach. Back in the rear, with 

 free access from the beach, place what 

 appears to be the front end of a tiny 

 rustic cottage, but which is really a 

 brooder for our ducklings, for this is 

 to be a live duckling window. Half 

 smother the brooder with flowering 

 plants, such as spiraeas, hydrangeas, 

 lilacs, etc. Screen in the window se- 

 curely from the back. Arrange the hose 

 and its water supply as in the fish pond, 

 already described. Give the ducklings 

 full possession and they, as well as the 

 spectators, will enjoy it to the full. 



The Star. 



