DBCBMBKu 10. 1908. The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



19 



Large Basket of Poinsettias, Azaleas and Green. 



though nice to have, are not essential, 

 unless perhaps if you are after the busi- 

 ness of the elite only. If you intend do- 

 ing a general business and cater to the 

 middle classes, as well as the rich, too 

 much style is" apt to drive away the less 

 wealthy buyers. 



Before considering the interior, let us 

 just take a look at the exterior of the 

 store. Let us look at it through the 

 eyes of a customer. One does not know 

 that you meant to have the windows 

 washed, but had no time, or forgot, but 

 the prospective buyer knows that they 

 are dirty, and that a good sweeping 

 would in no way injure the sidewalk. 



Before reading any farther just step 

 outside and reconnoiter. You say it is 

 raining, or that it has been snowing? 

 Well, has the snow been cleaned off the 

 walk! Or maybe there are some old 

 pieces of water-soaked paper lying 

 around. Pick them up. Instruct the men 

 about your place to make a practice of 

 doing this. 



Vatch the Littk Things. 



Be your store ever so humble, if you 

 wish to favorably impress your patrons 

 you must keep it not only clean, but or- 

 derly. 



The floor should be kept carefully 

 swept, the counters clean and, if you 

 have a small writing-table for the con- 

 venience of your patrons, see that it al- 

 ways has a clean blotter and ink-well, 

 and at least one pen that will write. At- 

 tend to all these details at least once a 

 day, in the morning. See that it is some 

 one's business to attend to each duty. 



Of course we all know that there are 

 times when the whole working force, be 

 this yourself and ' ' the Mrs. " or a dozen 

 or more clerks, is too busy looking after 

 customers and getting out orders to stop 

 to sweep floors and clean counters. That 

 is just what you want, and why I am 

 writing these few lines. Still, in the 

 stormiest times there are always some 

 lulls and that is your chance to tidy up a 

 bit. 



It is not the temporarily upside-down 

 appearance of a place that I am finding 

 fault with ; it is the cobwebs and dust on 

 the shelves that hurt, the perpetual air 

 of neglect. 



Good Housekeeping. 



Better a little cleaning at every op- 

 portunity than an annual house-cleaning 

 and then a year of neglect. Have you 

 ever noticed how a good housekeeper 



manages? She goes over the furniture 

 lightly every day and you can never catch 

 her napping. In other words, the house 

 always looks as though it had just re- 

 ceived its annual cleaning, and that is 

 just how a prosperous flower store and 

 show house should look. 



When you once acquire the habit, you 

 will soon see the results in dollars and 

 cents. Your jardinieres and baskets will 

 commence to sell, customers will make 

 their appointments at your store and 

 naturally fill your coffers, even your help 

 will be better natured, and the beauty of 

 all this is that you have to go to no extra 

 expense to bring about these results. 



H. S. 



CATCHING AN IDEA. 



[A paper by Charles Henry Fox, read before 

 the Florists' Club of Philadelphia, December 1, 

 1908.] 



Gentlemen, with your permission I am 

 going to tell you tonight how I put "Salt 

 on the Tail of an Idea." 



We all know success is the result of 

 hard work — no luck in it — simply get- 

 tiug right down to it and hammering 

 away at it; not only hard work, but 

 onergy directed in the proper channels, 



