14 



The Florists^ Review 



OCTOBKK 1, IDH 



usually take a full week for type-setting, 

 printing, binding and mailing, The 

 Review does the work in forty-eight 

 hours. With everything turned in at 

 5 p. m. Tuesday, the paper is printed 

 Wednesday, running all night, bound 

 and mailed Thurstlay. 



But everybody knows you can 't grow 

 a long-stemmed, fancy rose in the time 

 it takes to grow a short one. 



Of course the new magazine style of 

 trade paper is slower to produce than 

 the old pamphlet style. The big cover- 

 ing machiuej though it completes a copy 

 every three and one-half seconds, must 

 run twelve uninterrupted hours on each 

 edition. 



The Review does not wish to advance 

 its publication hour because of the 

 change in style. But it is essential, with 

 so large an edition to be printed and 

 posted to catch trains, that printing 

 begin early on Wednesday. It can't so 

 begin if all the ads come in at the elev- 

 enth hour. Type-setting takes time, 

 lots of it. 



Advertisers will confer a favor on the 

 publishers, and assist themselves to 

 prompt service, if they send in copy as 

 early as possible — not always at the 

 last minute. 



A CHANGE IN FASHIONS. 



It is suggested that in Great Britain 



and France this year, those showy 

 Keiserskroon and Prince of Austi > 

 be less popular than usual, bi. 

 Belle Alliance (syn. Waterloo), 

 new significance, will be a favori. 

 regards lilies of the valley, Beu 

 riety, it is not likely now to 

 ported into England, though tli' 

 tarded" kind might appeal to thd 

 believe in omens. A new interc 

 attach to the hyacinth known as 

 of the Belgians, but above all 

 hyacinths the rose-red Victory a 

 Paix de 1 'Europe, with pure whitt 

 will be grown by all patriots wl 

 afford to help to "keep trade noi 

 as the British slogan runs. 



tulip8_ 



■*) wili 



that 

 ith a 



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'Q va- 



3 im- 



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■' who 



' will 



King 



other 



d the 



bells, 



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inal," 



RETAIL STORE MANAGEMENT 



WHAT THE LEADERS IN THE TRADE ARE DOING 



HOW ABOUT THE PUBLIC? 



"There has been a great deal said 

 about sending flowers by wire, but not 

 a word as to how it is done," writes a 

 florist in a good-sized town in Canada. 

 * ' Won 't vou instruct us on this mat- 

 ter?" 



The Review has contended times with- 

 out number that the trade expression, 

 "Flowers by telegraph," is not under- 

 stood by the public and therefore does 

 not bring business the way a more com- 

 prehensive statement would. Tf, after 

 all these years, a florist of good stand- 

 ing does not know how to send * ' flowers 

 by telegraph." what can be expected 

 of the great body of the public? Ele- 

 mentary English is a good thing to use 

 in ads. 



RIBBONS AND CHIFFONS. 



The war in Europe has as yet had 

 little aflfect on the ribbon market, but 

 it has caused a flurry in chiflFons, which 

 are nearly all of French manufacture. 

 American mills can make as good chif- 

 fons as the French, but they do not 

 care to manufacture the cheaper grades, 

 which are so largely used by florists. 

 If the war is of long duration there 

 will be first a shortage and then an 

 adequate supply of chiffons at higher 

 prices. The demand for ribbons has 

 not increased, among florists, so fast as 

 has the demand for chiffons. The latter 

 make more show for less money and 

 the stores catering to low-price trade 

 use large quantities of chiffons but few 

 ribbons. On the other hand, the best 

 stores use ribbons almost exclusively, 

 considering chiffons too cheap for their 

 trade. There are plenty of ribbons. Most 

 of the staples are of American manu- 

 facture and the war has affected them 

 only in the sentimental way it has af- 

 fected many other articles of purely 

 domestic character. Also, most of the 

 ribbon houses had received their French 

 novelties before the war broke out. 



WRITING ADVERTISEMENTS. 



In advertising an article the talking 

 points are of greater importance than 

 preparing the text of the advertisement. 

 Get hold of something to say before you 

 worry over typography or composition. 



Analyze your merchandise; pick out 

 its features of superiority, then describe 

 what articles you intend advertising, 

 brilliantly if you can, in commonplace 

 if you must, but simply and concisely. 



Don 't waste space on a word that is 

 not either part of some selling argument 

 or quickly introductory thereto. A poor 

 introduction is worse than none at all. 



You must adapt your style to vary- 

 ing conditions and readers. Try to vis- 

 ualize your advertisement before put- 

 ting pen to paper. If necessary draw a 

 diagram, put in display lines where they 



Harry Quintt of Boston, on Vacation. 



will do the most good and then write 

 your text to fit. 



The proper headline is worth general- 

 ly as much as all the rest of the adver- 

 tisement. Make it tell the whole story 

 if you can; at any rate get into it some 

 mention of the goods to be advertised, 

 says an experienced advertising man- 

 ager. 



If two or more lines in an advertise- 

 ment are used, be careful that they have 

 some sequence in themselves, so that in 

 case the eye takes in no other part of the 



advertisement, the headlines alono may 

 give some hint as to what the advertise- 

 ment is about. 



Each man must work out his own sal- 

 vation as to the style of wording. Style 

 cannot be taught, but it can be guided 

 and improved by studying good exam- 

 ples. All the power lies in brevity and 

 clearness, and these qualities come from 

 the choice of the right words. The 

 simplest words are never wrong, but 

 never be merely flippant. Treat your 

 public precisely as you would treat some 

 casual acquaintance on whom you wish 

 to make a good impression. 



You may be learned and dignified or 

 you may be witty and interesting, but 

 never be foolish, and never lose sight of 

 the fact that the same good taste that 

 you would display before a gathering 

 of sensible and refined people should al- 

 ways be evident in advertising. 



If you cannot think of anything <.'Ood 

 to say about some particular article, say 

 nothing. Arguments that do not ajjpeal 

 to you as plain and forcible are not 

 likelv to affect vour readers more favor- 

 ably." 



Don't try to "say it all" in one ad- 

 vertisement. Use no more of your argu- 

 ment than will quite easily go into the 

 prescribed space. There will be other 

 days and other editions. Leave soiiic of 

 vour ammunition for the next roun 1. 



CAUGHT BY THE CAMERA 



The camera caught Harry Quint 

 pretty attitude while he was on hi> 

 vacation at Old Orchard Beach, 

 Mr. Quint is still a single man, but 

 not remain so much longer. He is 

 busy overhauling his new store, a' 

 Tremont street, where business 

 tinues good. He already has plan 

 a vacation of a more extended char 

 in 191.5, which will take in the 

 Francisco exposition, the Panama 

 and other sights on the American < 

 nent. 



In a 

 late 

 Me. 

 may 

 now 

 19!> 

 ,'on- 

 for 

 •ter 

 San 

 iiial 

 nti- 



FOR A SEA-CAPTAIN'S FUNEI AL 



While some efforts to indicate the a" 

 ing of the deceased in funeral p '''^'' 

 are clumsy and consequently inart; ti^ 

 others, which have for a basis o1> '<'^'' 

 which more readily lend themselve-< to 



