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gaPTVMBEB 26, 1912. 



The Florists' Review 



9 



breezy style, claiming "that is what 

 the public like and want." This style 

 may be successful in selling shoes and 

 clothing, but certainly it is not well 

 suited to retailing flowers. I do not 

 mean that it is better to go to the 

 other extreme and become especially 

 dry. Follow the path that lies between 

 these two extremes and you will find 

 the style that is both dignified and 

 effective. 



I have before me over a dozen news- 

 pai>er advertisements of as many flo- 

 rists that represent still another style 

 of publicity that keeps on existing in 

 spite of its lifelessnesd. I refer to the 

 superannuated business-card advertise- 

 ment. I want to see every florist cease 

 using these outworn, useless things that 

 masquerade as advertisements. If you 

 are using only a two-inch ad put a live 

 argument in the space and change your 

 copy once a week. Try it for three 

 months and note the difference in 

 results. 



Salesmanship That Wins. 



These are days of progress and ad- 

 vanced ideas. Unless our publicity 

 methods keep abreast with the times 

 there is destined to be a corresponding 

 falling off in returns. A florist receives 

 from his advertising in proportion to 

 what he puts into it. By this I do not 

 mean the amount of money invested, 

 but rather the time, the thought and 

 interest bestowed. It is easy enough 

 to buy advertising space if you have 

 the money, but to fill that space with 

 business-getting print is a matter that 

 cannot well be left to incompetent help 

 or rushed oflf fifteen minutes before the 

 forms close. 



When you start to write that next 

 advertisement, remember what I said 

 in the beginning: "Advertising is 

 salesmanship;" and when you come to 

 write the next one, say it again, and 

 see if you can't have each new ad sur- 

 pass the last one — even if you have to 

 dig for every word. It will take time, 

 yes, but it pays, 



H. Raymond Campbell. 



LILIES FOR SPRAYS. 



When the Easter lily was a flower of 

 only a brief season its use was princi- 

 pally in decorations, but since it has 

 become an all-the-year-aroucd staple of 

 the florists' stock probably the greater 

 part of the lilies grown for market find 

 their finish in funeral pieces. There are 

 few flowers that make finer funeral 

 sprays. Also, the lily is to be had in 

 practically continuous supply, so that it 

 may be depended upon for use at times 

 when other suitable flowers are scarce. 

 Frequently the lily is made in sprays 

 backed by cycas leaves, but leucothoe is 

 excellent for the purpose, as shown in 

 the accompanying illustration prepared 

 from a photograph supplied by J. L. 

 Raske, a Chicago retailer. 



MB. FELTON COMING. 



From an English contemporary, the 

 Horticultural Trade Journal, it is 

 learned that one of London's best 

 known retailers, R. F. Felton, "is 

 going to the United States National 

 Flower Show at New York next April 

 to act both as judge and decorative 

 demonstrator. The S. A. F. has ap- 

 parently heard so much about R. F. F. 

 that they desire either to improve their 

 own knowledge on color schemes, or 

 get a sight of the author of floral 



Funeral Spray of Easter Dlies. 



decoration. One thing is certain, R. 

 F. F. is quite capable of talking up to 

 any United States florist that may dis- 

 agree with him." 



AMARYLLIS HAT.T.n. 



Perhaps readers of The Review might 

 be interested in a little account of 

 the hardy amaryllis, A. Hallii, or, as it 

 has recently been introduced, Lycoris 

 squamigera, with the statement that it 

 is a native of Japan. I first had it 

 from Hovey's, of Boston, as Ama- 

 ryllis Hallii. It is a typical amaryllis 

 and is perfectly hardy in the latitude 

 of Illinois in the open ground when 

 planted seven inches deep, as I can 

 certify from twenty-five years' experi- 

 ence. The bulbs can be planted in the 

 autumn and they are the first thing to 

 break ground in spring. The foliage is 

 of the amaryllis type and dies away in 

 June. August 5 to 8 a point the thick- 

 ness of your finger eonros through and 

 in from five to seven days reaches thirty 

 to thirty-six inches in height, with ' a 

 whorl of lily-shaped flowers at the top, 



with a blending in the most harmonious 

 way of pink and porcelain blue, alto- 

 gether a most interesting and beautiful 

 plant. When I first got it the intro- 

 ducer said it was a native of the Wind- 

 ward Islands of the West Indies, bat 

 now we learn its home is in Japan, 

 which I think more likely from its ex- 

 treme hardiness. C. B. Paddock. 



MARGUERITES. 



At what time should I get 2V4-inch 

 daisies or marguerites! When should 

 I pot them the last time, and when 

 should I top them the last time to have 

 them in bloom for next Easter f 



E. E. G. 



Get the plants now. Shift to 4-inch 

 and later to 6-inch pots. The last shift 

 should be given by January 1. Dis- 

 continue pinching after the first part of 

 December and give the plants a sunny 

 bench in a house kept about 50 degrees 

 at night. C. W. 



.A . -. .. J 



