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The Weekly Florists' Review- 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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LUNCHEON TABLES. 



Wlien the hostess puts no cloth on the 

 hmchcon table she both simplifies and 

 complicates the work of the florist — for 

 no matter how informal the aifair may 

 be, it calls for flowers in these modern 

 times, when the luxuries of yesterday are 

 the necessities of today. 



A round table being spread with 

 doilies, what can the tlorist do? He 

 can set something on the center of the 

 table and put baskets or vases of flow- 

 ers around it at a lit,tle distance ; not 

 much more. lie cannot put flowers di- 

 rectly on a bare board, nor can he use 

 anything that will increase the height of 

 his decorations, and he must keep the 

 outer circle of his flowers lower even than 

 tiie low ct'iitial liowl. or he will destroy 

 tlie symmetry and eiTect of Lis -work. 

 Under such circumstances, and all retail- 

 ers who have a flrst-class trade have met 

 with them many times this summer, the 

 clioico is simply one of receptacles and 

 of flowers — there is hardly room for 

 choice of styles of decoration without 

 danger of passing the bounds of the con- 

 servatism that is rigidly required of all 

 who cater to those who have had money 

 long enough to have become accustomed 

 to it. The bizzare in floral effects may 

 meet with the approval of ^Irs. Newricli 

 and her friends, but Mrs. Usedtoit wants 

 nothing on the topsy-turvy order. 



Tlie accompanying illustrations are ex- 

 cellent examples of tasteful decorations 

 for luncheon tables where doilies are 

 used. The one with the central bowl of 

 My Maryland roses, with valley outside, 

 all in delicate white china vases, is even 



better than the pink pond lilies and val- 

 ley in glass receptacles, but both these 

 are better than the china handled bas- 

 kets of rubrum lilies, simply because in 

 the latter the handles were too high. 



GOOD WILL TOKENS. 



The Wealth of Materials. 



Upon mentioning the subject of store 

 openings, a variety of oft'eriugs in the 

 shape of horseshoes, four-k-aved clo\ers, 

 vases and baskets come to mind. The 

 horseshoe is now relegated to the cheap 

 trade. For the better class of customers 

 a handsome basket or vase of flowers is 

 considered in better taste. Of these any 

 number of arrangements can be put up, 

 according to the humor and the pocket- 

 book. Just now even an ordinary stock 

 presents attractive combinations, with 

 mums. Beauties, cosmos, besides the ever 

 present roses and carnations and the va- 

 rious autumn decorative materials, as 

 helps. 



Of all opportunities for informal and 

 artistic arrangements, none afford better 

 ones for brilliant effects than these ofl'er- ' 

 ings for store decorations. But one other 

 calls for more gaiety in coloring and 

 freedom of arrangement, and that is the 

 theater bunch. Formal designs, more 

 strictly classed as funeral pieces, are 

 occasionally seen. As much the same style 

 of arrangement and the same selection 

 of ilowers are used, even to the inevita- 

 ble adiantum, the suggestion to the re- 

 cipients, should they be at all familiar 

 with designs as originally used, would be 

 anything but congratulatory. Better send 



a gay piece to a funeral than a luuduleni.-w 

 to a new enterprise. Gather up the choie 

 est [iroducts of the season and combjnw 

 in tlie ino«t skillful manner jmssible. 



Tact in Educating Customers. 



''P>ut,'' someone will object, ''we 

 must give the people what they want. If 

 a customer fancies a funm-al design, done 

 in outrageous colors, for an opening, let 

 him have it by all means." But, on the 

 other hand, who taught this same cus- 

 tomer what he ought to have for a fu- 

 neral design? AVliy, the same man who 

 allows him to buy any old thing for a 

 very dift'erent occasion. The florist is 

 supposed to display whatWhe customer 

 should have. He should either inform 

 himself as to what other dealers are of- 

 fering, or be able to invent appropriate 

 schemes himself. If his customers make 

 ridiculous demands, ho may look to him- 

 self as responsible. It is just as much 

 a part of his work to educate the public 

 to appreciate the best in art in his line, 

 as it is to provide good stock for sale. 

 The public will sooner or later demand 

 the best display of taste, as well as qual- 

 ity, in flowers and plants. 



Of course, if he (or more often she), 

 after being instructed as to the question 

 of i)ropriety and good taste with regard 

 to the shape in which flowers are to be 

 prosinited, still insists upon something 

 ridiculous, the customer would better get 

 Just what he wants. But this rarely oc- 

 curs, for the majority of i)urcliasers will 

 gladly accept suggestions if they are 

 tactfully oflered. 



A Misplaced Funeral Piece. 



At a store opening recently there were 

 served, among a nice selection of bas- 

 kets and bouquets, a star and crescent 

 made in precisely the same style as 

 though it were meant for a funeral. As 

 far as could be nI^owu, there was no 

 reason why this design should have been 

 selected. OccasionallyNuich a design is 

 used as a trade-mark, and in this case 

 it would have been a happy selection and 

 should have been executed in brilliant 

 e(il(ir^. But, ;is it was, there was no such 

 distinction made. How nuich better it 



Low, Pure White- China Receptacles for the Flowers for a Luncheon Table. 



