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SErTKMBEn 2n, 1909. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 





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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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WREATH ON BASE. 



At the Iowa State Fair, lield a few 

 I lays ago, Lozicr's, Inc., of Dcs Moines, 

 was sneccssful in i-apturing the first prize 

 in the class open to any floral design. It 

 was a wreath made by H. E. Lozier, and 

 John T. Temple, who was the judge, gave 

 it high praise when he said that no finer 

 ))iece of work has ever been exhibited at 

 the Iowa State Fair. The accompanying 

 illustration is from a photograph of the 

 piece. Yellow roses, lily of the valley, 

 cioton leaves ami Adiantum Farleyense 

 were the materials used. 



CYCLAMENS AS CUT PLOVERS. 



Their Uniqueness in Design Work. 



As to the character of the cyclamen 

 llower itself, it is the quiet comet of the 

 floral world; as to the plant alone, it is 

 as prim and quaint as could be imagined. 

 In the normal development the cyclamen 

 (•(•uid be called neither a flaring, showy 

 flower like a poinsettia, nor a drooper 

 like a fuchsia, nor a sky-scraper like a 

 ^dadiolus. Neitiior is it a very dainty crea- 

 tion as a violet is dainty. Cyclamens 

 have a corner all their own in the uni- 

 verse of form. They are more graceful 

 ilian a gloxinia, more dignified than a 

 daflodil — in short, are strikingly (juaint 

 .111(1 individual. 



Seeing the original character of the 

 plant and flower, shall that character be 

 i'in])hasized or subdued by the setting 

 itml by the additional foliage and flowers 

 used in combination with it? 



In the discussion of this question, it 

 must be dealt with under the same gen- 

 eral principle as governs other flowers 

 which have decided characteristics of 

 their own. Do we give them a setting 

 which partakes more or less of their own 

 style, or do we give them a setting which 

 is foreign to their character and which 

 tones down color and form ! No flower 

 '>r plant of itself is ugly or awkward. 

 It may be made so by human interfer- 

 ence or improper setting. One would 

 have a long way to go in developing the 

 -special iiidividuiility of a plant or flower 

 I'cfore he would i'each a fantastic ex- 

 ■rcme. He is more imminently in dan- 

 .1,'er of detracting from its natural 

 tieauty than of overemphasizing it. The 

 ^iglit of chrysanthemums in a scjuatty 

 ^••si-. or of sweet peas in a tall jug, or a 

 -; iidiolus in a bowl with adiantums, is 

 ''iKut as reasonable as a cyclamen with 

 •'II ordinary setting. 



Bringing Out Their Peculiar Beauty. 



't is rather difficult to find just what 

 'lio cyclamens need to effectively bring 

 •"It their beauty. Some familiarity with 

 '•Mr habit of growth, shape of leaf, in- 

 ^lorrsence, and governing colors, and 

 ^"1110 acquaintance with their appearance 

 ''^ a whole, are the first requisites to their 

 I'l'iiyr placing. 



^Vell, what about all these things, 

 The habit of growth is of low, 



densely set foliage, with flower steins 

 rising in thick clusters of erect, 

 fleshy stems. The leaves are dark, pur- 

 plish green, with dull white blotches; 

 they are heart-shaped and thick. The 



Mien? 



flowers appear one on a stem and range 

 through the heliotrope purples to the 

 white. The general appearance of the 

 flower is that of an acutely pointed ob- 

 ject, but the rear points of the petals 

 are obtuse, resembling the tips of the 

 loaves. Problem : Now find a setting, a 

 receptacle, a color, which will intensify 

 the cyclamen's beauty. 



This is a difficult task with the ordi- 

 nary stock of supplies. Fancy, rather 

 than reason, suggests celluloid baskets 

 rather than twig baskets for the plants, 

 but these fancies must be more or less 

 our guiding stars. Odd and unusual bits 

 of glazed pottery in dull greens or grays 

 are good developers. The plants are ef- 

 fective banked in the base of a rather 

 heavy, low-hanging design. They make 



Prize-Winning Standing Wreath. 



