The Weekly Florists' Review* 



November 23, 1011. 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST...... 



WHEBE VERSES PAY, 

 It is axiomatic that "there is no 

 money in poetry, ' ' but a versicle florist 

 says he has used the following lines in 

 local papers for several seasons and it 

 always has paid — the verses ne^'er fail 

 to bring results: 



Ygg 



Your table will be rlcbly spread 

 With turkey, pic anU berries red. 

 Pudding, doughnuts, apples sweet 

 And everything that's good to eat. 



BUT— 



j There's one Important item yet, 

 ■The centerpiece; now don't forget, 

 JJut come around Thanksgiving day 

 And buy your wife a nice bouquet. 



TOR A FIREMAN'S FUNERAL. 



The recent funeral of the deputy 

 chief of the fire department at Water- 

 bury, Conn., called for about the larg- 

 est display of designs ever seen in the 

 city. The tribute of the members of 

 the department was a massive arch of 

 white roses and white carnations oyer 

 a Bible, with palms, ferns and white 

 chrysanthemums at the base. The 

 piete stood five feet high and was also 

 five feet wide at the base. It was made 

 by G. T, Eyan. 



WAPOE ON SHOW WINDOWS. 



tSo many inquiries have been received 

 'df late regarding vapor and frost on 

 flower store show windows that the fol- 

 lowing information is given on the sub- 

 ject: 



The steaming of the windows in any 

 Btol-e is due to the moisture in the 

 atmosphere becoming condensed. This 

 condensation is brought about by the 

 vapors coming in contact with the win- 

 dow glass, which is colder than the in- 

 terior of the room. In a flower store 

 the air is unusually damp; therefore we 

 all experience much trouble with frost 

 on our windows, especially during the 

 coldest days, just when a pretty win- 

 dow, with its flowers and plants, would 

 appeal strongly to the passer-by. Layer 

 after layer of this moisture freezes on 

 the window, and it is soon coated with 

 ice, especially at the bottom, the 

 moisture running down the glass. 



One way of preventing the steaming 

 is by causing a passage of air on the 

 inside of the window, close to the glass. 

 This may be accomplished with small 

 ventilators at the top of the window or 

 just below the glass, in the frame, if 

 there is one. 



A solution of two-thirds alcohol and 

 one-third glycerine, applied lightly to 

 jthe glass with a sponge or cloth, will 

 iprevent the freezing of the moisture, 

 'tjut florists have found this a nuisance 

 also, as the window is not clear when 

 .coated in this manner. 



After much experience, it has been 

 found that the best jremedy is cold 

 water applied freely to the glass. Take 

 a small watering can or sprayer and 

 flow some cold water dowa the inside 

 of the window. Doing this once or 

 vtwice a day, usually toward evening, 



will be suflicient. If your window is 

 so constructed that water can not be 

 applied freely, then wipe oflf the steam 

 with a sponge or cloth saturated with 

 cold water. 



It has been suggested that the only 

 sure remedy for the trouble we experi- 

 ence in winter with frost on the glass, 

 is to have the window constructed the 

 same as a florist's refrigerator door; 

 that is, two lights of glass with an air 

 space between. This might or might 

 not be practical with a large window. 

 In the first place, the space between 

 must be perfectly air-tight, and even 

 then, in time, the glass inside will get 

 dirty and will have to be cleaned. Still, 

 never having had any experience with 

 a window so constructed, I do not want 

 to condemn this method entirely. Does 

 any reader know? Exchange of ex- 

 periences is invited. 



In a previous issue A. E. P. said: 

 "I believe that the following remedy 

 will do the business in a satisfactory 

 manner, as I have seen the principle 

 tried to perfection a number of times. 

 Jewelry and other stores are using it 

 with great success and no doubt it 

 will do the same for florists' windows. 

 The only objection that I can possibly 

 see is that it might interfere with 

 some of the decorations, but that should 

 be easily remedied. The idea is simply 

 this: To install a small electric fan 

 where the currept of air created by it 

 will sweep across the inside of the 

 window, and if the window has not 

 become coated with ice it will clear in 

 a few minutes and remain clear. I 

 know the annoyance ^)«aused by win- 



dows becoming coated and I believe 

 that a sure cure will be a welcome 

 guest in any store, so I gladly «ive 

 this to you to hand out to our brother 

 florists through the columns of The 

 Review. I have received many val- 

 uable helps from its columns and feel 

 in duty bound to contribute anything 

 of value to others in a like manner." 

 The Review will be glad to publish 

 letters from others, telling how they 

 overcome this difiiculty. 



WATERING PLANTS IN STORE. 



Will you kindly tell me the best 

 method for the care and watering of 

 plants, such as kentias, nepnrolepis, 

 adiantums. Asparagus plumosus, etc., 

 that are kept inside the store, where the 

 average daily temperatur^^^s aboiit 60 

 degrees at the present time? M. F. 



It is not easy to lay down rules for 

 the watering of plants, whether they be 

 kept in a store or in a greenhouse, but 

 none of the plants mentioned should 

 be allowed to become really dry at any 

 time, and the only way to avoid such 

 a condition is to examine the plants 

 carefully each morning and to water all 

 those that are dry, giving water enough 

 to moisten the soil all through. The 

 kentias may also have their leaves 

 sponged off occasionally with clear 

 water, in order to remove the dust that 

 will settle upon them in the store. The 

 temperature maintained, 60 degrees, 

 would be a satisfactory one for the 

 plants mentioned. W. H. T. 



SPANISH IRIS. 



I have a lot of Spanish iris, imported. 

 Would you kindly advise me what 

 treatment to give them and when is 

 the best time to force them into bloom? 



F. B. 



Place the bulbs in flats or the bench 

 of a cool house. The former method 

 of culture is to be preferred. Flats 

 4 X 12 X 24 inches will hold fifty to sev- 

 enty-five bulbs, giving the larger bulbed 



Large Design by G. T. Ryan, Watcrbury, G>nn. 



