Sbfte.mber 15, 1010. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



9 



Window Boxes Recently Placed on a Chicago Business Building. 



BEAUTIFY BUSINESS BUILDINGS. 



The timi' was, not so many seasons 

 •igo, when the filling of window boxes 

 ;irtor<1ed business only for a few brief 

 weeks in spring. Many florists doubt- 

 less still look upon this feature of the 

 inide as confined to a short season, but 

 tlic fact is that in the larger cities 

 window boxes now are filled all the 

 ye;ir around. It seems that it never is 

 too late in summer to fill the boxes with 

 tender or half hardy plants, and after 

 freezing weather comes the boxes are 

 tilled with boxwoods or other ever- 

 ;;reens, which produce^ an effect iii win- 

 ter as pleasing as is the display in sum- 

 mer. 



The illustrations show two Chicago 

 liuildings M'hich were fitted out witli 

 window boxes of tender plants late in 

 summer. One of these is the building of 

 the American Kadiator Co., the other 

 lieing the new Blackstone hotel. The 

 average date of first killing frost at 

 • 'hicago is about October 15, but it is 

 likely the stock will survive until a 

 much later date. Tn the meantime, the 

 I'oxes are now at their best, where those 

 1'Ianted at the beginning of the summer 

 have ceased in many cases to be ob- 

 ieets to delight the eye. The boxes in 

 the windows of the hotel dining rooms 

 were filled with geraniums and ivy by 

 •Tohn Alangel, who has the "flower 

 store" in the hotel. The Radiator 

 '•ompanv's building was supplied by the 

 (ieorge Wittbold Co. In both case's the 

 self-watering type of window box was 

 used, made V>y the lUinois Heater and 

 Manufacturing Co.. which showed a dis- 

 play rack of them at the recent Roches 

 ter convention of the S. A. F., where 

 they received honorable mention. 



• XJouncU Bluffs, la.-^Mike Stauch has 

 returned to his old love — he ajain is 

 foreman for J. F. Wilcox. 



CIVIC IMPROVEMENT. 



[\ piiiK-r by <;. .\. Ileyue, of Dubuque, la.. 

 i<'ii(l Ml the eiglitb aiiiiuiil meotlug of tho Sod 

 • 'ty of Iowa FlorlstK. in l)es Moines, August 31, 

 lliKi. I 



What can the florists of this state do 

 in civic improvement? First, they can 

 grow attractive greenhouse stock for 

 spring planting and sale. This is gen 

 erally supposed to cover all that the 

 florist need do in the line of civic im- 

 provement. Some will add that they 

 are prepared to plant this stock at the 

 request of the interested buyers, and 

 there stops that proceeding. Others 

 will give a season 's care in addition, 

 and this brings us to the point: How 

 much more can we do in regard to aid- 



ing in civic improvement? Are we 

 making these plantings pleasing and 

 attractive? Do they stimulate in the 

 neighborhood a desire to do likewise? 

 Would it not increase the florist 's sales, 

 would it not help the florist, if he made 

 the flower bed or window box of his 

 customer so attractive that the custom 

 er's next-door neighbor could not re- 

 sist the temptation of having some 

 boxes — " filled like them"? This 

 would be aiding in civic improvement. 



Dreary Yards and Vacant City Lots. 



The florists could also aid those in 

 the desolate districts of the city. Im- 

 agine what a change it would make in 

 a certain street of your city if you gave 

 to several of the residents a few plants, 

 which you knew would endure some 

 neglect and give cheer for most of the 

 summer I By giving them to your cus- 

 tomers to distribute, you could make 

 up for anv strained feeling regarding 

 the recipients' poverty, and your cus 

 tomers would treat ^on with more re- 

 spect and regard. Try giving some sur- 

 plus stock to those willing to help in 

 the distribution. 



Now let me suggest to ^ ou another 

 way of civic improvement. Mr. Florist. 

 There may be a vacant lot or piece of 

 ground, owned by tlie city or town. 

 This piece of ground has the distinction 

 of being the dumping ground for the 

 neighborhood. Study your customers 

 from this district and take a few into 

 your confidence regarding the fixing up 

 of this plot of ground. Be sure to con- 

 sult with the ladies interested; they 

 will give you valuable aid. The men 

 will also give you a lot of advice, rang 

 ing from assurances of rosy results to 

 prophecies of dismal failure. Give them 

 all a fair chance. Remember, ' * If at 

 first you don't succeed, try, try again." 



Best Materials for the Purpose. 



Now, the material that the florist 

 may use for these purjioses need not 1)«! 

 of the most expensive character. .V 

 (juantity of vines on an obtrusi\ e 

 fence, say some cobanis and moonvines, 

 would be decidcflly more etlective than 

 any costly or tender ]>lants. Use vig 

 orous plants, that will give a thick 

 foliaged effect, rather than those that 

 give a glory for two weeks and then 



Flower Boxes in a Chicago Hotel's Dining-room Windows. 



