3BPTEMBEB 20, 1010. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



11 



sage shield of the same color of the 

 roses is used. 



WEDDING FliOWEBS. 



The October 1 issue of the Ladies' 

 Home Journal is designated as "The 

 Marriage Number," and one of its fea- 

 tures is a page of brides' bouquets and 

 wedding flowers from designs by 

 Charles Thorley, New York. As the 

 Journal has something over a million 

 circulation, such publicity is sure to 

 add to the Remand for flower accessories 

 for weddings, but an even more im- 

 portant result will be the education of 

 the public taste to demand better 

 things. The florist who wishes to keep 

 in step with the times must keep him- 

 self informed on the progressive excel- 

 lence of arrangements of wedding flow- 

 ers and must be prepared to give his 

 customers advice and service in keep- 

 ing with the most advanced ideas. 



THE QUESTION OF CREDIT. 



[The substance of an Interview with one of the 

 trade's leading managers of credit.] 



The florist is an expert in growing 

 plants and flowers. He thoroughly un- 

 derstands their needs, gives them what 

 they require, and produces results that 

 are ofttimes marvelous. The floral 

 artist understands the arrangement of 

 colors and foliage, the selection of 

 bloom, the making up of designs, and 

 their relative value. But it sometimes 

 happens that what may be called the 

 business knowledge of his profession is 

 not clearly understood by the florist. 

 Unfortunately, a business-college educa- 

 tion was not considered part of the nec- 

 essary training some years ago and all 

 that many of our florists know of busi- 

 ness methods has been picked up here 

 and there. 



Prior to about 1896 half-yearly settle- 

 ments were in vogue among florists. It 

 was understood that all bills for tl 3 

 half year were due on the first day of 

 January and on the first day of July, 

 cash discounts being given to those who 

 paid more promptly. As the volume of busi- 

 ness grew and business methods became 

 better understood, this system, or perhaps 

 want of system, of payment was out- 

 grown. No one doing a business of any 

 extent could pay his salary list and 

 other obligations promptly while giving 

 six months' credit. Outside interests 

 demanded prompt payment; they 

 laughed at the idea of waiting six 

 months; they must have their money 

 promptly or they did not want our 

 business. 



So about fourteen years ago this was 

 changed; accounts for plants, seeds and 

 bulbs were sold on a credit of ninety 

 days; cut flowers on a credit of thirty 

 days. As the observance of this rule 

 becomes more and more general, florists 

 rank higher and higher in the opinion 

 of the business world, and they profit 

 thereby. 



There are several points in the credit 

 system that are misunderstood by many 

 florists. The most important of these 

 is that of meeting obligations when due. 

 A florist would not dream of sending an 

 order the day after it was required, 

 yet he thinks nothing of failure to meet 

 his obligations when due. It seems to 

 him a satisfactory excuse to say that 

 he has not the money, but how will that 

 excuse help pay the other fellow's sal- 

 ary listt Many florists regard the bank 

 with awe; they feel that to say to the 

 bank that they want money is a dis- 

 grace, yet that is exactly the purpose 



Corsage Bouquet of Roses and Valley. 



for which the banks are conducted, or 

 rather one of the most important pur- 

 poses. When you want a suit of clothes, 

 you go to the tailor; when you want 

 sugar, you go to the grocer; when you 

 want money, you should go to the bank. 

 What disgrace is there in borrowing 

 money from the bank to pay just bills? 

 The method is simple. Goods are pur- 

 chased in September on ninety days' 

 credit. There is no ready money to 

 meet the obligations when they fall due 

 in December. A statement of condi- 

 tions is made to the bank and, if satis- 

 factory, a four months' loan is effected 

 that will fall due at Easter. This loan 

 costs a comparatively small sum; it 

 keeps credit high, which means that 

 the buyer is welcome everywhere. Is 

 not this worth while? 



Sight drafts are not clearly under- 

 stood by all florists. The credit of a 

 man who meets a sight draft when pre- 

 sented is equal to that of a man who 

 sends his check when payment is due. 

 The credit of a man who declines a 

 sight draft is weakened with the bank 

 presenting it, even though he sends his 

 check when refusing the draft. 



The credit of a man who promises to 

 pay at a stated time and fails to keep 

 that promise is weakened, even though 

 additional credit be extended him, be- 

 cause the house giving credit has its 

 own obligations to meet and cannot af- 

 ford to extend this courtesy to those 

 who do not understand its value. Take, 

 for instance, the case of a house with a 

 salary list of $2,500 each week. To 

 meet this salary list it has obligations 



