Sbpte.mbkk 29, 1910. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



11 



sage shield of the same color of the 

 roses is used. 



WEDDING FLOWERS. 



The October 1 issue of the Lrxtlics' 

 Home Journal is (iesignuted as "The 

 Marriage Number," and one of its fea- 

 tures is a page of brides' bouquets and 

 wedding llovvers from designs by 

 (Jharles Thorley, New York. As the 

 .lournal has something over a million 

 circulation, such publicity is sure to 

 add to the demand for llower accessories 

 for weddings, but an even more im- 

 [)ortant result will be the education of 

 the public taste to demand better 

 things. The florist wlio 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. 



rriie .sulistiinci' (if an iiitiTvicw \\ itli one of tlio 

 lr:idi's Icadinj; nianajjors of credit. ] 



The florist is an expert in growing 

 plants and flowers. He thoroughly un- 

 derstands their needs, gives them what 

 they re(piire, and jiroduces results that 

 are oftlimes marvelous. The iloral 

 artist understands the arrangement of 

 colors and foliage, the selection of 

 bloom, the making uj) of designs, and 

 their relative vahie. Hut it sometimes 

 haj)pens 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 metliods lias been picked up here 

 and there. 



I'rior to about 1S9G half-yearly settle- 

 ments were in vogue among florists. It 

 was understood that all bills for tl 3 

 half year were due on the flrst day of 

 .lanuary and on the first day of duly, 

 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 montlis' credit. Outside interests 

 demanded j)rompt i);>yment; they 

 laughed at the idea of waiting six 

 tnontlis; they must have their money 

 |>romptly o/ they did not want our 

 business. 



So about fourt(>en years ago this was 

 changed; accounts for ])lants, s<'cds an<l 

 bulbs were S(dd on a credit ot' ninety 

 days; cut flowers on a credit id' tliirty 

 (lays. As the observance of this rule 

 becomes more and more general, florists 

 rank higher and higher in tlie o|.inion 

 of the business worhl, and they profit 

 thereby. 



There arc sever.al jKiints in tlic credit 

 system tliat are misundiM-stood bv many 

 flOrists. Th(> most important of tliex- 

 is that of meeting oblig;ilions when due. 

 A florist wotild not dream of sending an 

 order the day after it was recpiired, 

 yet he tliinks nothing of failnn^ to nicer 

 his obligations wlien ilue. it Ncems to 

 him a satisfactory excusi' to say th.'it 

 he has not the money, but how will that 

 excuse help pay the other fellow's sal 

 ary list? M:iny florists regard the bank 

 with awe; they feel that to say to the 

 bank that tlie'v want money is a dis- 

 grace, vet that is exactly the purpose 



Corsage Bouquet of Roses and Valley. 



for which the banks are cuiidiict ri|. or 

 rather one of the mo-t inijiorlant pur 

 poses. When \-ou w;int a suit oi' clotlic<. 

 vou oro to the tiiilor; when mmi want 

 sugar, you go to the groiei': when ymi 

 w;int money, you should go to the Imnk. 

 What disgrace is there in borrowing 

 money from the batik to p.-iy just bills.' 



The method i> simple. <i 1-; aic jMir 



chased in Se|iteniber on ninety days' 

 credit. "I'here is no ready inoni\ to 

 iiH'et the (diligat ions wlicn the\ t'.ill dm' 

 in ])(>cember. A stntcnicnl of condi- 

 tions is made to the bank and. it' satis 

 factory, a four months' loan is elVected 

 that will f.-ill due at Ivister. This loan 

 costs a c()iii]iaratively sni.all sum; it 

 keeps credit high, which means th.'it 

 the liuyer is welcome everywhere. Is 

 not this wi.rtli while? 



Sight drat'ts art^ not clearly iiiider- 

 stoo<l by all florists. The credit ol' a 

 in;in who meets ;i si^rJit draft when pre 

 seiited is eipial to that of a man who 

 sends his check when |iaynieni is due. 

 'I'lie creilit ot' a m.ati who declines a 

 sight draft is weakened with tlu^ bank 

 presenting it. excti though he sends his 

 check when refusing the dral't. 



The credit of' a man who promises to 

 p;iy at a stateij time and f.ails to keep 

 that i>roniise is weakened, e\-en thoiigli 

 .add it ion.al creilit b(^ extended him, be- 

 I'anse the house gi\ing cicdit has its 

 own (diligations to meet and cannot af- 

 ford to extend this courtes\- to those 

 who do not understand its \alue. Take, 

 for instance, the case of a house with a 

 s.alary list (d' +L'.."')(iil each week. To 

 meet this salary list it has obligations 



