26 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



NOVEMBEB 17, 1010. 



familiar with the amount of capital 

 locked up in a large business. Mr. Rice 

 had practically no capital, but he made 

 generous terms with Mrs. Marshutz and 

 more than fulfilled them. The next few 

 years were years of difficulties and per- 

 plexities; the successful salesman had 

 to be transformed into the successful 

 head of a large house. The man who 

 had sold well must learn to buy well. 

 This was no easy matter. Competition 

 was keen, difficulties many, but suc- 

 cess crowned Mr. Rice's efforts, and in 

 April, 1897, much sooner than promised, 

 the Marshutz obligation was discharged. 

 Mr. Rice then made his first trip abroad. 

 These trips have been continued every 

 year or two since. 



The business prospered, the field 

 broadened steadily, and in 1899 B. 

 Eschner entered the firm, which today 

 consists of Messrs. Rice and P^schner. 



In 1900 the business was removed to 

 larger quarters at 918 Filbert street, 

 closer to the railroad terminals. Their 

 aim being to have something exclusive, 

 in 1902 a department of ribbons was 

 added, requiring much additional capi- 

 tal, but it proved an immediate success. 



Progress for the next five years was 

 amazing; the territory covered by the 

 firm was steadily widening. The old 

 quarters were outgrown and in 1905 a 

 new five-story fireproof building was 

 ere cted a t_122fl_3«t?e street, a model 

 salesroom and warehouse for florists' 

 supplies. These quarters were again 

 outgrown five years later, and last Feb- 

 ruary saw the completion of another 

 story, the sixth. 



The progress made in twenty-five 

 years can be clearly portrayed by re- 

 calling on the one hand the small busi- 

 ness, with the proprietor offering his 

 own wares, happy to make a single 

 sale, with, on the other hand, the im- 

 mense business of today, with a sell- 

 ing force consisting of B. Eschner, Ar- 

 thur Zirkman, Frank Farney, Robert 

 Schock and Charles Shackerman, cover- 

 ing the United States and Canada; a 

 firm known and depended upon all over 

 the land for a variety of supplies that 

 have become absolute necessities to 

 fiorists. Pliil. 



THE SURPRISE BOX. 



[Gleanings of an Interview with Charles Henry 

 Fox.] 



You may remember an incident I 

 described before the Philadelphia Flo- 

 rists' Club in December last. A cus- 

 tomer came in for some fiowers late 

 one afternoon and, while I was putting 

 them up in my best style, he said: 

 "Why can't you fiorists get up some- 

 thing new in boxes? I am tired to 

 death of this old style. ' ' I thought aJl 

 that evening how to improve our boxes 

 — thought of it so earnestly on the way 

 home on the car that I don't believe 

 a five-dollar bill on the floor would 

 have attracted my notice. I have been 

 experimenting, designing for a year and 

 a half; here is the result of my work. 



You see the box is useful in a va- 

 riety of ways; it may be used as a gift, 

 for luncheon, or picnic, or theater party 

 for four, six or eight. Violets are best 

 adapted for favors, as they will not 



Th« Surprise Gift Box. 



crush. The centerpiece that may b* 

 used on the table is of red roses. 



Phil. 



OBITUARY. 



Henry 0. Fruck. 



Henry C. Fruck, for many years gar- 

 dener at Joseph Berry's greenhouses; 

 at Grosse Pointe, Mich., died at Hot 

 Springs, Ark., Monday, November 7. 

 Mr. Fruck had been in ill health for 

 several years. November 2 he left De- 

 troit for Hot Springs in the hope that 

 he would be benefited by the change. 

 He was still in the prime of life, being 

 only 48 years old. His great hobby was 

 orchids, in the culture of which he was 

 an expert. The funeral, Monday, No- 

 vember 14, was attended by many 

 friends in the trade. 



Luther T. Seaver. 



Luther T. Seaver, well known as a 

 successful grower of pansies, died at his 

 late home, 104 Winchester street, Med- 

 ford, Mass., Thursday, October 27. He 

 had been in his usual health until six 

 days previous. He was 81 years old,, 

 having been born February 4, 1829, at 

 Albany, Vt. 



Mr. Seaver had a strong personality, 

 strikingly peculiar to himself. He was 

 fond of flowers and was best known as 

 a successful grower of pansies, in the 

 cultivation of which he took great 

 pride. Choice seed was often purchased 

 from Germany and a market for his 

 pansies was found in nearly all of the 

 New England states. For ten years 

 quite a tract of land, opposite the 

 Broadway Powder House, was under 

 cultivation for pansies and was known 

 as "Pansy Park." In more recent years 

 the business was removed to College 

 avenue. Two years ago Mr. Seaver re- 

 tired from active business life. 



Charles Edward Pease. 



Charles Edward Pease, president of 

 the Miami Floral Co., of Dayton, O., and 

 one of the best known and most sub- 

 stantial business men of that city, died' 

 suddenly November 8, at his home, 138 

 West Second street. Heart disease was 

 the cause of death, and he, was ill but a 

 few hours before the end came. 



Aside from being head of the Miami 

 Floral Co. and the Buckeye Iron and 

 Brass Works, he was also president of 

 the Leader Oil Co., of Demopolis, Ala. 



In a social way Mr. Pease was well! 

 known, and numbered many friends. He 

 was possessed of many charitable traits- 

 that his friends knew nothing about; nO' 

 worthy charity was ever refused assist- 

 ance by Mr. Pease. 



One of Mr. Pease's hobbies was flow- 

 ers, and it was through the united influ- 

 ence of him and the late Wm. Kiefaber, 

 Sr., that the Miami Floral Co. was or- 

 ganized eight years ago. No person has- 

 done more to beautify the city than he. 

 Several years ago Mr. Pease inaugu- 

 rated a plan of flower beds on West 

 Second street, extending the full length 

 of the square in which he resided. This 

 particular stretch of street has been 

 conceded to be the most beautiful in the- 

 city; as the seasons changed, suitable 

 blooming plants were arranged in the 

 flower beds, all of which was done at 

 his own expense. For landscape gar- 

 dening and rare flowers, there was nO' 

 more noted home in the city. It was his 

 hobby, his ideal, and a symbol of his- 

 splendid nature. 



Charles Edward Pease was born^ 



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