Title: The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade
Identifier: americanfloristw4515amer (find matches)
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: American Florists Company
Subjects: Floriculture; Florists
Publisher: Chicago : American Florist Company
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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*9Z5- The American Florist. 161
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FLOWER BOX AND OTHER DETAILS OF SAMUEL MURRAY'S NEW STORE, KANSAS CITY, MO. or the salesman, may go inside to select or bring out anything desired. The great majority of cases, however, are more confined, being about 30 inches to three feet in depth, six to eight feet in height, with a large space on top for the ice, and a length of from four feet upwards, as is needed for the requirements of the business. There are generally drawers at the bottom for fern leaves, smilax, galax or other greens. In some cases the doors slide on rollers; in others they push up and down like sash. A very useful feature is a door, mirrored on both sides, which opens to one of the sections in which the space is filled with zinc or nickeled metal drawers, in which are kept violets, gardenias and other like flowers. There is a clear glass division partitioning some of the sections so that in the summer, when the stock is smaller, only a por- tion of the case is in use which re- lieves the too frequent visits of the ice man. In a number of the larger cases the cooling is done by individual electrically operated ice machines, which work automatically, keeping the air down to any -desired temperature. Many cases are fitted with plate glass shelves resting in nickeled supports, that are adjustable for vases for short or long stemmed flowers. PENNOCK BROTHERS CASE. One of the most elaborate arrange- ments for the display of cut flowers is that of Pennock Brothers, of Phila- delphia, Pa. It occupies all of one side of the store, reaching from the floor to the ceiling, the top being ornamental woodwork. This is cooled by an automatic machine which is most satisfactory. This case is some 40 feet in length and is at all times most attractively filled with the best the market affords. Orchids have a sec- tion, American Beauties another, various tea roses are arranged to- gether, also carnations and snap dragons have places. Made up baskets are given a suitable space and so on, the whole being a truly wonderful display that cannot help but make a favorable impression on the visitor. The vases for cut flowers are an im- portant feature, the fibre is the most indestructible, and when enameled white, are very good, though rather clumsy. Some stores use an outside covering of wicker, which gives an air of distinction. Well shaped and com- modious vases of clear glass, if kept clean, always look good and will stand considerable wear if reasonable care is taken. THE BATTLES PLAN. H. H. Battles, whose business is one of the largest in the country, tabooes the iced chamber, and dis- plays his flowers in vases covered with wicker, placed back of his counter and about the store. An immense reserve is kept in the basement, in a vault under the pavement. One large window nearly always contains a great showing of cattleyas and other orchids. The flower case should always be clean and the stock arranged to show to the best advantage. Anything passe or off color should find a place in the reserve box in the rear or the basement. Only fresh salable flowers should be on view. "Are they fresh?" is uppermost in the minds of all pur- chasers; "Be sure they are fresh" is often the admonition, as the customer after leaving an order, turns to go. Flowers at best are short lived and the least blemish, such as a mildewed or bruised petal, must always be care- fully removed. Each vase should be arranged so as to show to the front; this done with all vases, gives the case a much fuller and more elegant appearance. The Show Windows in Summer. Although it is summer time, with comparatively few people in town to see them, the windows must not be neglected. They can be decorated in an inexpensive manner, which at the same time will be attractive and let people know that the place is still open and anxious to do business. If there are two windows, it is well to arrange one of them in a more or less permanent manner, such as a gar- den effect, or a bank of ferns as a background for a lily pond, which, when kept filled with cut lliies, is cool looking and attractive. A few caladi- ums, with their beautifully variegated leaves will give such a decoration the needed- touch of color. A garden ef- fect, with a shrubbery border, curving

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