The semi-weekly miner., 1884-04-23
THE BOUQUET BUSINESS.
About the Flower Trade and the
People Who Buy

the demand"
The conversation was taking place
in a Fourth avenue conservatory,
and the speaker was the proprietor.
He was deftly arranging bouquet of
fragrant ros es and deep green snailax,
which the nimble fingers OF young
lady assistant was preparing.
Nearly ali the business we do now
is in flowers to be worn. Gentlemen
seldom buy for themselves very diff
ferent from what 1t was four or five
years ago, when every man had a
buttonhole bouquet. A man with
flowers On his coat is now at once
classed as dude, though we have q
few customers who buy every day.
La lies have changed places. and now
they can't wear enough. The style 8
have changed, too. Flowers are all
arranged loosely and carelessly, and
with very little foliage, sometimes
with none at all. One kind is almost
exclusively worn, though formerly as
possible was considered the best taste.
Artificial flowers are very rarely
used. At the charity bali all the
ladies but one wore natural flowers,
and she would have done so, too, i
bouquet could have been purchased
in the city. She felt badly about it'll
assure you"
"What flowers are the most popu-
lar??"
''Roses and violets. Of the former
the greatest tavorites are the Mare
chal Niels and Catherine Merwets.
The demand for violets is always
good, and we never have too many
on hand. Smilax is also very popu-
lar, as we work it in with all other
flowers. Carnations are used mostly
for funeral orders. Lilies of the val
ley are always salable, as they are
used IN bouquets with other blossoms
We have li.lle demand for camelias.
Bouquets are worth from 81 to SIS for
roses, and from 25 cents up for violets.
You can get very pretty little bunch
of the latter for 10 to 25 cents"
1T may surprise you," he went on
ito know that most of the flowers
sold here are shipped from the East
and North. One firm on Fourth av-
enue buy all their supplies from the
East. We buy il Philade]phia,
Boston. Chicago, Batavia, LaSalle,
and other places. though we make it
a point to purchase as many as possi-
BILE in this city,"
In further conversation the florist
remarked that while the profits were
good, they were not in proportion to
the risks of the trade. Rose buds
which cost 6 to cents are retailed at
10 cents, and a bunch which costs 18
cents in Boston is retailed at 25 cents
and this with the risk of loss by wilt.
ing or freezing.
"Compelition is verv lively, and we
have to adopt all legitimate plans for
securing customers. 20 to the the
atre regularly and attend all the FASH
lonab!e entertainments and recep-
lions. [ do this partly to see how
other florists arrange their flowers,
and partly to see who are the best
customers. Every firm has its Pc
culiar style, and 1 can tell who ar
ranged a design as soon as see it.
BY this way I can determine with
whom have to compete, and I learn
to recognize possible customer. If
see young man three or four times
at the theatre with young ladies, all
OF whom have bouquets, I take it for
granted that he is worth having. The
fret order he may happen to send me
ne Will usually get very cheap.
1--WE don't resort to the tricks for
customers that they do in
the East, however, Did you ever
hear of Grape pulling?' Well, it's q
term florists have. They keep spies
on the lookout for Grape on the door
knobs, and as soon as it makes its |
basket of flowers is sent |
to the bereaved family with the deal.
er's sympathy. This often procures
an order, but I don't believe it would |
work here. In fact I don't know of |
any family that wouldn't get offended |
at receiving basket from q strange
florist. There are lots of other tricks
Of the trade, but Grape pulling is all !
that I'll tell you about now. The
others will do to keep to ourselves.
1.-The business is very risky. We
buy blindly oftener than any other
class of business men, and there is
never any telling when we'll get left
with lot of withered flowers on
hand. We often prepare tor funerals
and then not single order is sent US,
;hough the family in which the death
may have been old and reg
liar customers"
Quick-Tempered Stuff.