THE COURIER
. -s&
The Courier
Published Every Saturday
Entered In tho Postofflce at Lincoln u second
cUm matter.
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that Bloom if the Spring
Flowers are wealth. To look upon
their beauty and scent their fra
grance one would not think any man
capable of turning them to financial
account. Yet five firms of florists ply
their trade in Lincoln and none In town
can boast of more wholesome if more
expansive bank accounts. They turn
rose leaves Into crisp governent cer
tificates and compress the sweet odor
of carnations into clinking silver. All
of which Is perfectly legitimate.
This is the dull season of the year
in the traffic in blossoms. For two
months out of the twelve the florists
experience a dull season. The stock,
however, does not waste Its sweetness
on the desert air. The chief reason Is
that there Is little stock to go to waste.
The dull months are from the middle
of July until the middle of September
and during this time the toilers In pots
and dirt are emptying the benches of
old soil and old stock. Following the
cleaning comes the painting of the In
teriors of the benches as a measure of
preservation against dampness. New
dirt takes the place of the old and
fresh stock that has been In process of
propagation since early in the spring
is imbedded.
Though Lincoln has only five firms
pf florists no city in the west Is more
profuse in the use of flowers. The
business of these houses Is immense.
Every day cut flowers packed in ice
are sent to cities as far away as Salt
Lake City, and they go In every other
direction as well. All over the state
are dealers In small towns who carry
flowers as a side line. They can esti
mate by the number of funerals and
weddings in sight the number of flow
ers they will need and they send in
their orders by wire. Designers in the
down town offices are prepared at any
time of the day to execute orders and
by telephonic communication with the
greenhouses sudden excessive demands
can be met In short order.
Society people in Lincoln are fondest
of flowers. They buy them regularly
all the year round and several fami
lies spend as much for flowers every
month as some men get In wages.
Hard headed, apparently sordid, busi
ness men drop In at the florist's office
toward the end of the week or send
him a message ordering a certain kind
and size of bouquet to be sent to his
home for Sunday decoratons. These
men usually figure on beauty and fra
grance In their home after a week of
store scents or the odor of chemicals.
Then too the cases are not rare where
doting fathers take considerable stock
in the influence of flowers on their
daughters' callers. The florists, how
ever, expect some day to loose this
trade.
Some of the florists say this has been
the best summer for trade In their
history. The reason is that the spring
season was prolonged. Cool weather,
owing to rains, continued even into
July. Unusually numerous weddings
took place in June and these are al
ways mines of revenue. Because of the
favorable weather they did not end
with that month but have been fre
quent and common ever since. Next
to weddings, funerals are the most
profitable for florists. Big prices are
always secured for designs. They are
two-fold profitable, first because a big
price can be asked for the work re
quired and second because the poorer
grade of flowers, those which would
sell In no other way because of short
stems, can be worked in.
Lovelorn students are a source of
rich revenue. They put their trust in
the beauty of the flower and their
dollars In the hands of the florist and
Cupid does the rest. Carnations, roses,
and violets are favorites with them
and they buy much and often. All the
dances that come along must be scent
ed with flowers, all the social gather
ings must be set off by them and all
the members of theatre parties must
be decorated.
Fraternal bodies are generous pur
chasers. Nearly everybody Is a mem
ber of some fraternity or fraternal in
surance company. "Whenever any
member dies the body generally sends
a design to the funeral. When any
member Is sick flowers are sent to the
bedside. There are a number of men
In town whose acquaintance Is wide
and whose pocketbooks are correspond
ingly so, who Invest In flowers for sick
friends every day.
Holidays are the best days of the
year, from the florist's point of view.
The only one of the year of any note
which does not bring the profits up to
a high figure Is the Fourth of July.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's,
Easter and Decoration day are
the principal days when the
florists flood the banks with
big collections. Some of them salt
away as many as six and eight hun
mand Is wonderfully brisk, not only
on the days In question but for several
preceding and following. American
beauty roses which sell ordinarily at
from two to six dollars r. dozen then
go sometimes as high as eighteen dol
lars, or a dollar and a half apiece.
And they sell rapidly even at that.
The house with the best of stock
can demand the best of prices and get
them. The average of carnations,
which sell in greatest abundance, is
about twenty-five cents a dozen at this
time of year. By the middle of Septem
ber they will go to fifty cents. Com
mon roses now fifty cents a dozen will
go to $1 and $1.50. By holiday time
both flowers will have doubled In price.
After that they will seek the level
again. By judicious cultivation the
plants are made to bear all the year
round and so they are constant sources
of profit. Some come In crops which
give the market a rush, followed by a
lull in blossoming for about two weeks,
and then another crop.
While there Is no agreement or un
derstanding amoung the florists as to
the maintenance of prices, they, suc
ceed in keeping close together and all
at uell and keep sleek.
Friends are like clothes the most
expensive wear out first. Town
Topics.
M
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Btim4
WCfc
In every town
and village
may be had,
the
Mica
Axle
Grease
that makes your
horses glad.
LINCOLN'S PROGRESSIVE STORE fci
EARLY FALL SHIPMENTS
ADVANCE SHOWING
OF THE EARLY NOVELTIES IN DRESS GOODS, WAISTINGS, CLOTH JACKETS,
FDR JACKETS, STOLES, SCARFS AND BOAS, FUR CAPES, ETC.
THE FIRST DISPLAY OF THE SEASON.
Wool Dress Goods and Waistings
New Fall Novelties every piece entirely new. The markets have been searched for the very
latest weaves and materials, and we have them to show you.
PRIESTLEY BLACKS With twice as large a stock as ever before carried, we guarantee to
show you the largest variety of weaves in this celebrated fabric west of Chicago many new novel
ties since last season. Also a tremendous line of new weaves in German, French, American and
English manufacture, making the strongest line of Black Fabrics on display in the west at any time.
WAISTINGS Beautiful Novelties in French and American Waistings in handsome new col
orings and patterns very rich in effects exceedingly popular materials, and so desirable for a
stylish waist.
We shall take pleasure in showing you these new fabrics it will be a great help to you in your
later selections.
New Cloth Jackets, Rich Fur
Capes, Jackets Scarfs
The 27-inch Cloth Jackets always neat and dressy in appearance,
bid fair to increase in popularity this season.
We are showing a splendid line in Kersey, Cheviot, and Mountainac
Cloths, plain and applique trimmed, etc., best of linings, strictly tailor
made, and equal to any custom house garment at one-half their cost.
Big range of values, $5.95, $6.50, $8.50, $10.00, to $16.50.
Dependable Fur Jackets All the rich and stylish Furs, As
trakhan, Marten, Electric Seal, Near Seal, Persian Lamb, and genuine
Seal, $20.00, $25.00, $50.00, to $250.00.
Astrakhan and Electric Seal Fur Capes, $12.50 to $75.00.
Fur Stoles, Scarfs, and Boas an elegant variety in Marten,
Krimmer, Electric Seal, Mink, Beaver, Russian Bear, etc., $4.50. to
$50.00.
A Rich. Lamp Display
150 Different Styles The largest stock of Lamps shown west
of Chicago is on exhibition at our store this week. Over 85 numbers,
every one different, can be seen in our elegant west show window, rang
ing in price from $1 00 to $17.50. Every decoration is fired, and is
guaranteed to be absolutely fast colors. Our decorations won'trub off or
wash off, which same cannot be said of the lamps as advertised at other
stores in the city. We call particular attention to our line of celebrated
"Cerise" colors, made by the originator, Kopp, of Pittsburg. Founts
and bases are gold plated. A deep, rich Cerise of perfect color, and
ranging in price from $3.00, $3.45, $4.25, $5.50, $5.95, to $17.50.
The display is well worth a visit, and should be seen by all intend
ing lamp purchasers.
HP-w
THIS CERISE LAMP
SPECIAL FOR
3.00
-J