' ▁Te legraph ▁D elivery ▁Service ▁( FT D ). ▁The ▁group ▁was ▁formed ▁as ▁a ▁co oper ative ▁and ▁was ▁mut ually ▁owned ▁by ▁its ▁members . ▁M embers ▁ex changed ▁orders ▁via ▁te legraph ▁messages ▁and ▁hence ▁the ▁name ▁' wire ▁service ' ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁identify ▁the ▁order ▁exchange ▁business ▁model . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁with ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁international ▁order ▁sending , ▁F TD ▁changed ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁Flor ists ' ▁Trans world ▁D elivery . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁British ▁flor ists ▁formed ▁a ▁similar ▁' Flow ers ▁by ▁W ire ' ▁group . ▁ ▁This ▁group , ▁also ▁a ▁business ▁co oper ative ▁and ▁affili ated ▁with ▁F TD , ▁began ▁operating ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁Inter fl ora ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁most ▁European ▁countries ▁had ▁their ▁own ▁Inter fl ora ▁units . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁co oper atives , ▁independently ▁owned ▁and ▁operated ▁for - pro fit ▁companies ▁built ▁their ▁own ▁propriet ary ▁networks ▁including ▁Tele fl ora ▁and ▁ 1 - 8 0 0 - Flow ers ▁with ▁their ▁Blo om Net ▁division . ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁ ▁Similar ▁to ▁travel ▁agents , ▁wire ▁service ▁affili ates ' ▁main ▁functions ▁are ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁agents ▁and ▁sell ▁products ▁and ▁services ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁local ▁flor ist ▁supp liers . ▁Un like ▁other ▁ret ail ▁business es ,