AUGUST 23, 1EI». 



The Weekly Florists* Review. 



335 



Patrick O'Mara, President-Elect Society of American Florists and President 

 New York Florists' Club. 



population in twenty years, four tuinrlred 

 per cent. The increase oi gUiss In the 

 same time tor floriculture ami horticul- 

 ture, is over eleven hundred per cent. No 

 one could have foreseen this enormous 

 and phenomenal growth. We here see 

 some food for co-operation. Could we 

 obtain all the parties who erected the 

 glass, as members of this society, and a 

 profit of twenty-five cents a box tor 

 glass, it would net a sum ot over hun- 

 dreds of thousands of dollars. This for 

 only one branch of industry. We can 

 scarcely comprehend the magnitude of 

 the uses of glass for floriculture and 

 horticulture. Add to the society's mem- 

 bers those interested in floriculture and 

 horticulture and it is impossible to esti- 

 mate the magnitude of the growth and 

 the wonderful impetus it would give the 

 society. It is said there is a lesson, 

 which even co-operation should learn, it 

 has taught us all through nature, as well 

 as in political and commercial combina- 

 tions; the race which rests, and seeks 

 the happiness of the hermit crab, very 

 speedily decays. It is only in cnnquest- 

 over difficulties as they arise day by day 

 that the solution lies. If co-operation is 

 not to die out, or be choked, it must 

 spread itself wider and wider. It affords 

 the world all the advantages of competi- 

 tion, while It avoids the crueUies whleh 

 arise from an uncontrolled and inibridled 

 monopoly. The achievements h.ave bten 

 so great in the past, the morality ot the 

 movement is so true and elevated, and 

 the character of it so suited to the Indi- 

 vidualistic temper ot the Anglo-Saxon 

 race, that we cannot doubt the result. 

 If only co-operators will earnestly work. 



With opponents so active, it Is evident 

 the assiduous propagatio:i of co-operat- 

 ive principles is necessary. 



I will trouble you again with a few sta- 

 tistics to remind you what co-operation 

 has done in Kngland and Wales. Up to 

 and including ]S9:i, total sales $2,995,560,- 

 380. net profits $25«.0S0,345. To 1S95 by the 

 last report inclusive. $4,07t,547.7i5, net 

 profits $.'!60.07.i,120. The Leicester Co- 

 operative Society Hosiery Manufacturers 

 commenced m 1SS7 with a capital of only 

 $l.Ti): on December, 1S98, the capital had 

 Increased to $204,655. 



I sincerely hope that you have ex- 

 amined into the merits ot co-operation 

 carried on by a corporation, so that the 

 decision here rendered at this convention, 

 when the subject comes up for action, 

 may be voted upon Intelligently. Co-oper- 

 ation ought to be continuecf by the cor- 

 poration, with competent officials to 

 manage it. To-day all mankind, as never 

 before, is Interested in co-operation, to 

 avoid being crushed body and soul by the 

 colossal trusts. When co-operation is 

 fully installed in the different Industries 

 it will sound the death-knell of trusts. 

 Co-operation here will still require the 

 p.arenlal. patient and fostering care ot 

 its friends, and of those who breathed 

 into it the breath of life and have nursed 

 it since its l)irth. 



Our society had in Its treasury. Jan. 1, 

 1900. $855.55 and a life membership fund 

 of $.585 — this amount after sixteen years 

 of association. Does this sum seem suffi- 

 cient and satisfying for all the efforts 

 that have been made for sixteen years of 

 labor? 



It pales In comparison with the associ- 



ation of the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society, organized in the year 1829. when 

 floriculture and horticulture were in their 

 infancy, obtaining 250 members the first 

 year and increased to 500 members in the 

 year 1845, with $53,000 in its treasury. This 

 too — when floriculture and horticulture 

 had hardly begun to climb to the great 

 proportions to which they have grown. 

 (In fact Mr. Edgar Sanders says that 

 in 1853 the whole country was just begin- 

 ning.) They have nearly a million dol- 

 lars to-day. What plausible answer can 

 we make in our defense, that we have 

 not accomplished more, when the coun- 

 try is teeming with people and wealth, 

 to which the years from 1829 to 1845 bear 

 no comparison? They established a 

 home. We should have one second to no 

 other horticultural building in the -world. 

 Can we have it? Most assuredly, if we 

 will it, and make it a labor of love. A 

 home which shall bring the societv an 

 income, with an experimental station in 

 some suburban district, where everything 

 in fluriculture and horticulture can be 

 tested and tried, from which we all would 

 receive a great benefit. 



This home should be a place where any 

 member can come; it should be the Mec- 

 ca of the florist, where he can seek and 

 ,Eive information; a place for the diffu- 

 sion ot knowledge. I believe the first 

 home ot the society should be in the city 

 ot Greater New York, it being today 

 nearly the center of advanced floriculture 

 and horticulture and which during the 

 life of some members here will increase 

 to ten million inhabitants. When this 

 shall be accomplished, and is on the road 

 to success, it will be time to consider 

 other cities, where it may establish a 

 home. 



For sixteen years we have had uncer- 

 tain existence, and until the society has 

 a local home, a house it can call its 

 own. its advance will be fitful and un- 

 certain. With a local home, I believe the 

 society will gain largely in permanency 

 and membership. It will take upon itself 

 a new lease of youth and vigor, and 

 Us usefulness will be felt in all parts of 

 the country. Every department of flori- 

 ciUture and horticulture should here be 

 welcomed and find here a congsnial at- 

 mosphere. We should aid and encourage 

 the science connected with our art, that 

 we may better appreciate the elevating 

 and purifyin.g influence derived from a 

 better and more advanced knowledge, 

 which it is possible for us to obtain in 

 no other manner. 



This is the age of rapid progress and 

 development, the accumulation of wealth 

 with means to gratitv our tastes tor the 

 beautiful. It should be our aim to lead 

 in floriculture and horticulture and to 

 mould !)Ublic sentiment in our art. We 

 should stimulate it so that it would fur- 

 ther embellish and adorn our homes, our 

 private grounds, our oublic parks and 

 buildings. We have an unparalleled 

 country, with unequalled natural advan- 

 tages, and we ought to be able to give 

 those seeking information the most ad- 

 vanced and practical ideas, so that each 

 and every member of our society would 

 be better equipped to carry forward this 

 profession and under the most favorable 

 methods. Such are some of the possi- 

 bilities stretched out before us. and to 

 their accomplishment we should be in- 

 spired by a common purpose. We should 

 allow neither discord nor difference of 

 opinion to weaken our efforts, but work 

 together harmoniously and unitedly, that 

 we may be recognized in the community 

 .as a powerful influence In every branch 

 of our profession. 



The recommendation of the president In 

 relation to a home for the society has 

 been considered by a committee co'nsist- 

 Ing of Messrs. O'Mara, Rudd and Cart- 

 ledge, who will make a special report to 

 you on the subject. It has been suggested 

 that the past presidents of the society be 

 made honor.ary members. It you deem It 

 wise to consider this question. It would 

 be well to fix the status of such honorary 

 members. 



The interest developed In some of the 

 manly sports connected with our society 

 is encouraging. Anything which is up- 



