The Weekly Florists* Review^ 



283 



Nymphaeas at the Pan-American Exposition. Exhibit of H. A. Dreer. 



fession at his disposal. Employes are 

 not all born to be "hewers of wood and 

 drawers of water" perpetually, and one 

 lifted out of the ruck will recompense 

 for manj' disappointments. A little al- 

 truism is a saving grace and we should 

 cultivate it more. Tliis policy is not en- 

 tirely unselfi.sh either, for there are few 

 indeed who seek to educate others and 

 fail in doing so to develop their own fac- 

 ulties. The facilities for developing a 

 better grade of employes are immeasur- 

 ably better than they were when this so- 

 ciety was organized. Valuable books by 

 members, practical books, have been 

 written. The trade press is teeming 

 with invaluable information ; local clubs 

 where discussions take place, where ex- 

 liibitions are more numerous, are in all 

 our principal cities. A competition 

 for general excellence, or proficiency in 

 specialties, with a book, a subscription 

 to the trade papers, a year's membership 

 in the S. A. F., or a lo'cal club, as a 

 prize, should stimulate the ambitious 

 and develop the industry of the best. 

 while exposing the want of these in 

 others. Tlie rp|inrts of the experiment 

 statinii- :iri' widiin tlie reach of all, and 

 now tli:ii ili(\ ;nc ilovoting more atten- 

 tion 111 licii 1 icull in ;il work, their reports 

 should lie (il)laiiieil and placed in the 

 hands of those \vho are hungering for 

 them. This will broaden the influence 

 of the stations and help them to achieve 

 their missi'in. 



College Versus Practical Training. 



So mucli has been said in previous cuii- 

 ventions of the need for an experimental 

 garden, college or school wherein to train 

 young men, that I make bold to press 

 the foregoing on your attention. It is a 

 vital subject, fraught with the gravest 

 importance to \is as individuals as well 

 as in our colU>ctive capacity. An institu- 

 tion -ucli :i- Iki- Ihm-ii uri;.-i 11]. ,.11 lliis so- 

 ciety 1'hi.|1hmiI l\ l.\ .■\-).rr-.iil,.iit ^ in their 

 annuiil mldi v-".'-. .ni.l :i.h..r;ii.-.l by 

 ■ mer.il.i-i -. i-. I i.;ir. l.r\-..ii.l tli.' |...h,t •.( 

 •this -MM,.u t,..M.,t.. ..r ,ii;,int.,n,, 1 li:iv.- 

 reas.iii:.!.!.' .Ii.iil.t - ..i it ~ ut ilii \ if • f 

 ated. I..-1 u- 11-. ■ 111,' iiH-aii- a( l.aii.l 1.. 

 their f.'reatcsl extent and we are likely 1.. 

 be astonished at the good results, if ]ier 



severed in for any considerable time. I 

 quote as apropos to the subject, from the 

 address of Prof. F. W. Card, before the 

 Section of Botany and Horticulture at 

 the New Haven meeting of the Associa- 

 tion of Agricultural Colleges and Experi- 

 ment Stations, as follows: 



"Horticultural 

 first learned to 

 told his neighbor 





The educational method 

 ;en in vogue since, and 

 has produced more good horticulturists than 

 any other. It is still the school which trains 

 the rank and file of the gardeners employed 

 on private estates, and the majority of prac- 



ti.;.l I. iiliiiii-ts in all lines. We who are 



.1.^ ^ ! 1- of another type are wont 



t.i I . , uniate on this kind of educa- 



ti..i ■ : !"■ looking for a particularly 



sk.i' I : .i.\- line this is the place to 



ta.il i: . ; thumb methods may large- 



]\ I I !■. ly it as we may, just this 



kiTi 1 '■ ...list ever form an important 



j.af I . .ti<:.n needed by professional 



h..i I !■ 1.11 HI . -I - ri.e recognition of this gen- 



le.1 



uction 

 any of 



are right in emphasizing it: in so far as it is 



not, let us leave practice to the school best 



ntted to teach it, and principles to the one 

 best fitted to teach them." 



What better testimony do we require 

 of the great value of the training you 

 can give? Further on he said: 

 "Closely afBliateri -niih thi» r.hn^o of edu- 



society affords an 

 periences and to : 

 specialist a chanc 



gether men who 

 things, a prime 1 

 effective. Horticul 



1.1 This much college education does 

 Let us, then, work along our ( 



lines; "stick to our last" as it were, sup- 

 plementing our practical experience with 

 all that we can glean which is useful to 

 us fiom the college reports and experi- 

 ments. Let us not be chary of impart- 

 ing the results of our experience to 

 others. 



Achievements of the S. A. F. 



This society has accomplished much of 

 practical benefit since it was organized. 

 These benefits were not confined to its 

 members, but were shared by all the 

 craft. It is an oft-told stoiy. and so 1 

 will only briefly allude to its salient 

 points. The reduction of the postage 

 rate on plants and seeds obtained while 

 the society was in its infancy. This 

 achievement alone is enough to earn the 

 gratitude of every one interested in hor- 

 ticulture. The work of the Nomencla- 

 ture Committees in correcting errors. 

 Tlie obtaining of a lower express rate on 

 plants and bulbs, with its saving to the 

 grower and planter. The work of the 

 Legislative Committee in safeguarding 

 the interests of the florists during the 

 panic of insect legislation. The essays 

 and discussions which were published. 

 The adoption of standard flower pots. 

 These benefits alone should induce every 

 florift to become and remain a member 

 of the S. A. F., and should set at rest 

 forever the pessimistic inquiries we oc- 

 casionally hear as to what we have ac- 

 complished. The Florists' Hail Associa- 

 tion came into existence through and by 

 the S. A. F. At the New York Conveii- 

 tion in 1888, it had insured 811,951 

 square feet of glass. At that convention 

 the total area of glass reported in the 

 United States was 13.051,590 square 

 feet. At the present time the associa- 

 tion insures in round numbers, say 14,- 

 500,000 square feet, aggregating risks 

 of nearly a million dollars. Since its or- 

 ganization over 500 losses have been 

 paid, amounting to over $45,000. and it 

 holds a reserve fund of nearly .$9,000. 

 This is part of the record of the S. A. F. 

 A trade press has been established, which 

 provides a medium whereby the florist 

 can buy and sell at greater advantage 

 than would be otherwise ])Ossil>lo. not to 

 speak of the invaluable information it 

 gleans and disseminate^. From out of 

 the S. A. F.. and encottraocd I>y it, have 

 sprung special flower societies with all 

 their attendant benefits. The annual 

 meetings of the S. A. F. furnish an op- 

 portunity to the members of comparing 

 notes f(i llieir mutual advantage. Tlie 

 exhibitiiiiis display the latest and most 

 improved appliances. The opportunity 

 is given to buy and sell, to meet old 

 friends and make new ones. It is the 

 forum from which issues the voice of 

 American floriculture in its best and 

 broadest sense. It is a society to be 

 proud of for its achievements, to be san- 

 guine (if for its opportunities. We meet 

 clothed with the new dignity of a na- 

 tional charter; we assume new responsi- 

 bilities : nur "manifest destiny" is plain- 

 er before us than ever. Let us rise to the 

 occasii.ii, let us renew our fealty to the 

 iild-uew siieiety. let us show that we are 

 worthy of the honor conferred upon us. 

 The vista of the new ceiilinv (i]...ii~ hefore 

 us, we enter it auspi. i< ii-l\ : \>il1i mir 

 feet firmly planted on I he -,.li.l inunda- 

 tion whieli has been laid, and our eyes 

 fixed nil the rising sun of promise; in 

 serried ranks, shoulder to shoulder, let us 

 mareh forth to new fields and more glor- 

 ious achievements. 



