552 



HORTICULTURE 



April 28, 1906 



horticulture: 



AN ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL 



DEVOTED TO THE 



FLORIST, PLANTSMAN, LANDSCAPE 



GARDENER AND KINDRED 



INTERESTS 



HORTICULTURE PUBLISHING CO. 



II HAMILTON PLACE, BOSTON, MASS. 



Telephone, Oxford 292 



VIM. J. STEWART. Editor and Manager. 



The excellent articles on ferns for 

 Attractions of the every day use, from the pen of A. 

 fern garden Hans, which we have published at 

 intervals during the past year have, 

 in some degree, failed of their purpose if they have not 

 awakened a greater interest in the subject of hardy 

 ferns. With the hundreds of crested, plumed and la- 

 ciniated varieties of the hardy English and American 

 species which fern enthusiasts have collected and dis- 

 tributed, the fern rock garden may be a spot of great 

 beauty and absorbing interest. It can be located where 

 nothing else would thrive as well, and, once established, 

 is not likely to be abandoned. Now is the time to start, 

 before the young fronds commence to unfold. Growers 

 having good collections to offer should advertise them 

 at once. 



Although we are still without definite 



San Francisco's news as to the fate of our brother hor- 



distress ticulturists of San Francisco, there 



is no reason to believe that they have 

 escaped unhurt the awful tragedy which has horrified 

 the whole world and touched the universal human heart 

 as it has never been touched before. In the cruel com- 

 pleteness of the disaster and the all-pervading distress, 

 it is perhaps well for the present that whatever human- 

 ity prompts us to offer for the relief of the suffering be 

 done w-ithout discrimination, but later on when facts 

 in detail have been learned some action should be taken 

 by the horticultural interests of the country, through 

 the Society of American Florists or other national or- 

 ganizations to extend a direct, practical, full-handed 

 relief to our stricken brethren of the Pacific coast, 

 whose homes have been overthrown, possessions laid 

 waste and business ruined. 



The phenomenal growth in numbers and 

 Building up activity of the Gardeners' and Florists' 

 the club club i : Boston, of which the social gath- 

 ering rded in this issue is one of the 

 outward signs, shows what may be accomplished under 



the right incentive and well-directed effort. Boston is 

 sometimes criticized for her alleged apathy by those who 

 the right kind and usually "gets there" when occasion 

 presents. The Boston club is fortunate in the quality 

 of its officers. To President Wheeler, Secretary Craig, 

 and also to Mr. Wheeler's predecessor, Mr. Pettigrew, 

 belongs the credit, especially, for the progress recorded 

 during their incumbency. What has been accomplished 

 by them is possible in any other similar organization. 

 We do not hesitate to assert that it is within the power 

 of any club president — if he possesses the influence and 

 good will which an election to this honorable position 

 would indicate — to bring to his meetings the people and 

 the enthusiasm necessary to duplicate in quality and 

 effect the prosperity attained by the Boston organiza- 

 tion. There are presidents and presidents. It is not 

 by noisy demonstration or shrewd ax-grinding, neither 

 is it by mere dignified posing, with gavel in hand, once 

 a month on the platform, but by persistent, earnest per- 

 sonal work done at a serious sacrifice of time and self- 

 interest that proud results are brought about. That's 

 the kind of executive ability that counts. 



While the amount of money expended 



Gardens for the by affluent families on vast residential 



multitude estates is very large, and while these 



operations call for an enormous quan- 

 tity of choice material, enlist the services of high-priced 

 designers, and furnish work for many employes, yet 

 there can be no question that the great source of pros- 

 perity for the plant grower and nurseryman lies in the 

 multitude of people of moderate income and moderate 

 expenditure. Stimulated by the object lessons in pub- 

 lic parks, cemeteries and private estates this great class, 

 in every section of the country, are in the frame of 

 mind to follow suit, to buy and plan and plant and thus 

 make for themselves homes surrounded with gardens 

 and verdure. The great need today is for men expert 

 in garden craft to make plans and give correct advice 

 as to planting, at a moderate charge. The big land- 

 scape firms have no time or disposition to take up this 

 class of work ; the men willing to undertake it have been 

 too often incompetent. It is to the advantage of every 

 professional gardener to do all he can to popularize 

 rural life by making it appear in a reasonable and at- 

 tractive light. Some seclusion and restful surround- 

 ings, with just enough pleasant occupation to keep 

 away monotony; these advantages of country living 

 without enough of its burdens to drive the owner back 

 to a city existence may be conserved by the intelligent 

 landscape gardener who can frugally yet effectively lay 

 out a small place with such materials and such method 

 of planting that it shall require thereafter a minimum 

 amount of work to keep it in order. The ordinary am- 

 ateur with his crude ambitions is liable, if left to him- 

 self, to lay the foundation for expenses that will in a 

 short time wean him of all gardening desires and per- 

 manently stifle his natural fondness for horticultural 

 pursuits. 



