730 



HORTICULTURE 



May 22, 1909 



SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FLORISTS 

 AND ORNAMENTAL HOR- 

 TICULTURISTS. 



Window Glass and the Tariff. 



As a commodity affecting the thou- 

 sands of greenhouse men, large and 

 small, glass stands a very important 

 factor. The duty levied on glass per 

 pound practically cut out European 

 competition, and prices until about 

 eighteen months ago ran high. The 

 gradation of import price is pound rate 

 of 1 3-Sc. for size not exceeding 10 x 15, 

 for size not over 16 x 24 1 7-Sc., and 

 so on running higher as the increase 

 of sizes goes until 4 3-Sc. per pound is 

 reached. 



When the section of the Tariff Bill 

 came up before the Senate for action, 

 the Hon. Elihu Root, Senator from 

 New York State, took up the side of 

 reduction, urging a modification of the 

 present rates. Senator Simmonds of 

 North Carolina, ably took the same 

 ground, urging at any rate a material 

 reduction upon the sizes in common 

 use. The introduction of machine to 

 take the place of hand-blown glass, and 

 the contest for control of the market 

 is the cause of prevailing low price 

 during the past year. The bill as it 

 goes back to the House of Represen- 

 tatives will in many cases show 

 marked changes. The national demand 

 is surely on all lines for a reduction 

 of duties when summed up as a whole; 

 localities will and do urge strongly in 

 favor of their own interest. Mr. 

 Frank R. Pierson, chaiiman of the S. 

 A. F. Tariff Committee, has been to 

 Washington twice on behalf of the in- 

 terests of the S. A. F., and no one not 

 in close touch with affairs realizes the 

 clash of interests one with another, 

 and how some remote and unlooked 

 for item will affect even the flower 

 gi-ower. 



BENJAMIN HAMMOND, 



Secretary Tariff Committee S. A. F. 



SOUTHERN GROWN BEAUTIES. 



GARDENERS' AND FLORISTS' 

 CLUB OF BOSTON. 



The May meeting, held at Horticul- 

 tural Hall, Boston, last Tuesday even- 

 ing, was attended by one hundred and 

 forty members, all interested in the 

 promised lecture on Aquatic Garden- 

 ing by Peter Bisset of Washington. 

 Unfortunately, Mr. Bisset was unable 

 to be present in person, but his paper 

 was well-presented by J. W. Duncan 

 as reader, and James F. M. Farquhar 

 as operator of the stereopticon. The 

 slides sent by Mr. Bisset were very 

 beautiful. 



There Were no less than fifteen 

 queries in the question box, which 

 called forth interesting answers and 

 sometimes lively debate. Among the 

 subjects thoroughly discussed was the 

 substance called "Tanglefoot" as to 

 its effect when used as a band 

 on tree trunks to prevent the 

 ascent of insects. It was unreservedly 

 condemned as injurious by practically 

 all who had tried it. It was acknowl- 

 edeged. however, that the harm noted 

 may have, in some instances, been 

 caused by too deep scraping of the 

 bark. 



Votes of thanks were accorded to 

 the following exhibitors: Eber 

 Holmes for Canna Tarrytown and 

 Killarney rose, Wm. Thatcher for 

 Hoya carnosa and F. W. Fletcher for 



The accompanying illustration shows 

 a vase of American Beauties with 9 to 

 12 ft. stems, grown in solid beds by 

 the Metairie Ridge Nursery Company, 

 New Orleans, La. These plants are 

 three years old and were planted on 

 benches the first year and transplanted 

 to solid beds two years ago. The sec- 

 retary writes that they find, after sev- 

 eral years' trial of roses on benches, 

 that the solid beds are the best for that 

 climate, and they are now planting all 



their roses in solid l»(ls for next year. 

 This seems to prove beyond question 

 that long-stemmed roses, especially 

 American Beauties, can be grown in 

 southern latitudes as well as else- 

 where. Years ago it was always con- 

 tended that roses, especially Beauties, 

 could not be grown under glass in that 

 climate. It adds something to our edi- 

 torial note of two weeks ago concern- 

 ing the growing of carnations of good 

 quality outdoors in New Orleans. 



Everblooming Salvia and pink Mar- 

 guerite. 



CINCINNATI FLORISTS' SOCIETY. 



There was a good attendance at the 

 May 8th meeting. Henry Schwar/. 

 read an interesting paper on the his- 

 tory of the society. 'The present of- 

 ficers were re-nominated as they have 

 begun the work in connection with the 

 entertainment of the S. A. F. in Aug- 

 ust, and could more readily complete 

 it than a new board. R. Witterstaet- 

 ter for the financial committee stated 

 that money is coming in well for the 

 entertainment fund. The directors and 

 chairmen of the various committees 

 will meet every Monday evening at the 

 Sinton Hotel until after the conven- 

 tion. 



NATIONAL SWEET PEA SOCIETY. 



This flourishing English Society 

 has recently issued its annual Year 

 Book for 1909, and lis schedule of 

 prizes. The ninth annual Exhibition 

 in London will be held on July 2i, 

 next, in the Royal Horticultural Hall, 

 Westminster, and the third provincial 

 show will take place at Saltaire on 

 the 13th of the same month. It is a 

 comprehensive publication of 50 pages, 

 containing all information as to the 

 classes provided and several illustra- 

 tions of the handsome silver cups of- 

 fered for competition. The annual re- 

 port, balance sheet and list of officers 

 also appear. Roughly siteaking, the 

 income for 190S amounted ti' a total of 

 $2SG5. 



