August 24, 1907 



HORTICULTURE 



245 



SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FLORISTS AND 

 ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURISTS. 



The Philadelphia Convention a Success in Every Department — A Very 



Large Attendance from all Sections 



A Superb Trade Exhibition — Niagara Falls the Next Meeting Place 



Officers Elected 



PRESIDENT— F. H. Traendly, New York City. 

 VICE-PRESIDENT— George W. McClure, Buffalo, N. Y. 

 SECRETARY— P. J. Hauswirth, Chicago, III. 

 TREASURER— H. B. Beatty, Pittsburg, Pa. 



The Broad Street Theatre presented 

 a scene of brilliancy and animation 

 such as the National Society has rare- 

 ly seen, when at 2:45 p. m. on Tues- 

 day, August 20, 1907, Vice-President 

 John Westcott stepped forward on the 

 stage and call'Jd the assembly to or- 

 der. The stage was beautifully dec- 

 orated with banks of plants and flow- 

 ers. In the long row of present and 

 past officials of the society seated on 

 the platform there were included prob- 

 ably a larger representation of ex- 

 presidents than ever graced a similar 

 ocxiasion, the list including ex-Presi- 

 dents Craig, Hill, Smith, Lonsdale, 

 Graham, Gude, O'Mara, Breitmeyer, 

 Burton, Vaughan and Kasting, to- 

 gether with the members of the Ex- 

 ecutive Board and officers of the Flor- 

 ists' Club of Philadelphia. 



Vice-President Westcott was very 

 happy in his opening remarks, which 

 elicited much applause and put the 

 audience in excellent good humor for 

 the exercises following. 



He asserted that, while he himself 

 might be known as "a sport," he ap- 

 preciated the wisdom of subordinating 

 recreation to business. Ho said that, 

 although the society might be regard- 

 ed as a trade organization for selfish 

 purposes, it was in reality doing a 

 great work for the best interests of 

 mankind in improving home surround- 

 ings and making the world happier. 

 He had begun his career as a gar- 

 dener by rooting; he had continued to 

 root; his advice to every one was to 

 root, for rooting was as necessary in 

 every-day life as in sports. He called 

 upon President S. S. Pennock of the 

 local club to read a letter from Gov- 

 ernor Stuart expressing regret at in- 

 ability to be present and open the 

 meeting. He then presented His 

 Honor, Mayor Reyburn of Philadel- 

 phia, who proceeded to extend a hearty 

 welcome to the visitors on behalf of 

 the city. 



He said in part: 



"What Mr. Westcott has said re- 



minds me that I am a sport. I believe 

 a sport is a man who gets much out of 

 nature in all her forms. I love the 

 sea and the blue skies and the flowers, 

 and I believe that that is the best kind 

 of a sport to be. I want to say that I 

 heartily favor the work of your so- 

 ciety. You bring out the beauties of 

 nature and furnish them to the people. 

 You are not inspired by selfish mo- 

 tives, but you work in the interests of 

 humanity. Philadelphia is sometimes 

 called a plain city, but we have many 

 noble things here, and I know that the 



Col. W. W. Castle 

 Who responded to the address of welcome. 



citizens are seconding me in extending 

 to you a cordial welcome." 



After the applause had quieted down 

 Mr. Westcott introduced W. W. Castle 

 of Boston, who stepped forward and 

 with words of cordial appreciation pre- 

 sented the Mayor with a magnificent 

 cluster of roses and lily of the valley 

 on behalf of the National Society and 

 then proceeded to voice the senti- 

 ments of the Society in response to 

 the words of kindly, hospitable wel- 

 come which had just been listened to. 

 With eloquent expression and well- 

 turned phrase this past-master of im- 



pressive oratory kept his audience 

 literally spell-bound as he told of the 

 great hospitable heart of the City of 

 Brotherly I.ove which had, on so many 

 impressive occasions, been opened to 

 welcome the stranger. He recalled 

 how Philadelphia had welcomed and 

 cared for the beardless boy advancing 

 to war and returning wounded or vic- 

 torious in 1860-65. He said Boston 

 was the Hub but the Hub 

 had to agree that Philadelphia 

 was the Axle. He continued, 

 but I realize how difficult it is for a 

 lay member to attempt to voice the 

 sentiment of an organization such as 

 this. The Society of American Florists 

 is not confined to a few localities; it 

 extends all over this nation. It has 

 representatives here from the coasts 

 of New England, from the Savannas, 

 from the land of the mocking bird, 

 from the mountains and valleys of the 

 Middle West, from where the Great 

 Divide cuts across the continent, from 

 across the Slope and clear down to 

 the golden sands of the Occident. It 

 has its aim and object, and no one 

 can say they are not the very best. 

 We have met here at the urgent re- 

 quest of your florists, and I can simply 

 say, Mr. Mayor, in response to your 

 courteous and eloquent words of wel- 

 come, we thank you. 



President Wm. J. Stewart was then 

 presented by the vice-president and 

 was accorded a most enthusiastic re- 

 ception, with long-continued applause. 

 The president then proceeded to read 

 his annual address which was closely 

 listened to by an audience which fairly 

 filled the theatre. It was as follows: 

 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Fellow Members and Guests: — The 

 occasion which we inaugurate so aus- 

 piciously today is a notable event in 

 the life of the organization whose 

 passing years these annual conven- 

 tions mark. Contemplating the hor- 

 ticultural advancement in this coun- 

 try since the founding of the Society 



