Feekvauy 26. li)0:!. 



The Weekly Florists* Review. 



525 



L. E. Marquisee's New White Carnation Albatross, Certificated at the Brooklyn Exhibition 

 of the American Carnation Society. 



Xow, Avhat I am going to sa}' in con- 

 clusion will be said with the most friend- 

 ly spirit to all without exception. Yet 

 it is only proper and loyal to the society 

 that just criticisms should be made 

 where they are called for. And I say. 

 and all spoken to on the subject agreed 

 with me, that our sj^stem of entering 

 exhibits, numbering exhibits when 

 staged, and judges' books and announc- 

 ing awards, is simply a miserable failure. 

 It's not worth calling a system. They 

 do better at a pumpkin fair in some re- 

 mote county in Oklahoma. It's out- 

 rageous and ridiculous and always has 

 been. Tlie last hour on Friday niglit 

 men did not know whether their vari- 

 ety had received a certificate, or in other 

 classes whether they had received an 

 award, and as for the public, they could 

 learn nothing. Judges could not find the 

 exhibits and some exhibits never got 

 judged. Something must and shall be 

 done to remedy this dismal confusion. 

 One thing will be done at Detroit, I feel 

 sure. Every exhibit in the same class 

 or section -ivill be by itself, at least 

 until it is judged. Tliat will be one 

 good reform, but that is only part of 

 the trouble; other reforms will come. 

 William Scott. 



CONVENTION IMPRESSIONS.' 



It is next to impossible, after attend- 

 ing the convention at Brooklyn, to apply 

 oneself to the task of writing cultural 

 notes, especially when it is considered 

 that it was my first oflfense in being 

 caught in such good company. There- 

 fore I ask you to pardon this digression, 

 bearing with me while I touch briefly on 

 a few impressions received. 



\Vlien it is considered with what diffi- 



culty the growers have been beset this 

 winter, it was marvelous to observe the 

 enthusiasm with which all took hold to 

 do their share toward making the exhi- 

 bition the grand one that it was. The 

 extreme cold weather completely ruined 

 a number of what would have been in- 

 structive as well as beautiful exhibits. 

 One in particular being that of Jlr. 

 Baur, who started with blooms of In- 

 dianapolis in fine form, but on arrival 

 were found to be frozen. 



With Detroit as the next meeting 

 place and the able President Rackham at 

 the helm we shall certainly find every 

 arrangement for a total eclipse of all 

 pre\nous conventions. I have Jlr. Rack- 

 ham's word for this, and the next one 

 being No. 13. everything promises well, 

 for witness the success of our thirteen 

 original states. 



Many reasons lead me to believe that 

 the month of March is late in the sea- 

 son to hold an exhibition of carnations, 

 but as the majority so ruled let not our 

 interest wane. 



I will not attempt to elaborate on the 

 appearance of the diflferent varieties, ex- 

 cept to say that Adonis was not shown 

 at its best; at least this was the opin- 

 ion of all who saw it last year at In- 

 dianapolis. Mr. Marquisee, with Fla- 

 mingo, created a sensation. 



There was a general feeling that a 

 great mistake was made in not prepar- 

 ing some definite program. As stated 

 in advance, it was thought most of the 

 time would be consumed in the adoption 

 of by-laws. etc. Tliis proving out of the 

 question early in the session, left ample 

 time for several conducted trips to be 

 taken to the various growers near Brook- 

 Ivn; but I heard none announced, though 



small parties visited as liest they could. 

 Personally conducted trips would have 

 been greatly enjoyed bv the rank and 

 file. 



The second day's session opened late 

 and after a short session adjourned 

 without any reference to the question 

 box. Was this also frozen in transit? 



The convention was essentially one of 

 exhibition alone, and left nothing to be 

 desired in that direction, while the so- 

 ciety's meetings in session were devoid 

 of interest to growers, in that there was 

 a lack of discussion on subjects pertain- 

 ing to the cultivation of the carnation. 



The Brooklyn Horticultural Society 

 made every efifort and spared no expense 

 to make the convention a success, and 

 with the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and. 

 Sciences, these bodies are to be com- 

 mended for their warm reception of the 

 society and the thanks of every member 

 is due them. I do not think it was the 

 intention of the organizers of the society 

 when first formed, that it should be a 

 mutual admiration society or to found 

 a school for the display of parliamentary 

 knowledge. 



Less quibbling over points of law, or, 

 perhaps, rather the elimination of any 

 chance of sparring and more attention to 

 the real objects sought would, to my 

 mind, be of great benefit to the members. 



The banquet was well attended and the 

 menu sufficiently elaborate to satisfy the 

 most fastidious taste. 



Hon. T. L. Woodruff as toastmaster 

 was perfection, and every speaker seemed 

 at his best, but space forbids reference 

 to each. 



The time limit of ten minutes put on 

 'Sir. Scott was rather hard on one who 

 always has so much to say and is so in- 

 teresting to listen to, but he will con- 

 tinue to write to us. 



The ladies were conspicuous by their 

 absence from the banquet. Of course 

 there must have been a reason, but after 

 hearing Hon. Richard Young and Robert 

 Craig enlarge on "Flowers and Their 

 Relation to Art" and "Tlie Influence of 

 Flowers Upon the Ethical Side of Life" 

 one could not imagine the reason, espe- 

 cially when Mr, ioung brought out the 

 point "where flowers bloom purity of 

 thought ex-ists," 



Reference is hereby made to pages 95 

 and 96, proceedings 1902, Indianapolis, 

 where it will be seen how the hospitable 

 west take care of the wives, daughters 

 and mothers. 



Assuring all that I had a royal good 

 time, I beg to remain. 



Yours as ever, 



Geo, S, Osborx, 



ROSES. 



As the season of repotting is now upon 

 us with all its hurry and bustle, when 

 a certain amount of work must be ac- 

 complished within a limited time, we 

 must not lose sight of the fact that in 

 order to secure good, healthy stock it 

 must also be efficiently done. 



Repotting is one of these duties that 

 requires great care and skill and to be 

 successful and profitable must be accom- 

 panied by speed. There is, however, a 

 speed lirait which it is unsafe to tres- 

 pass, as some of the work is certain to 

 be done in a slovenly and careless man- 

 ner. 



To have the work done in a thorough 

 tradesmanlike manner with a fair re- 

 gard to speediness should be set as the 

 standard of excellence. This, of course, 

 does not apply to those factories where 



