558 



HORTICULTURE. 



April 27, 1907 



NEWS OF THE CLUBS AND SOCIETIES 



AMERICAN ROSE SOCIETY. 

 Some Notes by the Secretary. 



The exhibition of the American Rose 

 Society held in Washington, D. C, last 

 month, and the publicity given by the 

 press, has made it apparent that a 

 widely extended interest in the affairs 

 of both rose growers and local socie- 

 ties in various places exists and, aside 

 from organizations or growers, also 

 from people of cultured tastes, who 

 address the secretary for information, 

 show an interest that is widespread 

 and leads me to give some facts per- 

 taining to the working of the society 

 and the preparation for the shows. 



Looking over the florists' trade pa- 

 pers, there are dozens of advertisers 

 offering roses of all classes for sale, 

 each one of whom could assist' the so- 

 ciety as a working popular force by 

 joining as members. The American 

 Rose Society is gaining in a life mem- 

 bership fund, but the sustaining mem- 

 bership is absolutely required, and 

 this may be supported by every rose 

 grower in America without being a 

 burdensome expense to themselves. 



A photograph of the exhibition, now 

 before me, gives a fine reproduction of 

 the beautiful effect as one entered the 

 hall at evening with the full effect of 

 the electric lights pouring down over 

 the great square hall with its wealth 

 of color and form that at once took the 

 eye. This photograph gives the per- 

 manent impression of the show. But 

 48 hours before, the secretary, as he 

 laced the same space, all ready to fill 

 up, which the Florists' Club of Wash- 

 ington had worked so hard to make 

 ready, was puzzled when at 5 o'clock 

 the night before the show was to 

 open, a gentleman from New York city 

 said: "This looks well, but what have 

 you got to fill it up with?" At that 

 instant every entry of all degrees 

 counted thirty-seven vases — a drop in 

 the bucket only. A few Washington 

 men gathered and the word was passed, 

 "we will have a show if we have to 

 empty our own houses." Here was 

 a perplexity to those on whose 

 shoulders rested the responsibility of 

 getting up an exhibition; at the last 

 minute they were in ignorance of what 

 ■was coming and the work of prepara- 

 tion was done on faith. 



It was ten o'clock Tuesday night 

 ■when a despatch came from M. H. 

 Walsh, saying "I am leaving Boston 

 ■with a carload of Ramblers." This 

 •despatch was like General Sherman's 

 ■signal "Hold the fort for I am com- 

 ing," then came a despatch from 

 Pierson saying "We have missed a 

 train but will be there with some fine 

 blooms." Wednesday morning, (the 

 show was to open at noon,) came 

 load after load from one and another 

 who had started the afternoon or 

 night before but had sent no word, 

 hence we were in tlie dark. Three 

 or four who had. entered were dis- 

 appointed at last, but by noon time a!! 

 doubt had vanished as to a Rose Show. 

 The roses were on hand. The judges. 

 Messrs. Craig, Kasiing and Hauswirth. 

 could not begin work until late and 

 this point I wish to give out to all 

 future exhibitors — try and let who- 

 ever is in charge know ahead that you 

 will come. 



There is a whole lot of detail work 

 in arranging these shows and such 

 shows as the American Rose Society 

 does put up are worthy of the visita- 

 tion of thousands of people; the sight 

 is one of beauty. The prizes taken 

 numbeied .5.5. The. Dorrance prize 

 trophy was carried off by Robert 

 Simpson of Clifton, N. J. This is the 

 first time anyone has captured that 

 prize; I^ord & Burnham's prize was 

 won twice by George Burton and ac- 

 cording to the terms of presentation 

 he nows owns it. Wm. H. Elliott 

 carried off the first which was put up 

 t)y Messrs. Moore, Hentz & Nash, of 

 $15.00 to go to the man who did the 

 real growing; this was John Pritchard; 

 the second prize, $10.00, went to Wm. 

 Ahlers, who grew for president Robert 

 Simpson. 



The number of special prizes offered 

 in Division F and G was 32 and of 

 these 8 were not won. The W. A. 

 Manda prize of $25.00 in gold is to be 

 won next year. John Breitmeyer & 

 Sons place their $25.00 in the treasury 

 lor next year. Alexander Mont- 

 gomery's cup remains for next year 

 also. The Hammond prize of $10.00 

 lor best foliage rose for dooryards re- 

 mains. This is as far as heard of 

 from the layovers. 



The Rose Society, by invitation of 

 the Chicago Florists' Ulub, goes to 

 that city in March, 1908. We want 1000 

 rose growers in the big centers and in 

 the villages from east and the west, 

 from the northland and the southland, 

 to join us as associate members and 

 we want to send to each some fre- 

 quent reminder so as to keep in touch 

 one with the other and when we hold 

 shows hereafter we want the people 

 to come to see them. The best card 

 we had in Y/ashington was to invite 

 the school children with their teachers 

 and the little folk came in flocks; two 

 of President Roosevelt's boys were 

 ihere and well-behaved and mannered 

 lads, too. 



BENJAMIN HAMMOND, 

 Sec. American Rose Society. 

 Fishkill-on-Hudson, N. Y., 



AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF 

 NURSERYMEN. 



The Committee en Exhibits are ready 

 to receive applications for space at 

 the forthcoming Convention of the 

 American Association of Nurserymen 

 to be held at Detroit, Mich., June 12th, 

 13th and 14th, next. Application 

 blanks can be secured from the chair- 

 man of the committee and any in- 

 formation required can be secured 

 from him. The committee have de- 

 cided that no api)lication for space 

 will be considered after the 1st of 

 June, and all exhibits must be in 

 place at the Exhibition Hall not latei- 

 than Tuesday evening, June 11th. 



Application for apace must be made 

 on blanks to he furnished by the 

 committee. Exhibits of every char- 

 ;-Cter, that will be of interest to 

 iiurseiymen. are solicited. Trees, 

 shrubs, fi^'iits, implements and machin- 

 ery and such devices that are or 

 can be used by nurserymen, are es- 

 pecially desired. 



The committee are anxious to make 

 this the most complete exhibit ever 

 made at tijn convention ard earnestl.- 



request ii'tending exhibitors to take . 

 the matter up with the chairman of 

 the committee as soon as possible, so 

 that arrangements can be made in 

 good time. Members of the Associa-. 

 tiou will confer a favor on the com- 

 mittee by advising them at once of the 

 names of any manufacturer of tools or 

 implements used by nurserymen so. 

 that an exhibit can be solicited from 

 them. 



THOMAS B. MEBHAN, 

 Chairman. 



GARDENERS' AND FLORISTS' 

 CLUB OF BOSTON. 



The annual sociable and ladies' 

 night of this cltib was enjoyed on 

 Wednesday evening, April 24, at Hor- 

 ticultural Hall, by a happy company of 

 160, of whom about one half were la- 

 dies. From the start, all preparations 

 for the event had been committed to 

 the care of Treasurer Edward Hatch, 

 past-master in the art of manag- 

 ing stich affairs. Efficient committees 

 had acted under his direction and the 

 result was a perfect success in every 

 particular The display of flowers on 

 the banquet tables, on the stage and . 

 the walls was lavish and tastefully 

 arranged. A number of witty mottoes 

 adorned the walls and provided amuse- 

 ment for those interested. Among the 

 donations of flowers were roses from 

 Waban Rose Conservatories, gardenias 

 from W. N. Craig, orchids from Dun- 

 can Finlayson, carnations from Peter 

 Fisher, antirrhinum from Wm. Swan, 

 Whitman fern from H. H. Barrows & 

 Son, miscellaneous flowers from Welch 

 Bros., and plants from W. W. Edgar 

 Co. Ed. Hatch presided over the very 

 brief proceedings, which required reg- 

 ulation after he had stood up. clad in 

 a mammoth bouttoniere of orchids on 

 one lapel and one of rhododendrons on 

 the other, and advised everybody to 

 fall in and demolish the viands. The 

 only speeches were by President West- 

 wood, Secretary Craig, J. K. M. L. 

 Farquhar, the Mayor of the city of 

 Lowell and his right bower, Mr. 'Whlt- 

 tet. The dinner was one of the best 

 ever provided for the club. An or- 

 chestra discoursed good music, and 

 after the tables had been cleared, 

 dancing was enjoyed until midnight 

 under the direction of Floor Manager 

 Peter Miller, previous to which Jack- 

 son Dawson sang a favorite song and 

 led the chorus in several popular songs 

 of the olden time. 



LENOX HORTICULTURAL SO- 



CIETY. . 



The regular meeting of the above 

 society was held on April 20, Presi- 

 dent Heereinans in the chair. The 

 assistant secretary's resignation was 

 accepted with regret, and E. Faucett 

 was elected to fill the vacancy. After 

 adjournment refreshments were served 

 and several of the members enter- 

 tained by speech-making and singing. 

 Mr. Eustace Jaques presented the 

 .society with a ma.gniflcent silver cup 

 for competition at the fall exhibition, 

 and was heartily thanked by Presi- 

 dent Heeienians. The following ex- 

 liibitions will be held by the society 

 in the Lenox Town Hall: rose and 

 strawberry. June 26: annual and 

 perennial. A'.igvist 15; the fall exhibl- 



