THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



381 



deep lavender with pinkish suffusion, flowers are large 

 and invariably [iroduced four on a stem ; Hercules is an 

 immense pink of practically the same color as Countess 

 Spencer but an early and most profuse bloomer, and must 

 be included in all up-to-date collections. Needless to say, 

 all the above are true Spencers, this type having complete- 

 ly ousted the older Grandiflora forms from public favor, 

 and I am safe in prophecying that within a few years 

 very few, if any, of the original winter-flowering type of 

 sweet peas will be grown, they in their turn being put 

 out of the running by the new winter-flowering Spencers. 

 I have at Fordhook for the past four years been hybrid- 

 izing the original winter-flowering varieties, namely : 

 Burpee's Earliest of All (Christmas Pink), Burpee's 

 Earliest Sunbeams, Burpee's Earliest White and Burpee's 

 Re-selected Earliest of All, with the best of the Spencer 

 type and we have now evolved a new race of early winter- 

 flowering Spencer type, and got practically all the colors 

 found in the original Spencers, and others of completely 

 new shades not hitherto seen. It may, however, be a year 

 or so ere there will be sufficient seed of this new race to 

 oft'er to the public. 



SAGE ADVICE. 



Amateur Gardener, liloonifield. — I'^'ee government 

 seed can be secured by writing the Congressman from 

 your district, addressing him at Washington, D. C. For 

 less than $1 seed far more reliable and of better varieties 

 can be purchased from a seed firm, and the seed thus pur- 

 chased wdll be more certain of successful results. It is 

 never advisable to sow government seed, notwithstand- 

 ing that they are given away. One should never look a 

 gift horse in the face, but government seeds ar^ as thank- 

 less a gift as any gift well can be. — Newark (N. J.) Eve- 

 ning News. 



"MRS. HUGH DICKSON. 



Benefits of Affiliation 



By J. Otto Thilow, Philadelphia, Pa. 



The apparent growth of the florist business in these 

 latter days, and the bringing into prominence those 

 who are skilful in special lines, is altogether due to the 

 horticultural press. It is with difficulty that the every- 

 day newspaper, and even magazines of prominence 

 and popularity, can be influenced by what they see of 

 horticultural interest to make even a feeble effort to 

 bring before the public the spirit of that vocation we 

 claim to be one of importance in the social and busi- 

 ness life. 



Whatever method or means used to bring the florist 

 into prominence is establishing affiliation betw-een con- 

 sumer and dealer, a getting together of the two potent 

 factors which must exist for the welfare of any busi- 

 ness or even its existence. 



It was found necessary a, quarter century ago, for the 

 florists of this country and Canada to get together for 

 the good of each other, partly socially, but more espe- 

 cially for the advancement of the business. Although 

 only by the annual convention, it is a vital stimulus to 

 himself and his vocation. 



Since tlfe organization of the S. A. F., every other 

 branch of horticulture and the allied trades have made 

 marked strides. Ideas of construction introduced by 



mechanical experts far beyond the abiHty of the florist 

 to conceive, the application of these has engendered 

 activity which, confined to some individual establish- 

 ments, cover areas of over a million feet of glass; un- 

 dreamed of two decades ago. Improved methods of 

 growing, a tendency to meet and even lead the de- 

 mands of the most critical. No other industry supplies 

 to the consumer a product which gives more cheer and 

 entertainment than that of flowers and plants; they 

 make up with the spirit of brightening and ilhiminat- 

 ing not only the social and festive hours, but tlie whole 

 period of our existence. Such have been the advances 

 in the florist and allied trades. Nurserymen, park and 

 cemetery superintendents have banded in separate or- 

 ganizations; what for? That they may learn from 

 each other methods to pursue for the uplift of their 

 profession and themselves* THE NATIONAL AS- 

 SOCIATION OF GARDENERS, no different in its 

 needs, but quite so in its achievements, has fallen into 

 line, still quite young, but beyond the creeping stage. 



.\ffiliation is the active life blood infused into all 

 channels of business, but with more zest and zeal into 

 that of horticulture than any other. We deal with a 

 product which is nature's own, and our skill is only a 



