August 24. 1918 



HORTICULTURE 



193 



ranged to meet with the Federal Hor- 

 ticultural Board in its sessions, which 

 lasted all day. At three o'clock in the 

 afternoon, the sub-committee adjourned 

 and proceeded to the War Trade Board 

 for a lengthy conference with Mr. 

 Thomas W. Slocum. who presented 

 some other interesting officials and 

 had explained to us shipping condi- 

 tions of the world in a brief but com- 

 prehensive way. 



August 2nd a large truck from River- 

 ton, N. J., backed up to the greenhouse 

 on the south side of ilaryland avenue. 

 Despite the len.gth of the run, and the 

 fragile nature of the load, not a single 

 plant was injured, nor a pot broken. 

 This achievement is worthy of note in 

 this report, as for efficiency, quality 

 and service it stands out as an ex- 

 ample to the florists and gardeners of 

 the country. (Especially is it an ex- 

 ample to the man who says "it can't 

 be done," and is interrupted in his 

 saying it by some live wire coming 

 along and doing it.) It is also another 

 of the events now crowding thick and 

 fast upon us which demonstrate the 

 rapidity of the times in which we live. 

 The delivery of these plants in the 

 manner outlined above would have 

 been impossible a few years ago, but 

 now seems to be Init an incidental part 

 of the system of a firm whose motto 

 for years has been "Quality, quantity 

 and service." 



I am glad to report floral cultural 

 progress at the Arlington Experiment 

 Farm, under the able supervision of 

 Prof. F. L. Mulford. 



Continued progress with the rose 

 garden can be recorded. The plants 

 came through the winter in good con- 

 dition and have bloomed this year 

 better than ever before. One hundred 

 and twenty-two varieties have been 

 added to the collection this year. In- 

 terest in the garden seems to be on 

 the increase. An official visit of the 

 American Rose Society was made on 

 May 27 at the time many S. A. F. 

 members were in the city attending 

 important hearings. About 30 out-of- 

 town visitors were there. The date 

 was set ahead suddenly at the last mo- 

 ment to enable those attending the 

 other meetings to be present. The 

 garden was in show condition for three 

 weeks following the official visit. 

 After the official inspection and a 

 lunch, a visit was made to the Twin 

 Oaks rose garden at the invitation of 

 Mrs. Chas. J. Bell, daughter of the late 

 Mrs. Gardener Hubbard, where wel- 

 come refreshments were served. A 

 visit was also made to the Botanic 

 Garden later in the day. where our 

 fellow-member, George VC. Hess, re- 

 ceived us. 



A rather full report of the rose gar- 

 den was published in the American 

 Rose Annual for 1918. 



The peony test garden has made a 

 good growth this summer. But few 

 varieties were added last fall and this 

 spring, but there are several promised 

 tor this fall. Most of the varieties in 

 the garden bloomed this season and 

 next year a good reading should be ob- 

 tained of their behavior. All peony 

 lovers should take an active interest 

 in this garden and push the acquisi- 

 tion of the varieties. 



There is the nucleus for a good col- 

 lection of iris at the Arlington Farm. 

 There are now 250 varieties in it. As 



there is no society to push this at- 

 tractive flower, it is necessary that in- 

 dividual growers get in touch with the 

 Department and try to further this 

 work. 



Breeding and testing of outdoor 

 chrysanthemums with the object of 

 obtaining hardy early-flowering types 

 for the most northern states continues. 

 Sixty-three varieties have been saved 

 out of last year's seedlings and 500 ad- 

 ditional seedlings were grown this 

 year. 



Breeding for a yellow carnation 

 continues, as well as investigations of 

 some of the problems of the green- 

 house production of roses. 



Dr. Van Fleet is continuing the work 

 of breeding roses, freesia and other 

 work of interest to florists, while Dr. 

 Griffiths is continuing the work with 

 the Holland bulbs, Bermuda lilies and 

 other such plants, with results sug- 

 gesting conclusions of importance to 

 florists. 



An especial plea is made to all in- 

 terested in the plant collection to com- 

 municate with F. L. Mulford, Horticul- 

 turist, Departmetit of Agriculture. 



Too much praise cannot be given 

 to the Commanders of our Camps and 

 War Hospitals in and about the city 

 of Washington for their untiring ef- 

 forts to beautify the ground-; and pro- 

 vide plants and flowers for the sick 

 and wounded. Especial mention should 

 be made of Col. W. T. Truby, 'o charge 

 of Walter Reed General Hospital, and 

 also Major-General JIacGlnty, in com- 

 mand of Camp Meigs. These men have 

 done wonders in providing beauty and 

 fragrance in the shortest possible 

 time and every encouragement should 

 be extended to them, especially in 

 these trying times. 



The reports of State Vice-presidents 

 were considered as read. All the 

 amendments were adopted unani- 

 mously, also an appropriation for com- 

 mittee on school gardens. The Cleve- 

 land Florists' Club extended an invita- 

 tion and Cleveland was unanimously 

 selected for the 1920 convention city. 



W. A. Manda paid a kindly tribute 

 to Ex-President William J. Stewart 

 and moved that a telegram of greet- 

 ing be sent expressing hopes for his 

 speedy restoration to health. 



An association service flag is to be 

 purchased, on motion of Joe Hill of 

 Richmond, Ind. 



A letter from Mrs. R. E. Darbee 

 strongly commended the society's pub- 

 licity work. 



George A. Kuhl sent regrets of self 

 and wife, whose illness prevented at- 

 tendance. 



A letter from Frederick R. Xewboll 

 was read appealing for aid in main 

 tenance of four motors presented by 

 the New York Florists' Club and New 

 York Horticultural Society last sprin'? 

 to the American fund for French 

 wounded and an appropriation of five 

 hundred dollars was unanimously 

 voted. 



Ex-President Hill made remarks 

 congratulating the society on its 

 financial condition. 



The report of the Tariff and Legis- 

 lation Committee by Chairman Gude 

 was read and that portion referring to 

 fuel was laid over for discussion when 

 the F^iel Commissioner of Missouri 

 should visit the convention. Thursday 

 afternoon. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TAR- 

 IFF AND LEGISLATION 

 Wm. F. Gude, Chairman. 



At the outset, I want to say that 

 your rnumittee has worked on all 

 legislation affecting florists and their 

 allied iiuerests, since our last annual 

 meeting. How well they have succeed- 

 ed remains for the members of the S. 

 A. F. and O. H. to judge. 



We could easily present a report 

 here today covering many many pages, 

 if we were to Incorporate the hundreds 

 of letters and thousands of requests 

 that came to the committee, particu- 

 larly with reference to the coal situa- 

 tion, which, as many of us know to our 

 sorrow% succeeded in putting quite a 

 number of florists out of business dur- 

 ing the past winter, and, unless condi- 

 tions change very materially, will put 

 many more out next season. However, 

 let me assure every member of the 

 S. A. P. and O. H. and every other 

 florist that it is not the desire of the 

 United States Fuel Administration to 

 put any industry out of business or 

 see any business ruined, but it does 

 expect every person burning fuel to 

 grow flowers to do their bit toward 

 winning the war. To this end, it be- 

 hooves every florist in the United 

 States to do his utmost in co-operation 

 with the Fuel Administration in Wash- 

 ington. Conditions, of course, vary 

 materially with locations. For In- 

 stance, where coal would seem to be 

 most plentiful and the least needed 

 (in such a state as Alabama) it be- 

 came necessary, to conserve the war 

 industries, to put an absolute embargo 

 on all coal consumption unless used 

 directly in the interest of such war 

 industries. West of the Mississippi 

 River, where coal seems to be ample 

 and transportation in good shape, 

 there is a reasonable hope that the 

 florists in general will be able to se- 

 cure one hundred per cent, of their 

 fuel. In the states of Indiana and 

 Illinois we are now assured they will 

 be permitted to use their full one 

 hundred per cent of fuel, provided 

 they make arrangements to burn 

 cheaper coal or fuel above their fifty 

 per cent, allowance. Of course, as we 

 all know, on the Atlantic Seaboard, 

 there will be great diflSculty this com- 

 ing winter in securing the 50 per cent, 

 coal alotted unless conditions change 

 very materially. The demands for 

 war supplies from Richmond Va., to 

 Maine, and as far west as the Alle- 

 ghany Mts. is so enormous, and the 

 consumption by war industries is so 

 large that any institution not directly 

 interested in war manufactures cannot 

 hope for more than fifty per cent, of 

 coal and should be well satisfied if 

 tUey can secure that. 



During the past month there have 

 been hundreds of inquiries of all 

 kinds addressed to your committee on 

 tariff and legislation, all of which 

 have been cheerfully answered, and 

 answered and as promptly and com- 

 pletely as possible, under existing 

 conditions. 



The most serious situation confront- 

 ing the florists in the east was the 

 ruling under consideration by the Fuel 

 Administration of Washington deny- 

 ing florists any coal for the winter of 

 1917. The Board at that time took a 

 stand, that flowers were non-esssentlal. 



