194 



HORTICULTURE 



August 24, 1918 



and, therefore, should be denied coal. 

 However, after many conferences by 

 vour committee, we succeeded in con- 

 vincing them that flowers were es- 

 sential to war work (as was evident 

 by the enormous demand for them in 

 France, England and our other allied 

 countries, after three years of war ) and, 

 therefore, they should not be denied 

 to the American people who were just 

 entering the war at that time. Finally, 

 the Fuel Administration agreed that 

 we should curtail our consumption 33 

 per cent., and the order went out 

 through the trade papers and through 

 everv official medium. This order, we 

 are happy to say, was agreed to and 

 carried out by the great majority of 

 florists the length and breadth of our 

 land. However, there were cases 

 where the call came too late, and 

 would have meant ruin to some of the 

 florists to curtail 33 per cent., owing 

 to the terrific winter that was on us 

 at that time; a winter, which lasted 

 longer than any cold spell any florist 

 here can recall. In March of 1918, 

 your committee was notified that the 

 33 per cent, reduction would not be 

 sufficient, and for the fall of 1918 a 

 fifty per cent, reduction at least would 

 be iu order. The Fuel Administration 

 also stated that on account of the late- 

 ness of the season the matter would 

 not be taken up until the middle sum- 

 mer or fall. Your committee, at once 

 on the job, impressed upon the Fuel 

 Administration that whatever the fuel 

 allowance decided upon, the florists as 

 a unit would stand by the Administra- 

 tion to help win the war, but that it 

 was imperative, whatever the ruling, 

 it should be made forthwith in March, 

 or at least not later than April, so that 

 the greenhouse owners could plan ac- 

 cordingly and plant their places to the 

 best advantage. After this fifty per 

 cent, curtail became known through 

 the trade papers and the Washington 

 office, your president, your secretary 

 and the Washington office were bom- 

 barded with letters, telegrams and In- 

 quiries, wanting to know what to do 

 and what it all meant. While the 

 committee had done everything it pos- 

 sibly could for the coal situation, it 

 seemed best to call a conference 

 (which was done on May 28th) to go 

 over the whole situation. Accordingly, 

 the date was secured on which the 

 Fuel Administration was willing to 

 meet such delegations. 



The whole situation was gone over, 

 points that did not seem clear to some 

 before were made as plain as possible, 

 and, while the conference did not 

 avail much at least it impressed upon 

 the Fuel Administration that we were 

 trying to look after our interests, and 

 it also created a further assurance to 

 the florists throughout the United 

 States and Canada that their officers 

 were doing all they could to further 

 their interests by giving their time 

 and money in trying to serve their 

 fellow florists. 



Since the May conference many 

 other problems have arisen, some 

 florists stating that they could get all 

 the coal they wanted, and asking 

 should they accept, and, if they did 

 accept it could they burn it. Some 

 wanted to know what kind of coal 

 they could buy. Others were having 

 trouble with their State Fuel Admin- 

 istrator and with their local fuel ad- 



ministrator. Other florists wished to 

 be placed on a priority list. People 

 running greenhouses and burning 

 thirty tons of coal claimed they would 

 freeze out if they could not have their 

 hundred per cent. And so we might 

 go on, but as the war conditions are 

 changing daily, as labor conditions 

 are changing daily, and the transporta- 

 tion is changing daily, we must be 

 prepared for these new conditions. 



One of the finest achievements of 

 the committee on tariff and legislation 

 tor the florists throughout the country 

 was taking care of the so-called small 

 grower in securing am official order 

 from the United States Fuel Adminis- 

 tration allowing any one using less 

 than forty tons per annum his full 

 one hundred per cent., and also allow- 

 ing the use of other fuel if it did not 

 interfere with war work. 



The appointment of the United 

 States Tariff Commission, a body tor 

 gathering information and suggesting 

 recommendations, created to continue 

 its operations for a considerable 

 period of time; to make not one re- 

 port, but a series of them. Members ■ 

 of said Commission are appointed for 

 terms of 12 years, and in the act of 

 establishing the Commission, Congress 

 authorized a continuing appropriation. 

 In view of the establishing of the 

 above Commission, it would be well 

 for the members of the S. A. F. and 

 O. H. to keep in mind the existence of 

 this commission and from time to 

 time forward to the Chairman of the 

 Committee on Tariff and Legislation 

 detail of all florists' troubles either in 

 operation of the law or otherwise, in 

 order that they may keep the commis- 

 sion fully advised of the requirements 

 of the florists and horticulturists. 



The following is the wording of the 

 invitation of the Commission itself in- 

 viting information and suggestions. 



"We welcome information and sugges- 

 tions from all quarters ami we shall not 

 fail to give attentive consideration to every- 

 thing that reaches us. Many problems ami 

 difficulties will suggest temselves to busi- 

 ness men in their owe experience which 

 would be valuable to the Commission. 

 Many views will present themselves which 

 would escape notice unless freely brought 

 to the attention of some co-ordinate body. 

 We constitute a son of clearing house for 

 discussion and the gathering of informa- 

 tion, and we welcome contributions from 

 all quarters." 



Your committee has had many other 

 problems in the past few months, all 

 of which were promptly dealt with 

 and the flndings given to the trade 

 papers for publication in the shortest 

 possible time so that all interested 

 could promptly be advised. 



A. F. J. Baur of Indianapolis nomi- 

 nated J. J. Hess for re-election as 

 treasurer. For directors the nominees 

 were Joseph Hill of Richmond. Ind., 

 by George Asmus; John A. Evans of 

 Richmond, Ind., by R. C. Kerr; J. S. 

 Wilson of Des Moines, by Fred C. 

 Weber, Sr.; Chas. L. Baum of Knox- 

 ville, Tenn., by Joseph Manda, and 

 C. C. PoUworth of Wilwaukee, Wis., 

 by Fred Lautenschlager. 



An address on National Credits and 

 Collections was listened to with much 

 interest and upon conclusion was 

 given a vote of thanks. The report of 

 the committee on National Credits 

 and Collections was presented by R. 

 C. Kerr and the recommendations 

 were concurred in. Letters were read 

 from William J. Stewart, Ella Grant 

 Wilson and Theodore Wirth. Michael 

 Barker, John G. Esler and J. A. Peter- 

 son were appointed a committee on 

 Necrology. 



At the afternoon session on Wednes- 

 day the report of the committee on 

 Publicity by Chairman Henry Penn 

 was the first event. 



The President's reception in the 

 evening was as usual a very enjoyable 

 occasion. 



WEDNESDAY'S SESSION. 



The first business on Wednesday 

 morning was the nomination of officers 

 for 1919. For president, L. Jules 

 Bourdet of St. Louis nominated J. 

 Fred Ammann of Edwardsville, 111.; 

 J. T. D. Fulmer of Des Moines, la., 

 nominated A. L. Miller, Jamaica, N. Y. 

 Mr. Miller declined. For vice-presi- 

 dent, F. A. Friedley of Cleveland, 0., 

 nominated Robert Rahaley of Detroit 

 and W. L. Rock nominated E. A. 

 Fetters of Detroit. R. C. Kerr of 

 Houston, Texas, nominated John 

 Young for re-election as secretary and 



REPORT OF PUPLICITY COM- 

 MITTEE. 

 Henry Penn, Chairman. 



The first half of our National Ad- 

 vertising Campaign came to a close 

 in June, so that I believe it is now 

 time to review the work of the past 

 six months and also consider what 

 future action is deemed most expe- 

 dient. 



Our original plan called for an ex- 

 penditure of $50,000 for the first year, 

 $40,000 to be applied to national mag- 

 azine advertising (omitting the months 

 of July, August and September) and 

 $10,000 to cover the cost of the Pro- 

 motion Bureau and other incidental 

 expenses in connection with the cam- 

 paign. 



As we did not have $50,000 on hand 

 or promised at the time, it was not 

 deemed wise to make any plans be- 

 yond June, and we instructed our ad- 

 vertising agency accordingly. 



Sec'y Young will submit or proba- 

 bly has submitted a report showing 

 the expenditures up to date, and the 

 balance we now have on hand to 

 carry on future publicity plans. 



A brief survey of the advertising 

 which has been done will, perhaps, 

 not be out of place, although I believe 

 most of our members are more or less 

 familiar with our efforts. 



The campaign as you know started 

 off in February with a full page val- 

 entine advertisement in the Saturday 

 Evening Post, and although it had to 

 be considerably rushed to catch the 

 issue, I am sure the advertisement 

 was admirable in every way. That 

 the results were extremely gratifying 

 we all know. 



The next most notable advertise- 

 ment was the color page in the Met- 

 ropolitan Magazine for July. Some 

 doubt was expressed by some of our 

 members as to the advisability of 

 using this publication, but I am sure 

 the secretary will bear me out that 

 the replies received from this particu- 

 lar advertisement was overwhelming 

 proof that it was carefully read by 

 the public and that we got our first 

 really inspirational message on flow- 

 ers across. 



On Mothers' Day we all experienced 



