August 31, 1918 



HORTICULTURE 



221 



from that of which I expected to sub- 

 mit when I last reported to the society 

 in New York last August. At that 

 time, our committee was fairly well 

 satisfied with all conditions pertaining 

 to what we expected would be a suc- 

 cessful Fifth National Flower Show. 



You all know that to carry out and 

 exploit properly a National Flower 

 Show it is necessary to start two or 

 three years in advance. Following 

 this custom, we arranged for the leas- 

 ing of property adjoining this beauti- 

 ful building at which we are now in 

 convention for the erection of a tem- 

 porary building which would take care 

 of the plant exhibits. 



It was the idea of our committee, 

 if possible, to have various depart- 

 ments that go to make up a National 

 Flower Show, separated, having sup- 

 plies and accessories in one part; the 

 cut flowers and decorative novelties, 

 and displays by retail men in another 

 part, and the beautiful rose gardens 

 and exhibits of plants in another part. 



Those in attendance at this conven- 

 tion can see how well the plans were 

 laid, to carry and effect this plan. The 

 location of this building being in the 

 center of the most beautiful residen- 

 tial part of St. Louis, and practically 

 in the center of the city and adjacent 

 to three of the most prominent car 

 lines, and being on the principal boule- 

 vard drive, we thought we were espe- 

 cially fortunate in the location. 



Our committee also felt confident that 

 we need have no worry about attend- 

 ance, because our merchandise is one 

 that at all times appeals to the public, 

 but particularly so at the present time 

 when the nation needs something to 

 cheer them and their thoughts. This 

 was proven by the attendance at the 

 spring show in New York City. 



However, circumstances developed 

 rapidly that made the prospects of the 

 exhibition look very dubious, first the 

 government's order to cut down on the 

 use of fuel In our greenhouse plants. 

 This was followed up by the trade do- 

 ing all they could to meet that demand 

 of our government and the result 

 being that the exhibition plants were 

 the first to be "tabooed," and then 

 all of the large, private greenhouses 

 owned by wealthy men were closed 

 and the exhibits from them were lost. 



And then the freight and express 



conditions loomed up in such a dis- 

 couraging manner as to render it al- 

 most impossible to figure on getting 

 exhibits through to the exhibition in 

 good condition or on time. 



It was with much reluctance that 

 our committee met and decided for the 

 best interests of all, we must abandon 

 the show during the war period and 

 while we felt that the financial obli- 

 gations we had assumed in the monies 

 that was spent would be a total loss, 

 we felt that the members of the so- 

 ciety and guarantors would feel better 

 towards the position we took, than 

 had we tried to go through with a 

 National Flower show that was not 

 national and not in keeping with the 

 intentions of these wonderful exhi- 

 bitions, such as we have had in the 

 past. 



It is to such men as C. W. Ward who 

 was striving so hard to prove to the 

 trade in this country that we can pro- 

 duce in our beautiful climates a great 

 many of the plants and bulbs we have 

 been exporting from foreign countries, 

 and at a considerable expense to his 

 company, they had a large exhibit of 

 plants which were being grown for the 

 contemplated exhibition. I know of a 

 number of other large growers, pri- 

 vate greenhouses and state experi- 

 mental greenhouses that were also 

 preparing to display. It is to these 

 that our committee wishes to offer 

 thanks for their support, and I wish 

 also to mention at this time, the loy- 

 alty of the local florists and allied 

 tradesmen, who had rallied to the 

 support of our committee to such an 

 extent as we have never known before 

 in any other city. 



We have every reason to think that 

 in normal times St. Louis would be an 

 ideal place for a National Flower 

 Show and it is my sincere hope that 

 I will live to see the day that St. Louis 

 has a National Flower Show, if not 

 the next one. 



It was a beautiful dream that our 

 committee had and those of you in at- 

 tendance will look out at the wonder- 

 ful piece of property next to this 

 building and realize what it would 

 have been to see the sunken gardens, 

 rose gardens, tropical plant gardens, 

 all with natural sod and beautifully 

 laid out walks with every necessity for 

 the watering and care that the plants 

 would have in any greenhouse. 



I do not wish to forget to mention 

 the support given us and promised for 

 the exhibition by the Missouri Botan- 

 ical Gardens; Dr. Moore and his staff 

 had promised us their support and 

 this meant very much to our commit- 

 tee and those of you who will or have 

 visited this wonderful institution can 

 realize what an asset it would be to a 

 National Flower Show. 



I will not trouble the convention at 

 this time by reading off items of ex- 

 pense that were incurred by the ad- 

 vance work for the show, but I will 

 state that the sum of money that was 

 expended which we must figure as 

 being a loss was $5,423.28. I believe 

 that the city of St. Louis might have 

 received some benefit through the 

 publicity given the show and I feel 

 sure that it is better to have wasted 

 a few thousand dollars than to take a 

 chance and make it a failure of what 

 has always been a success in the his- 

 tory of our society. 



Then, too, I know that the members 

 of our society are patriotic to the 

 highest degree and the government's 

 wishes are first in all matters. There- 

 fore, our society had no alternative 

 but to do as all the country is doing 

 at present — put aside every thought 

 but the one, that is to WIN THE 

 WAR. 



REPORT OF SCHOOL GARDEN 

 COMMITTEE, 1918. 



From correspondence which has 

 come to hand, it would seem as if it 

 would be out of fashion not to en- 

 gage in vegetable raising, but the 

 home cry is, "Well, I want some flow- 

 ers," and there is one thing certain, 

 the love of flowers or the cultivation 

 of flowers will not die out in the 

 United States and Canada. This past 

 year, in many places, has been a try- 

 ing one for florists, but with an at- 

 tention to home and school gardening, 

 the Department of Agriculture at 

 Washington and other Institutions 

 have strongly pushed this work. To 

 every State Department of Education 

 in tile United States, the Society of 

 American Florists has put itself on 

 record, that the florists of the United 

 States are the people whose training 

 fits them to aid in this beneficial 

 work. To every town, village or city 

 where there is a member of the S. 



