August 21, 1909 



HORTICULTURE 



271 



aociety have been interested in cross- 

 fertilizing. Ten or a dozen men de- 

 voted to that class of work could get 

 into a small room and hold a very in- 

 ter'esting session. Perhaps a half 

 dozen similar meetings might be in 

 session at one time in different rooms 

 and it would be necessary to devote to 

 them at least, one day of the conven- 

 tion so that on that day no g'eneral 

 business session would be held. These 

 sessions being composed of a much 

 smaller number of men than the large 

 convention would be less formally con- 

 ducted. Expressions of opinion would 

 be much mofe frank and men too dif- 

 fident to speak in a large convention 

 would gladly take part in the proceed- 

 ings. The most valuable points we get 

 at these conventions are often obtained 

 in the informal talks in hotel lobbies 

 or in private rooms and there are very 

 few who fail to pick up something of 

 interest and value on such occasions. 



The retailers' section would receive 

 the reports of the officers of the de- 

 livery association and its arbitration 

 committee would adjust controversies. 

 They would discuss the best methods 

 of drawing and holding trade; the best 

 methods of bookkeeping and of collect- 

 ing accounts; protection against "Dead 

 Beats"; claims for commission put for- 

 ward by mercenary servants; the 

 adoption of uniform charges for the 

 rental of decorative plants; the proper 

 policy to pursue toward churches and 

 societies asking for donations. All 

 these and many other subjects would 

 furnish fruitful topics for discussion. 

 So many and such substantial benefits 

 would be offered that the retailers 

 simply could not afford to stay out. 



The resultant gathering together of 

 retailers would induce larger and 

 more profitable displays by those con- 

 cerns who cater to that trade. 



These are possible means for 

 strengthening and upbuilding our so- 

 ciety among the classes at present in- 

 cluded in our membership and I 

 fecommend them to your careful con- 

 sideration. It is my firm conviction 

 that if some such plan as this had 

 been followed, we would have had a 

 Rose Section, a Carnation Section and 

 a Chrysanthemum Section instead of 

 separate societies which are doing com- 

 mendable work but are to some extent 

 depleting our ranks. 



Encourage Organization of Amateur 

 Societies. 



We must admit that In the past this 

 society has been conducted as a trade 

 organization, witliont any pretense of 

 occupying that broader and larger field 

 which includes the flower-loving pub- 

 lic. 



It is not my intention to criticise 

 that attitude, for it may have been the 

 only one which would have carried the 

 society safely through the perils which 

 beset it; but tbe time has surely come 

 when we should assume that high 

 place in horticultural councils to which 

 our national charter entitles us. 



The amateur will never find much of 

 interest in a convention of florists and 

 I do not assume that any merging of 

 the two elements into one convention 

 would be acceptable to either; but our 

 interests should induce us to syste- 

 matically encourage the organizing of 

 amateur societies, meeting in annual 

 convention on the delegate plan, under 

 the encouragement of the S. A. F. and 



O. H. until such time as the amateurs 

 preferred to release the helping hand 

 and walk alone. Our Secretary ought 

 to have the time and the means at his 

 disposal so that he could help active- 

 ly in promoting and organizing such 

 societies. The National Council of 

 Horticulture, which is partly main- 

 tained from the treasury of this so- 

 ciety, does gieat good through the pub- 

 lication of articles of a horticultural 

 character intended to meet the needs 

 of amateurs. This same organization 

 could do much to stimulate the growth 

 of such an association of amateur 

 flower growers. 



It would be impossible to calculate 

 the increased demand for our products 

 as the result of such an organization 

 if it could be made to catch the popu- 

 lar fancy. The greatest good resulting 

 from such a movement, however, 

 would be the adorning of places now 

 barren and the stimulating of the love 

 for Nature's beauties among the people 

 of this great land of ours. 



Countless small societies and clubs 

 are but waiting the heat of enthusiasm 

 to fuse them into a mighty force which 

 shall remove the ugly scars from our 

 landscape and convert thousands of 

 dreary towns into the abiding places 

 of beauty. Shall we be faint-hearted 

 and say this is too much to accom- 

 plish, or shall we say that the fulfill- 

 ment of this noble purpose is both our 

 duty and our rightful prerogative? 



I recommend the appointment of a 

 committee with authority to take up 

 this work in a preliminary way and 

 report progress at our next convention. 



Change in By-Laws. 



The business affairs of a society like 

 ours are varied in character and the 

 proper handling of them calls for 

 energy, experience and good judgment. 

 The man upon whom the chief respon- 

 sibility rests in these matters is the 

 Secretary of the society. In the past 

 you have been exceedingly fortunate 

 in the men who have been selected for 

 this important work and I, therefore, 

 feel perfectly free to express my opin- 

 ion, since none can consider it as per- 

 sonal criticism. I am firmly of the 

 opinion that the convention of this so- 

 ciety should not elect its Secretary, but 

 should leave that important duty to be 

 undertaken by the board of directors, 

 who will closely scrutinize the qualifi- 

 cations of such men as seem available 

 and will select the man they think best 

 suited for the position. In the privacy 

 of the board room such matters can 

 be fully discussed, whereas such a dis- 

 cussion on the floor of the convention 

 would be unwise. Large business con- 

 cerns do not allow their stockholders 

 to elect the active head of the concern, 

 but that important matter is settled in 

 directors' meeting. 



Under our present arrangement each 

 convention brings the peril that some 

 popular but incompetent man will be 

 boosted into this office on a temporary 

 wave of enthusiasm. Any man who 

 has held the office of President of this 

 society will gladly testify how much 

 he has been compelled to turn to the 

 Secretary for guidance and how com- 

 pletely the welfare of the society is in 

 his keeping. 



What I have said concerning the 

 election of Secretary applies also, but 

 with less force, to the election of a 

 Treasurer. In my judgment the busi- 



ness conduct of the society should be 

 under the control of the board of di- 

 rectors. I, therefore, recommend such 

 a change in our by-laws as will pro- 

 vide for the convention electing two 

 directors each year for a term of three 

 years, instead of their appointment by 

 the President, as at present, and for 

 the election of the Secretary and 

 Treasurer by the board of directors, 

 si.bject to removal at their discretion. 



If our Society is to expand its field 

 of usefulness or properly culivate the 

 field it now occupies, it must be able 

 to secure the entire time of a capable 

 man as Secretary. The year would be 

 all too short in which to do the many 

 helpful things such a man would find 

 to do in visiting and encouraging local 

 clubs, both professional and amateur, 

 lu addressing meetings in villages 

 where it was desired to awaken an 

 interest in horticulture, our present 

 Secretary has been able to do some 

 good for the cause, but under our pres- 

 ent plan the time devoted to such 

 things must be taken at the expense 

 of private interests. 



It is a conscientious conception of 

 the work that a secretary ought to do 

 which has forced our present efficient 

 ofl'cer to decide that he must not con- 

 tinue in the work, in justice to his 

 own interests and the interests of his 

 business associates. 



The undertaking of ambitious proj- 

 ects with hope of success necessitates 

 expenditures. This society ought to 

 be in a position to spend money for 

 the things which would ultimately 

 pr(>fit its members and promote the 

 objects for which it is conducted. At 

 present our income is too limited to 

 permit of anything but the most nee-. 

 essary expenditures. 



It is lamentable that a society of a 

 thousand florists banded together can- 

 not collectively spend money for de- 

 sirable ends when it has hundreds of 

 men within its ranks who would not 

 hesitate to individually incur the ex- 

 pense in their own interest. Whether 

 some means cannot successfully be de- 

 vised for very largely increasing the 

 funds at the disposal of the society is 

 a subject which should have the care- 

 ful attention of an energetic and able 

 committee. 



National Flower Show. 



The most important incident since 

 our last convention was the National 

 Flower Show held under the auspices 

 of this and kindred societies in Chica- 

 go last November. What was accomp- 

 lished will be reported to you at this 

 mef ting by the Chairman of the Exec- 

 utive Committee. 



Another committee has been ap- 

 pointed to take up the matter of a 

 similar show in some Eastern city and 

 will also report to you at this meet- 

 ing. 



It is very encouraging to know that 

 the Chicago Show was held with profit 

 to the guarantors and to this society 

 for that fact alone makes the success 

 of fuure shows more probable. 

 New Opportunities. 



JIany articles, notably azaleas, bulbs 

 and palms, are imported into this 

 country in immense numbers, and the 

 impression is general that a large 

 part of these importations might be 

 profitably grown in the United States. 

 In order to judge as to the merit of 

 such an enterprise, the fullest and 



