For October, 1921 



751 



arose so that lie could not come. I have no doubt that similar 

 conditions have prevented many others from attending this 

 assembly. A gardener has to use a great deal of tact about 

 things. Many of these gardeners who could not come here 

 in person are, I am sure, with us in spirit, and are grieving 

 over the fact that they could not be with us. 



MR. McCULLOCH: We may have our plans all out- 

 lined and about an hour before we start work our employers 

 come out and they wish to see us. I may state we have co- 

 operation among gardeners in the East. Some, perhaps, 

 may be a little delinquent. We have good men in the 

 profession right here but we want to get down to a basis 

 of working conditions for our organizations. I think the 

 idea they have in the West of one dollar for dues is a 

 good one to keep the small expenses moving. 



SECRETARY EBEL: I want to ask Mr. McCidloch if 

 he thinks a flower show would be a success with an attend- 

 ance such as we have had the last two days. It seems that 

 the gardeners can get out to the flower shows, but when it 

 comes to the National Association of Gardeners they can't 

 seem to get there. A gardener's duty is at his post and if 

 we are not there when our employer wants us, they don't 

 want us. 



MR. M.ACKINTOSH: It is a fact recognized now among 

 manufacturers and it has come to be almost law that people 

 have to take their vacations. There are very few employers 

 who do not realize that. If they are away a week or two, 

 whichever it may happen to be, they come back with renewed 

 vigor and energy making up more than the employer lost 

 during their absence. I have always made it a point to 

 attend conventions since I came to this country. I look 

 upon that as my vacation. After all is said and done, I don't 

 think that any gardener can spend his vacation in a more 

 profitable way than to attend a convention, where he meets 

 more friends, gets more information, and is brought into 

 closer contact with the perplexing difficulties which this 

 profession faces today. 



PRESIDENT CRAIG: I quite agree with Mr. Mackintosh. 

 • but I must say that I am quite well satisfied with the attend- 

 ance, but it could be improved. 



MR. JOHNSON: Are we within our rights, having a local 

 branch? 



PRESIDENT CR.'MG: I fail to sec anything illegal in 

 meeting together as a branch of this Association. I believe 

 that is strictly a personal matter. Don't they have an asso- 

 ciation in the City of Boston? 



MR. CAMERON: We have a big club of four hundred 

 members. The Horticultural Society has numerous exhibit 

 committee meetings. In New England we have the Boston 

 Florists' Association. We don't think it is feasible to start 

 branches and have too many irons in the fire. It may be a 

 good thing in a smaller city where they have not so many 

 organizations, but it hardly seems practical for us. Where 

 we are trying to get these local associations organized 

 throughout the country, however, there ought to be united 

 effort and some assistance should be rendered to those people 

 in the line of directing them as to how to organize and what 

 to do. That is particularly true in places where there are no 

 societies at present. In Westchester, Stamford and those 

 kinds of places it might be difficult to start a branch of this 

 organization because the gardeners can't always take the 

 time to attend the meetings. 



1 believe, wherever possible, this is an opportune time to 

 organize the various places. It seems to me that we should 

 have certain instructions and by-laws governing organizations 

 of these local societies. 



.MR. THOMSON: I would like to make a motion to have 

 a committee appointed to draw up some kind of plans to be 

 brought before the ne.xt meeting for full discussion. 



The motion was seconded by Mr. Cameron. 



MR. CWMERON: The question of having a branch in Bos- 

 ton is largely a matter of dues. The gardeners cannot afford 

 to pay for meeting places. That is one reason why we don't 

 have a branch. I firmly believe we have to have branches in 

 our large cities. There is not a section of the country where 

 we don't have gardeners, and we ought to have thciu organ- 

 ized and all stick together. We want to have an organization 

 of our own. We want to decide all matters for ourselves. 

 We certainly have our difficulties, and the only way to solve 

 some of them is to thresh them out and discuss them. .\s I 

 stated, I believe we should have brandies of this organization 

 in all of our large cities. 



MR. JOHNSON: This whole question boils itself down to 

 one thing: Are these local branches in synqiathy with the 

 purposes of the National Association of Gardeners? If they 

 are, then the National .\ssociation ought to take some cogni- 

 zance of them. 1 think it would be a very good thing if a 

 committee were appointed in order to draw up some scheme 



whereby the local branch will be linked up with the National 

 Association. If they are no good, if they don't help the 

 National Association, then what .is the use of bothering with 

 them? 



It seems to me that the consensus of opinion is that the 

 local branches are a great asset to the National Association 

 of Gardeners, and I believe that they can do a great deal of 

 good by reaching men in the localities which the National 

 Association cannot reach, and bringing the men into the 

 Association. 



I take pleasure in supporting the motion made that a com- 

 mittee be appointed to formulate a scheme so that the local 

 branch may be definitely connected with the National Society. 



PRESIDENT CRAIG: A motion has been made that a 

 committee be appointed to draw up suitable resolutions 

 whereby the various branch organizations can be better affili- 

 ated with the National Society. 



The question was put by the president and the motion was 

 carried. 



PRESIDENT CR.-MG: Before taking up the next subject, 

 however, it might be well to appoint the committee referred 

 to in the last resolution, so that they may get together and 

 take some action. I appoint John F. Johnson, James Stuart 

 and our Secretary, Mr. Ebel, as the Committee, so thej- can 

 get together fairly convenientl3\ I will also add John T. 

 Everitt and George H. Pring, making five in all. 



We will pass on to the next subject. 



Examinations for and Classification of Gardeners 



MR. BANTER: That question was brought up in St. Louis 

 last year: the year before it was brought up in Cleveland. It 

 has been from pillar to post, and we finally knocked it out, 

 and I don't believe it should be brought up at this convention. 

 Why didn't those who were in favor of it show up and state 

 their reasons? Quite a number from all over the country — 

 Duluth, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Chicago and so forth — 

 gave it the proper knock on the head, and I don't see any 

 reason for bringing it up again. There has been no definite 

 plan; in fact, I never saw a working basis whereby it could 

 be carried out. The organization has not money to finance 

 it. Who is going to give the local examinations in different 

 parts of the country? You can't do it here as they do in 

 Europe. It is an entirely different proposition here; people 

 are different, have different ideas, and you cannot carry out 

 the same ideas that you can in Europe. I don't see why it 

 should be brought up again. 



SECRET.'\RY' EBEL: This subject was brought up at the 

 time of the St. Louis meeting and we had a great deal of 

 criticism from men in the East who thought we ought to have 

 it in New Y'ork, as by far the largest majority of members 

 reside here. There was rather a small representation in St. 

 Louis, and it was felt that it ought to be brought up in a con- 

 vention like the one we are holding here, where the represen- 

 tation would be greater. That was the reason it was brought 

 up today, and I Iiope this will be the final discussion. 



MR. GR.\Y: I think there was another plan passed at the 

 St. Louis convention. It was proposed to have Mr. Ebel go 

 through everybody's record. 



MR. PRING: They suggested that all members of the 

 National Association place their cards right in the hands of 

 the Secretary of this .Association, so he would know exactly 

 every member's training, length of experience, etc. It seems 

 to me that the Comittee's report, presented this morning on 

 the tentative plans for gardeners would cover it pretty well. 

 We could overcome the questions arising. It has been before 

 the conventions in Cliica.go, .St. Louis and Cleveland, but I 

 am here with you in New York now and am ready to discuss 

 it if you are. 



MR. MACKINTOSH: I think that Mr. Waite's letter of 

 some time ago in The Chronicle covers that fully: I think 

 that .before any one conies into this Association as a member, 

 all their life history should be placed in the Secretary's hands 

 so that the Secretary would be at all times able to look up 

 the record and sec what his qualifications are for a thing of 

 that kind. 



MR. PRING: It seems to me that that thing was discussed 

 fully at St. Louis. Mr. Waite's letter, which appeared in 

 The G.^RnENERs' Chronicle expressed practically the vari- 

 ous discussions brought forth at St. Louis. 



I think that all members should place their cards on the 

 table liefore they are admitted into this organization, as to 

 personality, experience, etc, .-Ml this information should be 

 filled out on an application form which should be filed with 

 the Secretary and the Board of Directors, who are in close 

 touch with him. should consult the files before that man is 

 elected a member. 



At the last meeting of the St. Louis .Association of Gar- 

 deners they went on record as disapproving examinations. I 



