10 



HORTICULTURE 



July 2, 1910 



AMERICAN S EED TRADE ASSOCIATION 

 Convention Story Continued 



The 28th Annual Convention of the 

 American Seed Trade Association, 

 which was held at Atlantic City last 

 week, was one of the most satisfactory 

 in the history of the Association. Ttie 

 attendance was large and the business 

 transacted of more than usual interest 

 and importance. 



The President's address was a note- 

 worthy effort, and so impressed the 

 Association that a special committee 

 was appointed to suggest action on 

 many of its recommendations. This 

 committee brought in its report, but 

 elsewhere will be found a full account 

 of the proceedings, and it is not there- 

 fore necessary to enlarge on this fea- 

 ture. After the delivery of the Presi- 

 dent's address the usual routine busi- 

 ness was transacted after which the 

 election of new members received con- 

 sideration, and it is gratifying to note 

 that all candidates receiving the en- 

 dorsement of the committee on mem- 

 bership were unanimously elected. 



On Wednesday afternoon the Presi- 

 dent, Mr. .T. C. Robinson, of Waterloo, 

 Nebraska, generously treated the mem- 

 bers to a delightful sail on the ocean, 

 lasting about two hours, and in the 

 evening the annual banquet was held 

 at Hotel Stiand. As this banquet had 

 to be held in the regular dining room 

 of the hotel, it was rather late in start- 

 ing, the hour being nearly 9 o'clock, 

 and as a consequence it was late in 

 closing. However, it was a most en- 

 joyable affair, although the principal 

 beverage was pure, cold water. A few 

 of the members whose stomachs are 

 not accustomed to water and who 

 feared they might be ill, had other 

 liquids which seemed to agree with 

 their spirits as well as stomachs. The 

 few, however, were simply oases, and 

 many covetous glances were cast in 

 their direction. One of the most en- 

 joyable features of the dinner was the 

 singing by a fine quartette, and every 

 one presert thoroughly enjoyed it. 

 The ppeeches following the dinner 

 were hardly up to the average of 

 seedsmen's banquets. 



Among the important matters con- 

 sidered by the Association was that of 

 seed legislation, and it was the gen- 

 eral opinion that a national law, uni- 

 form in character throughout the coun- 

 try was much preferable to state acts, 

 as no two of these would be alike and 

 it would be well nigh impossible to 

 conform to all of them. The corre- 

 spondence between Mr. Geprge H. 

 Green, and the Hon. James S. Mann, 

 who introduced the bill two years ago, 

 which so agitated tlie seed trade of 

 the country, was very interesting, and 

 the trade is to be congratulated on 

 having so able a representative of 

 their interests as Mr. Green. It is. of 

 course, impossible to say what action 

 Congress will take at its next session, 

 but it is certainly noteworthy that Mr. 

 Mann's desire was to be fair and just 

 towards the seed trade, and it was 

 wise on their part to decide last week 

 to co-operate with him instead of of- 

 fering futile opposition. In our tele- 

 graiihic report of the address by Cur- 

 tis Nye Smith he is quoted as having 

 said that "States have found a way to 



exercise power not rightfully theirs by 

 what is termed 'Police Power.' " Mr. 

 Smith informs us that he neither made 

 that statement nor is it correct. 



It was pointed out in HORTICUL- 

 TURE two years ago that some kind 

 of seed legislation was inevitable and 

 that it would be much wiser for the 

 trade to co-operate with the framers 

 of any statute on this subject and en- 

 deavor in this way to secure a just 

 law, than to engage in a hopeless ef- 

 fort to block legislation. The trade is 

 certainly to be congratulated on the 

 attitude they have assumed in this 

 matter. 



Report of Committee on President's 

 Address. 



The committee appointed to con- 

 sider and report on the president's ad- 

 dress. Messrs. C. H. Breck, C. F. Wood 

 and E. L. Page, made the following 

 recommendations: 



Firet: That the "Committee to con- 

 fer with National Seed Analysts" be 

 continued, and to act as harmoniously 

 as may be possible with the Seed 

 Aanalysts in order that the best in- 

 terests of seed gi-owers, seed dealers 

 and the public be conserved. Also that 

 this committee confer on important 

 matters with similar committee or the 

 ofEcers of the Wholesale Grass Seed 

 Dealers' Association in order that all 

 seedsmen may be represented and the 

 committee have the benefit of the wis- 

 dom and experience of the whole trade. 



Second: That the attorney employed 

 last year be retained as counsel of the 

 Association for another year. 



Third: That the President appoint 

 in his discretion a member of the As- 

 sociation as state correspondent in 

 each state and the District of Colum- 

 bia, with whom the counsel may cor- 

 respond and whose duties shall be to 

 confer with other seedsmen of the 

 state or neighboring states. 



Fourth: That the President be 

 authorized to order payment by the 

 Treasurer of one-half of expenses and 

 per diem of counsel incurred in con- 

 nection with a call of a state corres- 

 pondent to his district when in his 

 judgment the matter involved was of 

 sufficient interest to seedsmen in gen- 

 eral to warrant such expenditure. 



Fifth; That tlie President be author- 

 i;;pd to order payment by the Treas- 

 urer of the necessary expenses of any 

 committee incurred while on the busi- 

 ness of the Association and not other- 

 wise provided for, and tor expenses 

 and services of counsel in attendance 

 on any committee, or at the request 

 of the President. 



These recommendations were all 

 adopted. 



Thursday Afternoon Session. 



At the afternoon session on Thurs- 

 day, June 23, the officers for ensuing 

 year were elected as follows: 



President, E. L. Page, Greene. N. Y. ; 

 first vice-president, Leonard Vaughan, 

 Chicago; second vice-president, Mar- 

 shall H. Duryea, New York; secretary 

 and treasurer, C. E. Kendel, Cleveland, 

 Ohio; assistant secretary and treas- 

 urer, Leonard Vaughan. Executive 



Committee, J. C. Robinson, Waterloo, 

 Neb.; S. F. Willard, Weathersfield, 

 Conn.: Chas. N. Page, Des Moines, la.; 

 S. F. Leonard, Chicago; Kirby B. 

 White, Detroit, Mich. Membership 

 Committee, Albert McCullough, Cincin- 

 nati, Ohio; Frank C. Woodruff, Orange, 

 Conn.; S. A. Wilson, Clinton, Wis. 



According to custom a straw vote 

 was taken as to place of holding next 

 convention for the information of the 

 Executive Committee when they deter- 

 mine same next January, and letters 

 were read from A. E. McKenzie, Bran- 

 don, Manitoba; George S. Lenhart, sec- 

 retary-director Atlantic City Publicity 

 Bureau, and the following telegram 

 from Mr. W. Atlee Burpee: "Most 

 favorably impressed upon today's auto- 

 mobile trip with suggestion of our 

 Minnesota friend, Massey, that next 

 year's convention be held at the Roy- 

 croft Inn, East Aurora, N. Y. Am 

 sure our friend, Elbert Hubbard, would 

 give us a royal good time.'"' Mr. Massie 

 stated that he and Mrs. Massie had 

 stopped at the Roycroft Inn and could 

 vouch for its being a delightful loca- 

 tion. The straw vote showed plurality 

 for East Aurora. 



After adjournment all repaired to 

 the hotel parlors where the retiring 

 president was presented with a solid 

 silver table service, suitably inscribed. 

 The speech of presentation was made 

 by Frank C. Woodruff and the response 

 by President Robinson was warmly ap- 

 preciative. 



A VISIT TO FORDHOOK FARM AND 

 TRIAL GROUNDS. 



When the American Seed Trade As- 

 sociation concluded its twenty-eighth 

 annual convention, which was held at 

 Atlantic City, N. J., on June 21-23, it 

 was with pleasurable anticipations that 

 the attendants upon the meeting 

 packed their grips and upon the fol- 

 lowing morning, Friday, June 24, took 

 up their pilgrimage to the Burpee trial 

 grounds at Fordhook. where many of 

 them had on former occasions tasted 

 the Burpee hospitality and found its 

 flavor pleasing. It has been said, 

 "Truly the garden spot of all Pennsyl- 

 vania is its southeastern corner, and 

 nestling down in the midst of one of 

 the fairest of landscapes is Fordhook 

 Farm, with its acres of hill and valley, 

 woodland and meadow, dry ground and 

 moist, offering every diversity of soil 

 and location." A special train carried 

 the party from Philadelphia, halting at 

 the very gateway of the farm, and the 

 225 and more guests alighting walked 

 through an embowered lane leading to 

 the porch of the farm homestead where 

 attired in an immaculate suit of white 

 duck and surrounded by fair ladies 

 Mr. Burpee drew up to his full height 

 to W(>lcome his guests. In the receiv- 

 ing line were Mr. and Mrs. W. Atlee 

 Burpee, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Scott and 

 Mrs. J. D. Lee. After all had availed 

 themselves of this opportunity to pay 

 their compliments to the host and 

 hostess and had been cordially greeted, 

 they betook themselves in whatever 

 direction best suited their fancies, the 

 majority going direct to the trial 

 grounds under the escort of various of 



