June 22, 1918 



HORTICULTURE 



Gor 



in such an emergency, and I think a 

 vote of thanks is justly due him. 



We scarcely emerged from one 

 trouble before we had another. The 

 Fuel Commission, seing the eminent 

 danger of a disastrous fuel shortage 

 promulgated an order closing each 

 Monday for a number of weeks all 

 places of business not engaged in the 

 manufacture of munitions, medicines, 

 or war necessities. We deemed this 

 of such serious importance, coming as 

 it did during February and March, 

 our rush season, that I again called 

 the War Service Committee together 

 in the latter part of January. While 

 we all did not get there, because 

 Massie got snowed under between 

 home and Chicago, and Kirby got into 

 a snow-bank, yet the rest of your Com- 

 mittee laid the matter before the De- 

 partment of Agriculture in such a light 

 that we through them were able to 

 announce to the trade that we need 

 not observe the closing days. Now let 

 me say right here that your President 

 received letters from two parties 

 claiming that they observed the clos- 

 ing days. He wants to say before this 

 convention that any man in the seed 

 business not doing his utmost to get 

 the seed which he held into the ground, 

 through his customer or the general 

 public, did an unpatriotic act and 

 should be condemned by his Associa- 

 tion; this is no time to play to the 

 galleries. 



The War Service Committee has been 

 at all times in constant communication 

 with the Department of Agriculture 

 and the Food Commission. On May 

 the 28th w-e were again invited to 

 Washington, meeting there the Board 

 regulating the importation of seeds 

 from foreign countries. The work ac- 

 complished at the meeting was of 

 small moment in its relation to the 

 seed trade. On this occasion we were 

 asked to meet at Mr. Oakley's office 

 at the Department of Agriculture, after 

 the meeting with the Board on im- 

 portation; we met there. I have no 

 doubt that Mr. Hunt will give you full 

 information regarding all these meet- 

 ings. I have simply touched on each 

 one in passing. I want at this time 

 to say that while we have not always 

 been able to get through all that we 

 wanted at these meetings, we have al- 

 ways been met with such an evident 

 anxiety to be fair to all, the public 

 and our trade alike, that we feel that 

 we have accomplished something in 

 bringing about an understanding be- 

 tween our trade and those in authority. 

 This is especially true of the members 

 of the Department of Agriculture. 



Your President has been called on 

 almost daily for some personal work 

 for individuals of the Association: he 

 has done the best he could. Where he 

 has failed, please forgive, and where 

 he succeeded he is amply repaid. 



We have conscientiously fought 

 against the control of our business in 

 the way the grocery business has been 

 controlled; thus far we have succeeded 

 but let me by way of warning tell 

 you that you must live as patriotic 

 citizens, not as grasping profiteers. It 

 you expect this immunity. Do not, be- 

 cause you happen to have stock be- 

 yond your wants, and your competitor 

 is short, fry to extort a usurious profit, 

 it will not be permitted, and will 

 bring disgrace on yourself and hard- 



Kai Other 

 Varietici 



CYCLAMEN GIGANTEUM 



A flue flower, and free bluoiuing plaut as is \vl-11 kuowu is produced from our strain 

 which is unsurpassed by any other, both as regards size and color o£ flower and habit 

 of plant. 



X J i\CC C C J rii( es net cnsh with order, postage paid. To insure apainst 



irade Urter OI oeea |„,ssilile loss, 5% added to these prices will cover war and 

 maritime risk. Itush Hill I'ioneer (white, rose, persicum mauve, salmonl in packets at $5 

 doz., 517.50 per lOOO seeds, .$:.'i) per oz. rherrj- Kipe (New (—nearly .scarlet— $li;.oO per 1(100 

 seeds. $;!0 per oz. Eileen Low (stock exhausted i. Mrs. Buckston (bright salmeii) in 

 packets $3 per doz.. $11) per 1000 seeds. Majentic iwhite with blush base) In packets, ^ 

 per doz' and SfV^XtO per 10(10 seeds. Purple Trince (foliage like St. George, flowers lovely 

 purple) in packets, $.j i)er doz. rink IVarl ( .New i a lovely pale salmon. $10 per 1000 seeds, 

 825 per oz. Persicum Iwhite witli red eye) Sfi per 1000 seeds, $10 per oz. Persicum Kose 

 (bright rose colored variety) $4 per 1000 seeds. $10 per oz. Persicum Mauve (a delicate 

 mauve with carmine eve) .$-i per 1000 seeds. $10 per oz. Phoeni.v (a lishter red than Vul- 

 can) $4 per 1000 seeds! .$10 per oz. Princess Ma.v l^'igantic rose with purple base) S-i per 

 1000 seeds, $10 per oz. PapUio (Butterfly Cyclamen in white, red. rose, mauve shades, 

 Persicum) $7.."iO per 1000 seeds, $20 per oz. St. (ieorge (the silver leaf Cyclamen) lu pack- 

 ets $5 per doz Scented (possessing the true old Cyclamen perfumiM in packets at $i) per 

 doz Salmon King, .$6 per 1000 seeds, $12.50 per oz. Sunset (bright orange salmon) $12.50 

 per 1000 seeds $30 per oz. Victoria, in packets. $5 per doz., $10 per KMK) seeds. A ulcan 

 (deepest red blood red Cyclamen) $4 per 1000 .seeds, $10 per oz. Wliite Swan or CliarminK 

 Bride (giant white) .1^4 per 1000 seeds, $10 per oz. Cyclamen .Seed of the various colors 



, j^jj..^,P^.^'J|j"|g j^;. „,.owing on can be shipped .\ngust onwards at $15 per 100. 

 STRFPTOr VKPl'S SFFI> of the tinest strain, $10 per ounce, .SJ..W per wholesale packet. 



STUART LOW CO., BUSH HILL PARK. MIDDLESEX, ENG 



ship and disgrace on your fellow- 

 craftsmen. Besides, regulation in our 

 business will mean very serious cur- 

 tailment in production, and this may 

 bring a' condition that may be frought 

 with serious conse(juences to our 

 country. 

 Permanent War Service Committee. 



I now, after most serious considera- 

 tion, recommend that the War Service 

 Committee be made a permanent com- 

 mittee during the continuance of the 

 war, and the personnel of the commit- 

 tee be requested to remain as it is 

 during the same period. I trust for 

 the good of the Association that this 

 recommendation will prevail. 



Need for Additional Farm Labor. 



I recommend that the Committee on 

 Oriental Farm Labor get extremely 

 busy. It is our opinion that, with the 

 existing condition as to labor, unless 

 we are able to get more farm labor 

 within the next seven months our 

 country is going to suffer very serious- 

 ly from shortage of feed, because we 

 have not enough labor to plant and 

 harvest the crops already planted or 

 in prospect of planting. Un(Jer no con- 

 ditions must we in any way withhold 

 the supply of men for the war; this 

 war must be won and our individual 

 interests must be subservient to the 

 interests of our country. We should 

 have at least five hundred thousand 

 Chinese imported at the earliest pos- 

 sible moment into this country as farm 

 laborers. 



Our Association has put itself on a 

 very high plane regarding Govern- 

 ment charges. I do trust that that 

 standard will be kept to the very top 

 notch until there shall be no cause to 

 come before your committee. I want 

 the Association to be placed in the 

 attitude of condemning anything that 

 may be disloyal to the flag, dishonor- 

 able to our customers or disgraceful 

 to our Association, and that any man 

 who is guilty of any or all of these 

 things, be made to feel that he is cer- 

 tain to receive all the punishment he 

 so justly merits, both from his Govern- 

 ment and his associates in business. 



Turning aside, we have found that 

 we have had to economize most rigid- 

 ly, being forced to incur expenses that 

 may seem large even then. I recom- 

 mend that the gentlemen who have 

 so nobly come to Washington and bore 



their own expenses, Tje reimbursed; and 

 that the expenses which have been in- 

 curred by your officers be audited by a 

 special committee, and if found expe- 

 dient and correct that they also be 

 paid, and that a change of the consti- 

 tution regarding dues be made so that 

 the incoming officers may have suffi- 

 cient funds to meet the necessary ex- 

 penses. 



The Bulletin. 



The Bulletin should by all means be 

 continued, the information contained 

 should be up-to-date, and the crop re- 

 ports to be of value should be of most 

 recent date previous to each publica- . 

 tion. This can only be accomplished 

 with the assistance of each member. 



Remember, I am advising, asking 

 and I may say, commanding loyalty; 

 and if any one withholds valuable in- 

 formation at this time from the Bul- 

 letin, he is coming very close to being 

 disloyal to his flag. As to the pay of 

 the employes of the Association, I con- 

 sider that this is a matter for the 

 15xecutive Committee and should be 

 handled as they think best. 



When I accepted the Presidency T 

 said that we had just ended a year 

 when the success of the seed business 

 was phenomenal; I now say that we 

 Iiave just ended a year when the cares 

 and trials of the seedsmen are beyond 

 those of all other years. We have 

 been led by a kind Providence, assist- 

 ed by the most able committees that 

 any association ever had to assist in 

 keeping away from serious mistakes 

 and to gain the confidence of those 

 in authority. There is only one way 

 to continue this, and that is by being 

 absolutely honest and honorable. I 

 wish to thank you all for your loyat 

 assistance and patience. 



SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



Total membership last year 190 



Accessions, 29, los.ses 4, net gain 25 



Total present membership 221 



TREASURER'S REPORT. 



Balance on hand last year $1,527.14 



Initiation tees .'i.'iO.OO 



Dues and assessments 4,540.00 



Special advances 800.00 



Interest fund 91.54 



$7,50a68 

 Disbursements. 



Total $5,280.87 



Balance on band 2,227.81 



$7,508.68 



