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HOKTICU LTURi: 



August 12, 1905 



front with the iiiagnificent object lessons of an unparal- 

 1(>1pc1 liorticullural exhibition and visits to the most 

 noted examples of finished fjardeuing in America. The 

 j;ardener element advanced into greater activity and 

 prominence and questions of botanical and scientific in- 

 terest, nomenclature and hybridization, began to claim 

 attention. Tlie treasury filled up meanwhile and ag- 

 gressively self-reliant, the S. A. F. sallied forth and 

 encanijjed on foreign soil, where it had a serious and 

 most industrious convention, then squared itself by a 

 great patriotic pilgrimage the following year to the na- 

 tional capital, whicli was almost as much picnic as con- 

 vention. 



The turning point of drawing power in the novelty 

 of convention tours liad now been reached, an aggressive 

 trade press had seized upon the field of research and de- 

 bate on every-day cultural questions whjch had been the 

 mainstay of tlie earlier conventions and, under the 

 gloom of the great business depression which fell over 

 the entire country interest in the society began to wane 

 and allegiance weakened. It was not the fault of the 

 several communities that entertained the S. A. F. dur- 

 ing this era that attendance on the meetings began to 

 fall off, that the treasury ran low and that the future 

 looked ominous. The reaction was, doubtless, inevitable, 

 and its violence was augmented by the universal de- 

 pression. Through it all, the struggle to regain lost 

 prestigfe was courageously waged and incei?sant effort 

 made to repair the breaches and strengthen the weak 

 spots. The time of the annual meetings was shared 

 with the special or "auxiliary" societies, lest the inde- 

 pendent growth of these bodies should drain the 

 strength of the parent at this critical time; the long and 

 fruitless attempt to formulate a feasible plan of fire 

 insurance for greenhouses was inaugurated; manifold 

 schemes for co-operation with florists' clvibs and special 

 societies were taken up only to be killed in the grapple, 

 and the laborious agitation for a national incorporation 

 was pluckily carried on until, with success seemingly 

 attained, all hopes in this direction were dashed to 

 pieces by the deplorable veto of the charter which Con- 

 gress liad lipstnwed upon us. Yet these years were not 

 profitless. Tlic nonirnclature committee of the society 

 did an enormous amount of effective work; the annual 

 exliibitions had advanced in importance and rules had 

 been jiut in ojwration for tlieir systematic management; 

 a sulistantial reduction of express rates on plant ship- 

 mets liad been secured, and in a general way the so- 

 ciety's activities had broadened out from trade topics to 

 the M-ider field of liorticulture. 



The period from ISP.') to the opening year of the new 

 century was a vital one in the society's history. Start- 

 ing at the lowest ebb of industrial dejection, with weak- 

 ened interest and evidences of direct unfriendliness to 

 the national society on all sides, conflicting interests 

 asserting themselves, ill-disposed critics coming boldly 

 out into the open and the treasury balance nearly wiped 

 out, the craft still maintained her course and those who 

 were looking for shipwreck were given the privilege of 

 another guess. A generous attitude was maintained 

 towards other organizations and the willingness to give 



everybody a chance was a marked characteristic of those 

 years. The favor with which an invitation to a southern 

 city was received in 189G gave evidence of the growing 

 inclination to migrate into new fields which reached 

 its realization two years later in the trip to the far west, 

 the audacity of which fairly astounded friend and foe 

 alike. Here the current, which had commenced to turn 

 in the previous year, began to flow strongly and, in har- 

 mony with the returning confidence and stability spread- 

 ing all over the country, the S. A. F. began to quickly 

 regain its lost ground. 



Times of adversity often bring out the l)est qualities 

 of nations, societies and men. The period we have just 

 been considering was one of indomitable industry in 

 seeking the key to united support and sympathy from all 

 interests, in the internal upbuilding of the organization 

 and unquestionably the compact, well-organized body 

 we have today owes much of its structural strength to 

 tlie devoted labors of tliose trying years. Even at the 

 time of lowest vitality the papers presented and the dis- 

 cussions at the sessions of the society were of the highest 

 practical and literary order. The president's recep- 

 tion and series of illustrated lectures which have been 

 so popular ever since, the distribution of medals through 

 sist;er societies for deserving new plants, the life mem- 

 bership system and permanent fund, the abolishment of 

 the delinquent list, the establishment of the department 

 of registration for new plants, the legislative committee, 

 the annual publislied list of new plant introductions, 

 the yearly report of state vice-presidents, the change of 

 name, the ofiScial recognition of the sporting features 

 attendant upon the annual conventions, these all date 

 from this period. 



The final securing of a national charter, the new 

 system of government, the express rate victory, the trip 

 to the south and other important incidents in the history 

 of the organization during the last five years are too 

 fresh in the memory to warrant any further reference 

 to tliem at this time. Summing up the society's career 

 for its twenty-one years of life, we are impressed with 

 the masterful skill, wisdom and resource displayed in 

 the bringing aliout of such an alliance between so many 

 varied and apparentlv irreconcilable factors. From the 

 beginning tlie provaling sentiment has been to leave the 

 doors wide open and all interests have been freely ad- 

 mitted to its councils and activities. Its roll-book has 

 always borne the names of the leading spirits in Amer- 

 ican liorticulture and yet its policy has been so elastic 

 and unfettered that the average age of the members to- 

 day is probably younger than that of twenty years ago. 

 The society has all tliis time been helping the florist to 

 make liis place in the community. While stinmlating 

 activity, broadening trade channels, and promoting the 

 fraternal spirit, the keynote of its work has been educa- 

 tion and its aim has been consistently directed to the 

 elevation and ennobling of the calling of the florist and 

 gardener. The dignitaries who have been pleased to 

 formally welcome the organization to the several cities 

 where it has visited have shown by flieir words and 

 manner that the Society of American Florists and Or- 

 namental Horticulturists is recognized as an institution 

 entitled to high rank in the public estimation. This is 

 an endorsement that should not be underestimated and 

 may reasonably lie interpreted as pointing the way to a 

 more agtjressivc and self-reliant course of action in 

 matters of general concern. To utilize to full advantage 

 tlic avenues now opened for eminent service in the 

 cause of American horticulture is the great responsi- 

 bility devolving upon the society and especially upon 

 those entrusted for the time being voih tlic conduct of 

 its affairs and the shaping of its destinies. 



