August 26, 1905 



HORTICULTURE 



Society of American Florists and Ornamental 

 Horticulturists 



The Story of the Convention Completed 



A. F. \'ISIT0KS ON 



>TE1'S OF TH 



D. C, August 18, 1905 



On Friday afternoon, August IS, the 

 members of the S. A. F., and their 

 ladies, with the Florists' Club of Wash- 

 ington, were the guests of the Gard- 

 eners' Club of Baltimore, under whose 

 escort they enjoyed a ride through 

 that city and, in the evening, a steam- 

 boat excursion on the Chesapeake Bay. 



The visitors arrived at Baltimore in 

 special trains via the P. R. R. and 

 B. & O., and were welcomed by the 

 local committee, consisting of Messrs. 

 N. F. Flitton, F. C. Bauer. J. J. Perry, 

 Charles L. Seybold, L. H. Moss, Robert 

 Halliday, William Fraser, Robert L. 

 Graham, J. A. Cooke, R. Vincent, Jr., 

 E. A. Seidewitz, Philip B. Welsh 

 (president), Harry H. Flitton, J. Boone 

 and F. G. Burger. 



More than twenty vehicles, includ- 

 ing eight-horse omnibuses, automobiles 

 and park phaetons, making a con- 

 tinuous line of many blocks in length, 

 were in waiting at the depots. Headed 

 by a bus containing the Fourth Regi- 

 ment band, the procession started on 

 an inspection tour. Druid Hill Park 

 and Patterson Park were visited, and 

 at the latter the visitors were agree- 

 ably surprised by an attractive em- 

 blematic design in colored bedding 

 plants forming two American flags, 

 between which were the letters "S. A. 

 F." conspicuous in high-colored i)lants. 

 The journey then led throu.i;h the re- 

 constructed burnt district and ended 

 at about 5. .30 p. m. at Liglit Street 

 w'harf, where the steamboat .Annapo- 

 lis, which had been chartered for the 

 occasion, was awaitin.i; the sight- 



On board the steamer an excellent 

 collation was served immediately af- 

 ter leaving the wharf, and refresh- 

 ments, music and dancing were en- 

 joyed during the entire trip. 



The return trip was made specially 

 interesting and memorable by the pres- 

 entation of testimonials to President 

 Vaughan of a handsome hunting-case 

 gold watch, suitably inscribed and 

 bearing his initials; and to Mrs. 

 Vaughan a brooch of opals and pearls, 

 forming a crown surmounting a bar of 

 diamonds. 



Ex-President Robert Craig of Phila- 

 delphia, being presented by Mr. West- 

 cott, said: 



Ladies and Gentlemen: — We are 

 nearing the close of a very pleasant 

 day. Speaking for myself. I think I 

 can fairly say I have never had a 

 more pleasant time than I have had at 

 this convention. The Washington 

 people have been so thoughtful and so 

 kindly that we shall, none of us. ever 

 forget their courtesy. Washington has 

 been called, and very truly, the Paris ' 

 of America; and it is without question 

 the most beautiful city we have. A 

 large part of the attractiveness of 

 Washington is owing to the horticul- 

 tural work that has been done there. 

 Tree planting in Washington has been 

 carried on with better system and 

 greater success than in any other 

 American city; and the landscape 

 work, under the management of Mr. 

 George Brown, is not excelled any- 

 where in America. 



It has been in the minds of the of- 

 ficers and the managers of the S. A. F, 



that something should be done to re- 

 awaken interest in the Society; and in 

 discussing that matter it was Anally 

 concluded that nothing that could be 

 done would give greater impetus to 

 the work of the Society than to hold 

 the next session of the Society in the 

 early spring time, when the carna- 

 tions, the roses and all the horticulture 

 products are in perfection. So that it 

 has been arranged that our next meet- 

 ing shall be in Boston, in March, and 

 I promise you that if you will attend 

 that convention you will be amply re- 

 paid for the journey. The business 

 has grown to such an extent now that 

 we cannot appreciate it unless we 

 have an exhibition such as is contem- 

 plated under the auspices of the S. A. 

 F. It will give us an opportunity to 

 prove just how far things have been 

 carried out in this country in the last 

 twenty-one years. 



Necessarily there are always men 

 specially noted as great workers in 

 such an achievement. I have in my 

 mind now one man, who was a charter 

 member of this Society, who has been 

 the most persistent and indefatigable 

 worker whom I know. None of you 

 ever saw him idle, and few of you have 

 failed to know of his doing some 

 kindly and timely act. He is an all- 

 round man, who has been successful 

 in many branches of the business. He 

 loolis like a young man, but he man- 

 aged in some way to get into an old 

 man's race, in Boston, and he won out. 

 Tlien they had a Baby Show and they 

 nin ie him the judge, and he even got 

 oiii of that with credit. 



