For October, 1922 



301 



Mr. Craig stated that many letters had been received from dis- 

 tant visitors to the convention, expressing their appreciation of 

 the welcome and the hospitality extended to them. The beautiful 

 rose gardens, wonderful collection of trees and shrubs, and splendid 

 condition of the velvety lawns were a revelation to those who had 

 not before visited the estates in the vicinity of Boston. The ar- 

 rangements which facilitated the work throughout the business 

 sessions, regarded as most interesting and instructive, were also 

 commented on. all of whicli was pleasing news for the members 

 of the various committees to listen to. 



NEW MEMBERS 



Si(slaiiiiiig Members: Arthur Lyman, Waltham, Mass. (George 

 F. Stewart, superintendent). 



Active Monbers: Charles C. Case, Lake Forest, 111. ; Roy H. 

 Caverly, Lowell, Mass.; Walter Hunt, Somerville, N. J.; C. M. 

 Wagner, Baltimore, Md. : Sidney C. Abraham, Prides Crossing, 

 Mass. ; Neil McCallum, Pittsburgh, Pa. ; William G. Williamson, 

 Locust Valley. L. L; John Cotterton. Ehieron. N. J.; George 

 Harbison, West Somerville, Mass.; John Costoff, Sharpsburg, 

 Pa. ; Joseph Reardon, Cambridge, Mass. ; Donald Crighton, Ips- 

 wich, Mass. ; James E. Bond, South Lancaster, Mass. ; Arthur 

 Gates, Purchase, N. Y. ; J. D. George, Beverly, Mass. ; Thomas 

 J. Murphy, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; Niels G. Erickson, Magnolia, 

 Mass.; W. D. Johnson, Nahant, Mass.; Edward W. Newman, 

 Wollaston, Mass. ; Alexander Taylor, Readville, Mass. ; A. Atkin- 

 son, Whitestone, L. I.; Charles W. Smith, Harrison, N. Y. ; Olaf 

 Drewes, Boston, Mass.; James MacDonald, Tarrytown, N. Y. ; 

 John Mclntvre Garrison, N. Y. ; loscph Sewall, Mt. Kisco, N. Y. ; 

 Edgar Caddick, Wellesley Hills," Mass. ; Donald Campbell, New 

 York, N. Y. ; Henry T. Raymond, Saxonville, Mass. ; William H. 

 Smith, Beverly, Mass. 



Associate Aleiiibcrs: George Cruiksliank, Boston, Mass.: Lind- 

 sey B. White, Boston, Mass.; George Strange, Rve, N. Y. ; John 

 H. Troy, New Rochelle, N. Y. 



REMINISCENCES OF THE GARDENERS' CONVEN- 

 TION 

 John H. Troy 



Leaving New Rochelle, N. Y., September 12, it rained con- 

 tinually during the six hour trip to Boston. William Munroe 

 of California, a member of our party, said that it was the first 

 rain lie had seen in six months, which went to prove that America 

 was not dry. We took a taxicab to the Hotel Brunswick, where 

 we had made reservations, but that did not count as we were 

 informed that the hotel was full, insde and out with gardeners 

 and would-be gardeners. We were sent, however, to the Hotel 

 Buckminster where they had reserved for us a beautiful spacious 

 apartment, which accounted for our not attending the Wednesday 

 morning session of the convention, as Munroe insisted that we 

 ought to stay in the suite of rooms to get our money's worlh. 

 That's the Scotch of it. 



The annual banquet of Wednesday evening brought the mem 

 l.ers into more intimate touch ; and with that national toast- 

 master, Charles Hoitt in the chair — who discharged his onerous 

 duties with a wealth of wit, humor and repartee — the banquet 

 was voted a "humdinger." 



I would suggest that at our next baiuiuct, the speakers' table 

 be on a raised platform for greater visibility and other possible 

 opportunities ; who would not like to have thrown a few shells 

 at Jim Stuart, when he told about oysters not being popular in 

 Scotland, as there was too much waste in them, as the Scots 

 could not eat the shells. 



But the scheduled speakers did not have all the glory of en- 

 tertaining; good stories were the order at all the tables. Down 

 at our end of the banquet room, Wm. .Anderson told a good 

 one about two travelling gentlemen in a Boston Hotel who 

 got to talking about races. One said that the closest race that he 

 had ever witnessed was at Saratoga where the two winning horses 

 were running neck to neck and head to head ; when going under 

 the wire one horse flapped out his tongue and wen by it. The 

 other gentleman said that he had seen a still closer race than thit ; 

 he was once in Scotland. 



Nothing could" have been liner or more inspiring than the 

 arranged outings ; the first day's outing was a genuine surprise 

 to us New Yorkers ; presenting the beautiful estates along the 

 North Shore. This scenic loveliness was topped by an event 

 equally delightful; after viewing the estates, we unhorsed at 

 Castle Hill Farm, the R. T. Crane, Jr., estate at Ipswich over 

 which the president of the N. A. G. is superintendent. There 

 we followed the leader down to the sea shore where we sat down 

 on rugs laid on the sand dunes. After a most sumptuous clam 

 bake some joker proposed a rising vote of thanks to Mr. and 

 Mrs. Crane. It was noticed that only about half of the diners 

 stood up; the other half, too full for utterance, kept their seats 

 on the sand, but managed to say: "hear," "hear" and "bravo'^; 



but Robert Cameron saved the day by marching us up the long 

 hill and by the time the return was made to the cars, we were 

 all fairly back to normal. 



How we did revel in the rock garden and aboretum of the 

 Thos. E. Proctor estate. It added to my pleasure that I rode 

 m the same car with that natural born genius of a gardener. 

 James Marlborough. 



The second day was equally enjoyable; one well-kept estate 

 after another unfolded before our advancing company; and these 

 continuous beautiful places, together with "the scenes of historic 

 interest, the literary shrines, other quaint and distinctive places, 

 the opportunity of viewing advanced horticulture in rare and com- 

 prehensive display proved an uninterrupted enjoyment and an in- 

 valuable interest. It could not but arouse in nie intense convic- 

 tions that a convention such as this one is a liberal education and 

 an incentive. At such a gathering one meets horticulturists capable 

 in the many phases of their profession, and cannot but go away 

 with added knowledge. To be able to compare .practical knowl- 

 edge with men of their experience and ability, is" not only of im- 

 mense value to the gardener, but to the gardener-employer. I 

 feel that I must make a plea for the gardeners to back up the 

 X. A. G. There is no doubt that it is putt'ng the profession of 

 horticulture on a higher plane. It is a society to be proud of, 

 and the representative men who are lending their efforts and 

 covering the map of U. S. A. with the strengthened and worth- 

 while purposes of the Association deserve the heartiest support 

 and financial a'd of the members. 



Another feature of this annual convention is that it is in- 

 xariably held at attractive places and provides a pleasant vacation 

 where the gardener not only goes with profit to himself profes- 

 sionally, but he can take the women members of his family and 

 give them a charnrng trip under delightful conditions. ' The 

 ladies at the convention just passed proved a refreshing part of 

 the company. They were not noticed smoking cigarettes, and 

 they were most attentive and gracious to their own husbands 

 (most remarkable). It would be difficult to find a group of women 

 ideasanter for brightening the social part of a convention as- 

 semblage. They were as nice and sweet and womanly as could 

 be ; another reason, and a lovely one, for belonging to the N. A. G. 



FAMOUS MASSACHUSETTS ESTATES. 



(Colli timed I rum page 299) 



best known garden in Greater Boston. It is a garden, the char- 

 acter of which is entirely different from that of most of the other 

 estates visited, there be-ng no room for great stretches of lawn 

 and for extensive plantings of trees and shrubs. Accordingly 

 much attention has been given to purely ornamental features, in- 

 cluding statuary, fountains and the like. Its Italian garden has 

 often been photographed and described. In addition there is a 

 small Japanese garden. Duncan Finlayson, one of the best known 

 gardeners in New England, is in charge of this famous estate. 



Estate or E. D. Br.andegee 

 Faulkner Farm in Brookline, the estate of E. D, Brandegee, 

 has been in charge of W. N. Craig, former president of the Na- 

 tional Association of Gardeners, for many years. Mr. Craig who 

 is going into landscape work has been succeeded by James Meth- 

 ven. There are 250 acres of Faulkner Farm, much of which is 

 given over to vegetable gardens and farm crops. It contains a 

 great many ornamental trees and shrubs, however, and some roc'K 

 gardens, in which Mr. Craig has taken much pride. On an ele- 

 vation adjoining the house there is a large formal garden, the most 

 interesting feature of wliich is a pool and oval pergola at one 

 end. Here many valuable ornamental features are to be found 

 and the pergola itself is covered with a lu.xuriant growth of Aris- 

 toloehia and other vines. 



Estate of Prof. C. S. Sargent 

 Holm Lea, as the estate of Prof. C. S. Sargent, director of the 

 Arnold Arboretum, is called, is in Brookline, but not far from 

 the arboretum. Here a brick house with a strong English sug- 

 gestion is set close to the ground, and is surrounded by won- 

 derful broad sweeps of lawn bordered by trees and shrubs, in- 

 cluding many kinds from foreign lands. This estate has lon.g 

 been famous for its rhododendrons, and in years past has been 

 opened to the public when they were in bloom. Unfortunately 

 many of these were destroyed by the hard Winter a few years 

 ago. Here, too, is a splendid collection of lilacs and ornamental 

 crabapples, together with many Chinese and Japanese trees. This 

 estate also includes greenhouses in charge of Charles Saider, 

 who is little less than a wizard in the handling of rare ornamental 

 plants. Here the Kurume azaleas were brought into flowering 

 for the great show in Boston a few years ago, and here, too, many 

 rare importations are tested out. 



The photographic illustrations are through the courtesy of 

 Roderick W. Ross, Dixmont, Pa. Originals of these photos anl 

 other photos may be secured from Mr. Ross. 



