November 24, 1917 



HORTICULTURE 



NEW YORK FEDERATION OF HORTICULTURAL 

 SOCIETIES AND FLORAL CLUBS 



Quarterly Meeting and Banquet. 



Members and friends of the Federa- 

 tion of Horticultural Societies and 

 Floral Clubs of New York State met 

 at South Park Conservatory, Buffalo, 

 Wednesday, November 14th, where 

 President Henry H. Elbers of the Buf- 

 falo Florists' Club received them, and 

 President of the Federation Frank R. 

 Pierson presided. Reports of commit- 

 tees were heard and the report of the 

 secretary. Prof. E. A. White, of Ithaca, 

 was presented. Mr. Pierson spoke 

 about the present need of additional 

 greenhouses at the N. Y. State Col- 

 lege. Mention was made of the prog- 

 ress toward securing a new and ade- 

 quate Horticultural Hall for the State 

 Fair Grounds at Syracuse. The gen- 

 tlemen present represented the horti- 

 cultural interests of all important dis- 

 tricts of the State, and are earnestly 

 working through the Federation to 

 promote the welfare of this important 

 industry. The members made a tour 

 of inspection through the conservatory 

 and were enthusiastic in their praise 

 for the thrifty condition of all the 

 plants. The brilliant display of chrys- 

 anthemums was of course the center 

 of interest. Dr. Lewis of Syracuse de- 

 clared that the South Park display, 

 surpassed that of a famous exhibition 

 he had inspected some years ago In 

 Paris. In the evening the members 

 were entertained by the Buffalo Flor- 

 ists' Club at the Iroquois Hotel, where 

 President Henry H. Elbers delivered 

 an address of welcome and acted as 

 toastmaster. Mr. Elbers said in part: 

 "This occasion is one of peculiar 

 pleasure to me, for in extending my 

 heartiest greetings I may speak of 

 the earnest sympathy which I feel 

 with the idea of cooperation and or- 

 ganization. 



"What wonderful advantages have 

 come from this working together! Not 

 many years ago florists were plodding 

 along as individuals, jealously guard- 

 ing what they considered the secrets 

 of their trade. Had they remained in 

 this narrow frame of mind there would 

 have been an utter lack of growth and 

 progress. But with broadening out- 

 look they sought publicity and invited 

 inspection, with the result that for 

 every good idea that an individual flor- 

 ist has given out I am sure he will 

 admit that he has received a dozen in 

 return. So beneficial has the new 

 spirit of fellowship proved that it is 

 difl^cult to recall how gloomy were 

 the days before the dull clouds of envy 

 and suspicion were dispelled by the 

 bright light of friendship and co- 

 operation. Organization is the spirit 

 of our age, and by it almost all 

 successful undertakings are accom- 

 plished; but, like all new things, it 

 comes slowly at first. I'sually a few 

 leaders in a community are the first 

 to realize the advantages, but the rest 

 are not slow to follow, for horticul- 

 turists are wide-awake men. 



"And so it is with the greatest per- 

 sonal pleasure that I welcome you to- 

 night, gentlemen, and I trust that your 

 visit to our city may result in a quick- 

 ening of our interest in our fellow hor- 

 ticulturists throughout the State, and 

 bring us into even closer "sympathy 

 with the work that the Federation is 

 doing for the welfare of horticulture 

 in New York State." 



President Pierson spoke of the im- 

 provements observed at the Buffalo 

 Botanic Gardens and was emphatic in 

 his appreciation for the excellent char- 

 acter and condition of the plant mate- 

 rial. "It is a great credit to those in 

 charge," he said, "that such splendid 

 thrifty vegetation is produced under 

 conditions which are not the most fa- 

 vorable." Mr. Pierson spoke in appre- 

 ciation of the banquet and of the 

 beautiful decorations which the Buf- 

 falo florists had provided. "Much good 

 can be accomplished both for individ- 

 ual florists and for the whole people 

 of the State by the efforts of the Fed- 

 eration whose aim is to organize and 

 regulate the forces of distribution and 

 to broaden the interest of the general 

 public in the products of the horticul- 

 turist." The toastmaster then intro- 

 duced as the principal speaker of the 

 evening, J. Horace McFarland, of Har- 

 risburg. Pa. A summary of Mr. Mc- 

 Farland's address follows: — 



"I have taken for my topic this even- 

 ing, 'What About Flowers in the War 

 for Democracy?' This war is our war. 

 All our heart and soul and all our -re- 

 sources must go into the efforts that 

 shall lead to the successful outcome 

 of this giant struggle. How about 

 flowers? Does it not seem as if these 

 beautiful ornaments were among the 

 non-essentials to be cast aside at this 

 time? If the world is upset is there 

 any place for flowers? I believe that 

 the times of stress and sorrow that lie 

 before us need all the cheer and up- 

 lift that flowers are so well fitted to 

 render. The delight in beautiful 

 flowers is the only human joy which 

 may never be carried to harmful ex- 

 cess, which never degrades those who 

 partake however freely of its ecstacy. 

 Did you ever hear of anyone getting 

 drunk on a bunch of flowers? Did 

 you ever know of a man who could 

 not go to work the next morning be- 

 cause he bought a dollar's worth of 

 flowers the night before? Shallow 

 people say we must get rid of flowers 

 now. They do not know or realize the 

 wonderful power of these lovely mes- 

 sengers of comfort and cheer. They 

 vastly underestimate the good that 

 flowers can do in lifting the hopes of 

 the sick and comforting those who 

 are sad. There will be many weary 

 and worn soldiers returning ere long 

 from the toil and din of the battle 

 front. Of one hundred men who go 

 over, but two are actually killed and 

 three badly wounded. The ninety-five 

 that return are nerve-shattered and 



heart sick. Shall we have a country 

 bare and desolate for them to return 

 to? It is not mere sentiment alone, 

 but a fact, to which physicians and 

 nurses will amply attest that flowers 

 are a distinct therapeutic value. By 

 all means, then, let us not destroy 

 these efficiency builders. We have 

 heard some talk about limiting the 

 coal allowed to florists. Let us not 

 curtail the coal to the florist till we 

 have curtailed the supplies to other 

 forms of pleasure far less beneficial to 

 society than flowers. Let us not listen 

 to the curtailment of coal supply to 

 the growers till the candy shops are 

 closed, for though I have heard of a 

 shortage of sugar, I have observed no 

 shortage of candy. Let the govern- 

 ment first take over the vast areas ot 

 land used in the cultivation of tobacco 

 before the coal is limited to florists. 

 Let us first close the movie shows 

 with the enormous expense involved 

 in their operation before we deny the 

 florists their coal. 



"President Wilson has said, 'The 

 war must not destroy civil eflSciency.' 

 Flowers definitely add to the sum of 

 human happiness and are for that rea- 

 son an essential in our normal life. 

 'Flowers,' as Wm. Scott said, 'are for 

 the sick, the sad, and the merry.' The 

 great war will continue for some time 

 to come in spite of our deep desire 

 for its early and successful termina- 

 tion, and the expense will be even 

 greater till what we have paid out 

 now will seem like car fare; but the 

 human frame is so constituted that 

 life utterly devoid of pleasure is un- 

 endurable. Even efficiency will lag if 

 obliged to labor in a dull dreary world. 

 Just as it is impossible to do good 

 work without a vacation, so it is im- 

 possible to live useful lives without 

 any opportunity for enjoyment. Since 

 pleasure we will have, then why not 

 let us have the most uplifting and 

 beautiful form — the pure enjoyment of 

 lovely flowers." 



Mr. McFarland's speech lasted a 

 half hour and was very well received. 

 Mr. Elbers then, in a few fitting words, 

 expressed the evident appreciation ot 

 the audience for Mr. McFarland's ex- 

 cellent address, and then introduced 

 Prof. E. A. White of Cornell, whose 

 topic was. "The Training of Youilg 

 Men for Work in Horticulture." 



"Our instructional work," said Pro- 

 fessor White, "is divided into three 

 main branches. The first is the train- 

 ing of students directly in the theory 

 and practice of horticulture. This is 

 naturally divided by the different 

 types of work into which the student 

 intends ultimately to engage, into com- 

 mercial floriculture, the management 

 of estates, and home flower growing. 

 We have our students first prepared in 

 fundamental courses in botany, plant- 

 breeding, plant physiology, and chem- 

 istry, so that they may have as com- 

 plete a foundation as may be for their 



