September 29, 197 



HORTICULTUKE 



351 



The Publicity Question 



At the jSTational Convention of the S. A. F. held in 

 Sau Francisco, August, 1915, in my address to the 

 members present, I called attention to the publicity 

 question as follows : 



"It is needless to point out the value of publicity for 

 the dissemination of proper knowledge, and educating the 

 public in the more general use of horticultural products. 

 It is necessary for the Society to organize a Publicity 

 Bureau, whose work would be along the lines of a cam- 

 paign, directed primarily for the annual increase of the 

 sale of flowers, plants and plant products through new and 

 varied channels, and also to take means to prevent any 

 society, corporation or individual from decrying the use 

 of these products for special occasions. We very often 

 learn of reports of attempts made to discourage the use 

 of our products. Such cases should be taken up by the 

 publicity bureau, and every means possible taken to offset 

 the effects of such adverse influence. 



"I am very much in favor of a standing committee of 

 five members, whose duty it shall be to co-operate with 

 the retailers, wholesalers and producers, so that our busi- 

 ness shall be brought before the public in a much more 

 favorable and effective light than it has been in the past. 

 We should have recourse to the leading daily papers 

 throughout the country, which I believe will gladly publish 

 from time to time articles on commercial floriculture. This 

 will have a wonderful effect, tor it will bring before the 

 American people the merits of our business and the en- 

 joyment derived from the use of our products. The hour 

 has come when we should give this question our best 

 thought and action. I think greater benefits can be se- 

 cured from aggressive work of this nature than any we 

 can engage in. I feel that the results would justify a rea- 

 sonable expenditure annually for the maintenance of such 

 a committee." 



At the meeting of the S. A. F. Executive Board held 

 in Philadelphia, March, 1916, the by-laws were amended 

 to create a committee of five on publicity. This com- 

 mittee was made permanent by the act of the Conven- 

 tion held at Houston, Texas. ISTot until this year has 

 any practical work been done. Under the guidance of 

 the chairman, Mr. Therkildson, the work at the New 

 York Convention has taken on a practical and effective 

 form, something we have been trying to do for thirty 

 years. The members present at the New York meeting 

 subscribed about $15,000, showing a splendid spirit of 

 co-operation. All those who make a business of flori- 

 culture ought to do their part by contributing to this 

 fund. The committee needs about $50,000 of which the 

 above named sum has already been raised. 



We should all unite and give our support to an 

 enterprise of this kind; the beneficial results of such 

 action taken at this time can hardly be estimated. The 

 list is now open. Let us hope that every florist who 

 can afford it will give some amount to keep up the 

 good work. Indirectly you will get it back tea-fold. 



Boston. 



The Propagation of the Tree Peony 



At tlie summer meeting of the Minnesota Horticul- 

 tural Society a gentleman showed a great golden flower 

 of the tree peony about as large as a dinner plate. But 

 he said that by no known process was he able to prop- 

 agate it. The French have a way of making it grow 



on the chinensis. He had tried that and also grafting 

 on the root of its own class, but could not make it 

 work. 



Years ago I was interested in this Moutan or tree 

 peony. It is fine where it does well. Mrs. Harding, in 

 her new work on the peony gives this a large place and 

 has made an exhaustiv£ study of its history But it is 

 worthless in most parts of the United States and has 

 been the cause of much disappointment and disgust. If 

 left in the open like other peonies, you stand a chance 

 to get a bloom once in about ten years I know one 

 man who puts a barrel over his plant in the fall and 

 fills it with leaves and takes them off when the danger 

 of frost is past. 



In propagating I told this gentleman how to do it. 

 Take a vigorous Moutan and after a year or two it 

 shows a tendency toward cleavage, something like 

 Edulis Superba. Separate these roots, take a bit of root 

 with a stem attached and let it grow to develop a good 

 plant, then in early spring graft at the crown with 

 splice graft. Wind well with waxed thread as the nur- 

 seryman does his apple grafts. Be sure the stock and 

 scion are not injured by the cold of winter. After 

 grafting and winding, wax the whole thoroughly and 

 you have a sure thing of it. By grafting at the crown 

 you can make it throw out roots of its own. 



In nine locations out of ten you will be disappointed. 

 I don't want anything which has to be coddled all the 

 time when I can get just as good that will grow above 

 the Arctic Circle. I was shown a clump of peonies 

 in Manitoba that had no covering but its own tops and 

 the snow, which had 60 fine large flowers. That is the 

 kind people want. I have had a Moutan twenty years 

 and it has had one bloom in all that time. I just keep 

 it to let people know what it can't do. 



Dividing Peony Roots 



Will peony roots grow that have no buds on them? 

 Yes and no. Separate the root from the clump and 

 iireak it in the center, and though it may try hard for 

 three years it cannot make a head— that is, the lower 

 portion. On the other hand, take a peony with good 

 cleavage like Edulis superba, break off the roots from 

 the clump, and every one will grow. I have tested this 

 time and time again. Not all kinds will do this, but 

 many kinds will. 



The middle of September you take a clump of Queen 

 Victoria with about buds enough in sight for three 

 divisions. You bury this in a warm, moist place and 

 ■November 1st dig it up and you will find what are 

 termed adventitious buds all over the root system. You 

 will often find a dozen of these extra buds thrown out 

 and the proposition three to five eyes can easily be 

 met. But three to five eyes is a poor test. You can 

 develop too many buds for the root. I had much rather 

 have a strong root with one bud than a little root with 

 five or six buds. Then the top enfeebles the root and 

 it will often take years to restore the proper balance of 

 root to top. 



(J S It^ "1 ^"^^w 



York, Neb. 



