December 22, 1917 



HORTICULTUEE 



659 



OUR FLORIST SOLDIERS AND THE 

 WAR. 



Address by Clarence L. Brock, Superiu- 

 dent of Parks, Houston. Texas, at a Huu- 

 quet given to Florists In nearby Military 

 Camp. 



Men who grow flowers and plant 

 trees may be said to study at first 

 hand the fundamental antagonisms of 

 Nature. They know better than any- 

 body else that Nature is not at peace, 

 but that all its various forms are con- 

 tinually striving in a war without end 

 for the survival of the fittest. The 

 most fragile flower is a warrior, bat- 

 tling from the very hour of its birth 

 against a host of enemies whicli would 

 destroy it. The trees in the forest 

 fight for a place in the sun, and only 

 the strongest among them succeed in 

 overcoming their enemies and attain 

 to age and magnificence. This princi- 

 ple holds true among all the creatures 

 dowered with the blessing of life. It 

 is a poetical error to designate some 

 animals and birds as being peaceful 

 and others as being fierce and preda- 

 tory. According to their ways of 

 thinking, they are all eager for the 

 death of their enemies or the destruc- 

 tion of anything that gives them food 

 and sustenance. The peaceful dove is 

 practically in the same class with the 

 ferocious tiger and predatory eagle, 

 for if we but investigate this same 

 peaceful dove, we shall find that his 

 reputation is bad and that, as a mat- 

 ter of tact, he is in his quiet working 

 hours "soaking it" to every live thing 

 he can get away with and putting up 

 a scrap with other doves for a mate. 

 Shall the trees, flowers, animals and 

 birds fight, and man alone waste him- 

 self and his vigor in ease and luxu- 

 rious peace? 



The soldier florists who are at this 

 banquet tonight have said No. They 

 have become a part of our grand 

 American army which knows no North 

 or South, East or West, in the noblest 

 of all causes — to fight for the glory of 

 America and for its principles of world- 

 wide democracy and for the victory 

 of a flag which has never been lowered 

 in defeat. 



Florist soldiers, by your studies and 

 by your daily life, you have been ac- 

 customed to the strife of existence; 

 you realize how well all nature is at 

 war; and therefore there is no doubt 

 that you will make good fighters in 

 this greatest war that has ever been 

 fought on land or sea. Knowing how 

 natural it is for all things to fight, 

 you will approach your task in a cool 

 and systematic manner, for I should 

 judge the good fighter, above all things 

 else, must be cool and in perfect con- 

 trol of the faculties which the good 

 Lord has given him. 



While the flower bed, so calm and 

 peaceful to the eye, is, in reality, a 

 battlefield, the flowers rear their beau- 



IM 



We have a fine stock of the fancy varieties of 

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Eleg:antis8ima, Elesrantisnima compacta, 



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 Klegrantissima, Elegantissima compacta, 



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tiful heads to the sun in perfect com- 

 posure. They have won the battle, 

 because they have not lost their heads. 

 One of the most celebrated generals 

 of Japan, the victor on many fields of 

 battle, realized the value of this lesson 

 that is taught by the flowers. As you 

 know, the system of Japanese flower 

 arrangement is an intricate system, 

 requiring many years of study for the 

 mastery of its esoteric symbolism. 

 This great general testified that when 

 the time of battle was not far off, he 

 gave several hours of study each day 

 to this flower arrangement, as he found 

 it had a calming influence upon him 

 and enabled him to use his head more 

 effectively. 



It is likely, florist soldiers, that you 

 will soon be on the battle line in the 

 pleasant land of France. Our hearts 

 shall be with you, as they are with 

 all our soldier boys, and we shall hope 

 some day to read how you have put 

 into action the principles you have 

 studied; how by your coolness, calm- 

 ness and gallantry you have done 

 some distinguished act to circumvent 

 and defeat the enemy, so that your 

 names have been blazoned forth as 

 heroes of renown. When that day 

 comes, the Florist Club of Houston 

 shall join in the rejoicing and call a 

 special meeting to celebrate the event, 

 for we shall feel by doing well for 

 yourselves and for the honor and glory 

 of the flag, you have done good to us 

 and every one of us. 



LILY BULBS 



FALL SHIPMENT 



GlKantcum, FormoKam, BabrDm, 



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eS CRAMBEBS 8T., NKW TOBK 



Coatesville, Pa. — The Thomas Flow- 

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 potted plants and the Christmas 

 greens. 



DRACAENA TERMINALIS 



Well colored, fine clean 



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In 4 in. pots, 25c each; 4^2 



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