August 25, 1906 



HOKTlCUl^TURt 



203 



tion of national character, where the 

 entire country would be represented. 



NATIONAL FLOWEIl SHOW. 



This question of a National Flower 

 Show was again before the Executive 

 Committee of the Society at its re- 

 cent meeting in this city and was dis- 

 * cussed at some length, and I believe 

 no one dissented from the statement 

 that such a show would be of the 

 greatest benefit to our interests. The 

 result of this discussion will appear in 

 committee report. 



I trust that the details of plans for 

 such an exhibition may be perfected 

 in the near future and that such an 

 exhibition may be held in one of the 

 great centers of the country. Perhaps 

 it is unfortunate in some respects that 

 our interests have been drawn away 

 or divided by the organization of 

 special societies devoted to the culture 

 of Individual flowers. 



I mean that in many cases the in- 

 terest in the special has overcome the 

 interest in the general and to an ex- 

 tent has weakened the S. A. F. when it 

 comes to a question of combination of 

 all interests in one grand exhibition. 

 Everyone with the welfare of our 

 Society at heart must labor for the 

 closer union between these vigorous 

 offsprings and the Mother Society. 



TKADE EXHIBITIO.NS. 



Trade Exhibitions, as they are now 

 conducted at our annual meetings are 

 undoubtedly of great benefit to our 

 members. They should be fostered, 

 and the exhibitors should be encour- 

 aged in every way consistent with the 

 proper disposal of the business of the 

 Convention 



I deem this subject of so much im- 

 portance that I would recommend that 

 special time should be given to the 

 examination of the exhibits. The ex- 

 hibitors come to our meeting under a 

 great expense, they contribute largely 

 to the success of our meetings both 

 in interest and financially and I be- 

 lieve they should have more considera- 

 tion at the hands of the makers of the 

 program. 



We can well afford to call one day 

 Exhibitors Day. 



We have made an experiment with 

 out-door exhibits and while the re- 

 sult to date is not satisfactory, yet 

 I believe the idea is good, and that 

 this out-door exhibition can be made 

 an important adjunct. In order to 

 make an exhibit of this kind a success 

 time must be taken for proper prepara- 

 tion. A manager, preferably a local 

 man. must be appointed and the 

 ground be available a year before the 

 date of the meeting, or better still a 

 year and a half. It would then be pos- 

 sible for fall planting or even spring 

 planting to be done and plants could be 

 properly established and prepared. 

 This would enable our nursery 

 men to make an exhibit of trees, 

 shrubs and such other hardy material 

 as they might desire to show. A good 

 exhibition of this character would add 

 greatly to the interest of our meet- 

 ings. 



THE EXPEUIXIEXT STATIONS. 



The Experiment Stations are doing 

 much valuable educational work and 

 their publications are far reacning. 

 Every member of this Society should 

 avail himself of his opportunity to ob- 

 tain the bulletins of his State stations, 

 and use his best endeavor to see that 



these stations are provided with suffi- 

 cient funds to carry on their work. 



Any one who has been familiar with 

 the work of these institutions for the 

 last twenty years, cannot have failed to 

 notice the improvement in the quality 

 of work done. 



The complaint made by many that 

 not enough work is done for the bene- 

 fit of the florist an^ gardener is not 

 so just as it was years ago, and in 

 many instances more work along these 

 lines would be done if it were caned 

 for. 



It you don't ask for it, you don't 

 get it. 



HOKTICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



Horticultural Education as provided 

 in the public schools, is perhaps rather 

 disappointing to many. But it must 

 be remembered that in the common 

 schools only the merest rudiments are 

 possible and just how much horticul- 

 tural instruction is given will depend 

 largely upon the people of the locality. 



Nature Study is in many cases really 

 a primary course in horticulture. Some 

 of the states are showing considerable 

 activity along this line and probably 

 the great need at the present time is 

 a more efficient plan of work and bet- 

 ter prepared instructors. The way to 

 stimulate the work is by arousing pub- 

 lic sentiment in behalf of the value of 

 such study. 



Mr. Hallock who has given this sub- 

 ject much thought will discuss the 

 question at the meeting. 



FREE SEED DISTRIBUTION. 



Free Seed Distribution by the Federal 

 Government, still continues; but the 

 efforts being made will if continued, I 

 doubt not, effect a discontinuance of 

 the practice and the "hoary fraud" 

 will be done away w'ith. 



Members of this Society should give 

 their representatives in Congress no 

 rest until this practice is abolished. 



PARCEL POST. 



A Parcel Post, would be the great 

 advantage of most people in the trade 

 and a great boon to the general public. 

 The elements opposed to such public 

 convenience are well known, and so 

 far they have had influence enough to 

 prevent the passage of a law establish- 

 ing it. The agitation should be vigor- 

 ously continued, and every means 

 taken to impress our law makers with 

 the necessity for such a method of 

 transportation. 



We are behind most civilized coun- 

 tries in this respect. 



THE TARIFF. 



The Tariff on many articles w^hich 

 are of necessity imported or which 

 might be imported to our great advan- 

 tage still continues to vex us. Some of 

 the duties imposed are indefensible as 

 a whole and others should bo greatly 

 modified. This subject has been before 

 us often and some action has been 

 taken in regard to it. 1 would recom- 

 mend the appointment of a committee 

 whose duty it should be to lay before 

 the proper authorities our views on the 

 subject, and urge a revision of the 

 duties whenever possible. 



SECRETARY'S OFFICE. 

 To return to our more immediate 

 concerns it seems to me that we might 

 profitably make some improvements 

 in the conduct of our business affairs. 

 The Secretary's Office is one of the 

 most important, as well as one of the 



most permanent within the Society, 

 and some changes in the manner of 

 business might be well undertaken. In 

 the first place the Secretary should 

 give bonds, as is now required of the 

 Treasurer. His bootvs and vouchers 

 should be presented at the meeting of 

 the Executive Committee for audit in 

 connection with the accounts of the 

 Trea.surer, and not be passed upon in 

 bulk in the hurry of the Annual Con- 

 vention. His accounts as published 

 should be itemized, for every member 

 has a right to know just how his 

 money is being spent and to whom it 

 is paid. He is now the purchasing 

 agent of the Society and no check is 

 kept upon his expenditures. I would 

 suggest that all bills be approved by 

 the President before going to the 

 Treasurer for payment. 



The Secretary should be paid an ade- 

 quate salary sufficient to remunerate 

 him tor his time and incidental ex- 

 penses, and this should cover them all, 

 so that bills for extra help, etc., would 

 not be presented to the Society. 



AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS. 



The Amendments to the By-Laws, in 

 regard to manner of conducting elec- 

 tion will come before you at this meet- 

 ing and should not fail of action as 

 recommended by the Executive Com- 

 mittee. 



MEMBERSHIP. 



Membership in this Society should 

 stand high. I cannot approve of the 

 suggestion that the dues of certain 

 members should be made less than that 

 of others. While it is desirable to in- 

 clude in our membership everyone en- 

 gaged in ornamental gardening, 

 whether he be on a private estate, in 

 a public position, or a wholesale ware- 

 house, and an effort should be made 

 to induce all to join; yet it should be 

 understood that all come in on an 

 equal footing and with equal responsi- 

 bilities before the law. 



The so called "Private Gardener or 

 lodav mav be a public gardener tomor- 

 row: the employe of today may be, 

 and indeed he probably will be an em- 

 plover tomorrow. Nor should it be 

 forgotten that many an employee is 

 better able to pay dues than are some 

 employers. . 



It seems to me that this Society 

 should keep in closer touch with the 

 local organization. It should have its 

 accredited agent at the local flower 

 shows and other gatherings of the 

 craft This would, I believe, tend to 

 add new material to our membersu.p 

 list and add to the prestige of our 

 Society. 



In order to do this it would be neces- 

 sary to have some one detailed for the 

 purpose, and probably the Secretary of 

 our Society would be most available 

 for the purpose. 



STATE VICE-PUESIDEXTS. 

 More care should be taken in the 

 selection of the State Vice-Presidents. 

 At the present time one or two men 

 from a locality get together and place 

 in nomination the person who might 

 suit them best, which as a rule 13 

 equivalent to the appointment for this 

 office made by the President. This 

 should be left entirely to the selection 

 of the President when he takes office. 

 If he should not be acquainted suffi- 

 ciently with a person from that terri- 

 tory or locality, it would be then the 

 duty of the President to ascertain from 



