September 8, 1906 



rt O R T I C U L T U R E 



MASSACHUSETTS HORTICUL- 

 TURAL SOCIETY. 



The annual exhibition, so called, of 

 the Jlassachusetls Horticultural So- 

 ciety, which was held on Wednesday 

 and" Thursday of this week is a dif- 

 ferent affair from what it was a lew 

 years ago. The superb rivalries in the 

 stove and greenhouse foliage and 

 flowering plants classes, the fern and 

 lycopod groups, are sadly missed by 

 those who recall those triumphs of 

 the old representative gardeners of 

 Boston. On the other hand we had 

 this year some vast groups of promis- 

 cuous plants sent in, not for prizes 

 but simply out of esteem for the 

 society and its time-honored show. 

 The largest of these — and it is prob- 

 ably the largest single group ever dis- 

 played before the Massachusetts Hor- 

 ticultural Society— was from the Har- 

 vard Botanic Garden and Mr. Cameron 

 .scored a notable triumph for it was, 

 by far, the most cleverly arranged 

 group we have seen for many a year. 

 Two enormous collections were also 

 contributed by R. & J. Farquhar & 

 Co., and Mrs. J. L. Gardner, and there 

 were others of lesser but very credit- 

 able extent and quality. Another re- 

 markable development in this annual 

 exhibition was the display of dahlias. 

 Excepting a number of hardy peren- 

 nial groups that flanked the walls the 

 entire lecture hall was occupied by 

 the dahlias of which there must have 

 been between four and five thousand 

 blooms, in all colors of decorative, 

 show, cactus, pompon, and single 

 forms, making a scene of rare bril- 

 liancy, lacking only the introduction 

 of a few large vases to break the flat 

 monotony of the tables as is done 

 with the peonies and the chrysanthe- 

 mums when special shows of these 

 flowers are made. In some of the 

 dahlia classes there were twelve to 

 fourteen entries. 



Among the notable display outside 

 of those above mentioned were three 

 big tanks of nymphsas, nelumbiums, 

 and other water plants, from H. A. 

 Dreer; extensive collections of hardy 

 border perennial flowers from the 

 Blue Hill Nursery and the Bay State 

 Nurseries, among the specialties in the 

 former being Liatris pycnostachya 

 superba, a cross made by Mr. Heurlein 

 between L. pycnostachya x L. elegans, 

 with enormous flower spikes several 

 feet high, of the same bright color as 

 elegans, and a seedling Lathyrus lati- 

 folia of dainty pink and white color 

 almost identical with the tints of 

 Dendrobium Phalfenopsis. Other 



novelties were some extraordinary 

 tuberous begonia blooms from James 

 Garthley and a big vase of Senecio 

 clivorum with its enormous foliage 

 and orange yellow flowers, from the 

 Boston Park Department. 



The attendance was good. The rule 

 closing the show at 6 p. m. was un- 

 favorably commented upon by visitors 

 generally and it w-as found advisable 

 to informally extend the time till 8 

 p. m. There are many people who are 

 unable to attend these exhibitions dur- 

 ing the day, such as gardeners and 

 others whose leisure hours are limited 

 to the evening and it would surely be 

 a great injustice to such to deprive 

 them of the opportunity of inspecting 

 these exhibitions. It is to be hoped 

 that the trustees may give further 

 consideration to this question and 



reverse their views as to the closing 

 hour even if it does cost a little more 

 for the lighting. 



We almost forgot to mention the 

 fruit and vegetables. These were 

 shown in unusually light quantity. 

 Much admiration was bestowed on 

 several baskets of luscious fruit of the 

 Pan American ever-bearing straw- 

 berry shown by S. H. Warren. 



RECENT FLOWER SHOWS. 

 El Paso County Horticultural So- 

 ciety, Colorado Springs, Colo., held its 

 eighth annual show on August 22, 23, 

 in five large tents. Sweet peas and 

 dahlias took the lead in exhibits. 



Village Improvement Society, N. 

 Westport, Mass., August 23, 23. Dahlias 

 were most prominent. Mrs. J. H. 

 Jahn's exhibit of over 400 flowers and 

 that of W. H. Richardson were notable. 



THE CONVENTION: FROM THE 

 RETAILER'S STANDPOINT. 



(Read bv William Graham lietore the Flor- 

 ists' Club of PbiUi., Sept. 4th. 1906.) 



When you asked me to report on the 

 convention from a retailer's standpoint, 

 I told you that I did not expect to 

 attend the meetings, but was going out 

 simply as a member of the bowling 

 team, and therefore would not be in 

 a position to make a report. I was 

 not present at any one meeting ex- 

 cept long enough to put in my vote 

 for the oflBcers. 



However there is one thing that 

 struck me very forcibly about the city 

 of Dayton, not only as a retailer but 

 as a lover of flowers and that was the 

 almost general use of flowers and 

 plants in the gardens and on the 

 porches of the houses throughout the 

 city, no matter how small or humble 

 the place. It might be only one plant 

 or vine or a window box. but almost 

 invariably the same was arranged in 

 the most effective and artistic manner 

 — not a mixture or jumble as one gen- 

 erally sees. 



This has been brought about as far 

 as I could learn by the campaign of 

 Horticultural education, w^aged by the 

 National Cash Register Co. They 

 certainly merit the thanks of all grow- 

 ers and retailers tor the results shown 

 in the city of Dayton. It shows us 

 what can be done by systematic effort. 



I would suggest that the Florists' 

 Club of Philadelphia appoint a com- 

 mittee to take up this matter and if 

 feasible start such a movement in 

 this city. It would not only add to 

 the beauty of the city, but would add 

 dollars and cents to the income of 

 every man in the business, as there is 

 no question in my mind that the more 

 ■we encourage the love of flowers among 

 the mass of the people the better it 

 •will be for our business. 



I am sorry that I can not report 

 more fully, but as I did not have a 

 chance to attend the meetings I could 

 not intelligently do so. 



Florists 



269 



Out of 

 Town 



Taking orders for delivery In 

 New York City or Vicinity can 

 have them filled In best manner 

 and specially delivered by 



Thomas Young, Jr. 



41 W. 28th Street, New York 



ALEX. McCONNELL 



57J Fifth Ave.. New York City 



Telegraphic orders forwarded to anj 

 part of the United States, Canada, and 

 an principal cities of Europe. Orden 

 transferred or entmsted by the trade to 

 our selection for delivery on steam- 

 ships or elsewhere receive special 

 attention. 



Telephone Calls, 340 and 341 38th St. 

 Cable Address, ALEXC05NELL 



JOHN BREITMEYER'S 



Cor. Miami and (iratiot Aves, 

 DETROIT, MICH. 



Artistic Designs . . . 

 High Grade Cut Blooms 



We cover all Michigan points and good 

 sections of Ohio. Indiana and Canada 



Qeo. H. Cooke 



FLORIST 



Connecticut Avenue and L Street 



WASHINQTON. D. C. 



I FRED CTWEBER 



FLORIST 



I ou^zWiztr ST. LOUIS, MO, 



Established i873 

 I.oiie DlsUnce Phone BeU LUdell Hi 



B 



R E> S 



GLDE BROSCO 

 fLORiSTS 



WASHINGTON, 

 D. C. 



QUDE'5 



Flowers or Design Work 



DELIVERED IN ALBANY AND VICINITY' ON 

 TELEGRAPHIC ORDER. 



11 NORTH PEARL ST., ALBANY, N.Y. 



SAMUKL MURRAY 



Florist 



Coates House Conservatory 



l«ir BROADWAY, KANSAS CITY, MO 

 Both 'PhoDt* 2670 Mafa 



