IS 



HORTICULTURE 



July 19, 1919 



HORTICULTURE 



Established by William .1. Stewart In I»(H 



VOL. XXX 



JULY 19, 1919 



NO. 3 



PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY 



HORTICULTURE PUBLISHING COMPANY 

 78 Devonshire Street, Boston, Mass. 



EDWARD I. FARRINGTON, Editor. 



Telephone Fort II ill 3«94 



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 at Boston, Mass., under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. 



What might be called a by-product of the 

 Getting publicity campaign being carried on by the 

 together s. A. P. & 0. II. is the unification of the 



different branches of the florists' trade — a 

 very important feature of this campaign. Growers, 

 wholesalers, salesmen and retailers are finding their ulti- 

 mate interests identical, and tor that reason are work- 

 ing together better, probably, than ever before. The 

 publicity campaign is bringing about a better under- 

 standing between all of those who are engaged in the 

 business of growing and selling flowers. In the pas! 

 there has been a certain feeling of antagonism, and even 

 yet that feeling exists to a greater extent than it should, 

 especially as respects wholesalers and retailers. Another 

 factor that will help to close this breach is found in the 

 florists' associations being formed in different cities, 

 whereby wholesalers, retailers and growers are brought 

 into the closest connection and meet together for the pu i - 

 pose of formulating policies which will be for the ad- 

 vantage of all three (lasses. It is often possible to iron 

 out long-standing differences when the parties concerned 

 get together and meet the situation fairly. Some of the 

 points which breed differences arc common wherever the 

 florists' business is carried on. Take for example the 

 matter of bidding flowers until they arc too far advanced 

 for putting them on the market. Apparently this 

 trouble, which has caused much ill-feeling in America, 

 is also a source of irritation across the water. In a re- 



. i • 1 1 1 English paper this state nt is made: "Many 



growers fail because they allow their blooms to arrive at 

 a too forward condition before cutting, whereas every 

 flower should be cut in such a condition that it not only 

 passes through the hands of the wholesaler and retailer 

 before it attains its prime, but should actually get into 

 thi' hands of the public just before maturity. \ot only 

 due- this give better satisfaction to the sender, but the 

 more backward condition of the blooms should facili- 

 tate packing and mean less damage, and these condi- 

 tions ('an be obtained by the joint effort — in consulta- 

 tion — of growers ami retailers.'" Here, of course is 

 an opportunity for co-operation. Indeed, co-operation is 

 absolutely accessary to bring about any imprvement. For 

 a long time retailers have felt that they were the suf- 



ferer- because they had to meet the disapproval of the 

 buying public ami stand the consequences if this public 

 should he displeased. 



The Worth of the Shows 



Editor Hortii i i.ti re : 



I read with \er\ sincere pleasure the thoughtful, able 

 and convincing letter from Miss -M. K. Case in your last 

 issue, and I feel certain that her appeal will meet with a 

 sympathetic response from many of your reader-. I 

 particularly hope that all the dire tors of the Massachu- 

 setts Horticultural Society will read, mark, Learn and 

 inwardly digest what she has written. 1 believe a small 

 fraction only of the membership agrees with the gradual 

 diminution to the summer -how- ami Mi.-s Case Inning 

 had ocular proof of the deep interest taken of the 

 masses in these exhibitions wants to see them continued, 

 and has very generously offered to finance exhibitions to 

 lie held weekly in the summer month- of l'.c'ii. 



President Endicott in his inaugural address last Jan- 

 uary said, "Our trustees and members must have the 

 same end in view — to do what is best for the interests 'if 

 the society. A lack of agreement with the trustee- mi 

 the part of members is much to be deplored." Thought- 

 ful members have seen for year- that thi- "lack of agree- 

 ment" has been steadily widening, and is largely due to 

 the fact that the trustees, or a majority of them, are 

 obsessed with the idea that two or three exhibitions on 

 an imposing scale, yearly, are better than a large number 

 of moii' moderate size. 



President Endicott in the same address -aid "though 

 no doubt the policy of the past has made the society what 

 it now is, it would lie more than unwise to continue such 

 a policy when it ha- served it- time and generation." 

 Surely here is contradiction: admitting that the policy 

 made the society great, why change it: 



At the old Horticultural Hall on Tremont street we 

 could find something of interest each week in summer 

 and frequently in winter. Let us get back to at least 

 fortnightly shows, which the Royal Horticultural So- 

 ciety of England never failed to hold right through the 

 late terrible war in -pite of all they had suffered. Is it 

 to he wondered at that such a societj gained over six 

 hundred members net in 1918 and that it now has 

 fifteen thousand on its rolls? 



The Massachusetts Horticultural Society i- a state 

 and not a national institution: its most important work 

 is the exhibitions it holds. Reduce these in number. 

 especially during the summer, and interest will dwindle; 

 increase them and a steadily growing army of amateur 

 horticulturists will flock to its banner. Hoes it not seem 

 utterly absurd that a great society like our- should seek 

 to -o stultify itself as to keep it- halls (dosed, except for 

 three or at most six shows? Is it any wonder that new 

 members are enrolled grudgingly under such conditions? 

 By all mean-, continue to give one or two large ex- 

 hibitions yearly, but increase the number of free Satur- 

 day shows, particularly those which will display plant-. 

 flowers, fruits ami vegetables grown outdoors. 



During the Civil War. our societv increased its mem- 

 lip, were -t longer financially and held fourteen to 

 sixteen exhibition- a year. Surely our presenl policy 

 seems rather pitiful in comparison. I earnestly hope 

 that in L920 we will not be compelled to limit our shows 

 to six as outlined, but that the suggestions of Mi-s Case 

 will be followed, and this broader plan is bound to kindle 

 the enthusiasm now lacking. 



W. X. CRAIG. 



