332 



HORTICULTURE 



April 24, 1920 



HORTICULTURE 



Bstabllihcd bj^ WUIIam i. Btewmrt im IMM 



vol. XXXI 



April 24, 1920 



No. 17 



PrBLISHED WEBKL,T BY 



HORTICULTURE PUBLISHING COMPANY 

 78 Devonshire Street, Boston, Mass. 



EDWARD I. FARRINGTON, Editor. 

 Telephone Fort Hill 8664 



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HORTICULTURE, 78 Devonshire Street, Boston 9, Mass. 



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It is unfortunate that there seems to have been 

 National some misunderstanding about the nature and 

 Garden backing of the National Garden Bureau, which 

 Bureau is being carried on under the direction of Ameri- 

 can Seed Trade Association. In a recent 

 number of The Seed World, of Chicago, this matter is 

 taken up in some detail. As The Seed World has been 

 largely instrumental in promoting the bureau, it probably 

 speaks with authority. The statement is made that er- 

 roneous reports have been circulated which would discredit 

 the bureau or question its intimate connection with the 

 Seed Trade Association. Of course the bureau is new, hav- 

 ing been started only last fall, and has not yet created 

 any great stir. It has had no such support in its publicity 

 work as the S. A. F. or even the National Nurserymen. 



At the same time many contributions have been re- 

 ceived from large seed concerns, and during the present 

 spring the bureau's press service has sent out numerous 

 articles to the newspapers which are calculated to encourage 

 garden making, the buying of seeds, and the use of seeds 

 in such a way as to prevent waste. The articles are on 

 such subjects as "Wrinkled Peas and Pea Wrinkles," 

 "Growing Backyard Bermudas," "A Flower Bordered 

 Walk," and "When the Soil is Ready to Work." It was 

 decided to concentrate on the press service because that 

 was the quickest way to get results. It is claimed that 

 this service has helped to prevent a disastrous slump in 

 garden interest, something to be deplored this year when 



a shortage of farm crops will make home garden products 

 of unusual value. 



Mr. Leonard Vaughan is chairman of the National 

 Garden Bureau, and his address is 31 West Randolph St., 

 Chicago. The general committee consists of Mr. Vaughan, 

 A. M. Eldridge, of the Henry Field Seed Co., Shenandoah, 

 la., and David Burpee, of W. Atlee Burpee Co.. Philadelphia. 

 The next convention of the American Seed Trade Associa- 

 tion will be held June 22-24, at the Hotel Pfister, Milwaukee, 

 and probably this matter will receive considerable atten- 

 tion then. 



For the ))ast year or two the National Nurserymen's 

 Association has been sending articles on planting and im- 

 proving the home grounds to a long list of newspapers 

 throughout the country, and has found the papers glad to 

 use the information obtained in this way. Naturally it has 

 helped to promote the sale of nursery stock and increase 

 the interest of the public in the ornamentation of the home 

 grounds. It would seem as though the ultimate of all this 

 publicity work would be some sort of unified effort by which 

 all of the various organizations might carry on a concerted 

 campaign. In this way there would be no overlapping, the 

 papers would not feel that they were being worked, and the 

 industries concerned would be permanently benefited. 

 Properly this work should be carried into the winter so 

 that home makers would be informed about the best uses 

 of cut fiowers. the care of cut flowers in the home, and the 

 growing of potted plants indoors. 



Of late years Mothers' Day has not aroused much 

 Mothers' enthusiasm in the eastern states. It seems 

 Day to have brought the florists considerable busi- 

 ness in the central parts of the country and 

 in the west, but has not had much effect on the trade in 

 New England and along the Atlantic coast. Past experi- 

 ences seem to show that the public is ready to respond to 

 a Mothers' Day appeal, and that the sale of flowers can be 

 greatly augmented on that day, with a little special adver- 

 tising in advance. The S. A. F. is making a special effort 

 to arouse interest in Mothers' Day this year, and it is to be 

 hoped that the florists will give their support. It isn't so 

 much the nature of the occasion that counts, as the fact 

 that an opportunity is given to encourage the use of flowers 

 for a specific purpose. It is simply forging one more link 

 in the chain of publicity, and so helps to brighten the lives 

 of thousands of people, as well as assisting in building up 

 the florists trade at a season when it naturally runs rather 

 light 



Nurserymen have been having difficulties 

 Nurserymen's not a few the past season. Reports now 

 Troubles coming in show that a vast amount of 

 damage to stock in the fields was done by 

 mice. Thousands of trees have been girdled and ruined. 

 In many instances the snow was so deep that the mice were 

 able to reach the overhanging branches as well. It is re- 

 ported that in some nurseries in New England and New 

 York state nearly half the deciduous trees have been ruined. 

 This includes ornamental and fruit trees. This is a seri- 

 ous matter this season when stock is short anyway. Then 

 during the past few weeks it has been almost impossible to 

 make shipments over a large part of the country owing to 

 the railroad embargoes. More or less stock on the way has 

 doubtless been ruined. In one way the 'lateness of the 

 spring has been fortunate for it will prolong the planting 

 season and probably much work can be done even yet. Al- 

 together, though, the situation has not been one to rejoice 

 the hearts of nurserymen. 



