40 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY 



rules on the members of their organization, 

 and Mr. Caparn pointed out that inasmuch as 

 nursery stock is perishable it might be put in 

 a different category from materials of other 

 trades. The recommendation that all "bills" 

 for nursery stock be made out to owners and 

 submitted to landscape architects for approval 

 was endorsed, as well as the recommendation 

 that "competitive bidding" was to be dis- 

 couraged. Mr. F. L. Olmsted moved to recom- 

 mend to the Board of Trustees that this com- 

 mittee be directed to take steps toward having 

 statements prepared expressing fully the view 

 of the several chapters on bidding. In regard 

 to "guarantees," Mr. Olmsted submitted the 

 following, which was carried: 



Voted: That it is desirable to have a state- 

 ment prepared setting forth definitely the re- 

 spective obligations and responsibilities of the 

 nurserymen and the purchaser in regard to de- 

 fective stock — (a) when orders are placed in 

 the ordinary course of business without special 

 qualifications, (b) when orders are placed with 

 a proviso that the stock is to be guaranteed 

 by the nurseryman; and 



That this statement should set forth the 

 time and manner of inspection of the stock 

 and notification of the nurseryman and of any 

 transportation agency by the purchaser in or- 

 der to fix the responsibility for defective stock 

 promptly, clearly and justly. 



Mr. Vitale explained that his report em- 

 phasized the nurseryman's attitude on the 

 various questions rather than that of the land- 

 scape architect in order that the members of 

 our organization might receive enlightenment. 

 Mr. F. L. Olmsted stated that the nursery- 

 men's attitude on contracting covered two 

 separate activities; first, furnishing the stock, 

 and second, furnishing and planting the stock. 

 In the first instance he is a merchant, in the 

 second a contractor. He recommended the 

 practice of employing nurserymen as asso- 

 ciates on jobs. 



The report of the Committee on Education 

 was submitted in outline by the chairman. 

 Professor Pray. 



Mr. F. L. Olmsted asked for an opportunity 

 to discuss at the meeting the possible means 

 of employment of landscape architects by the 

 government. He stated that he would like to 

 arrive at a definite conclusion as to what the 

 compensation of landscape architects em- 

 ployed on government work during the war 

 should be. He said the question had come up 

 in Washington particularly in reference to 

 "Housing" problems. Mr. Olmsted said that 



there is a reasonable prospect that the govern- 

 ment will go into housing projects, including 

 the layout of streets, public utilities, etc. At 

 present the only money available for this work 

 is controlled by the Shipping Board. There 

 is a bill pending appropriating funds up to one 

 hundred million dollars. If the bill passes, 

 the president will probably appoint a commis- 

 sion to supervise its expenditure, with housing 

 agencies located at various points throughout 

 the country. A central bureau is not prac- 

 ticable. Designing should be delegated to pro- 

 fessional organizations under the control of a 

 central body of some sort to be created. 



Method of compensation of professional as- 

 sistants is important; various professions such 

 as architecture, landscape architecture, and en- 

 gineering must be co-ordinated. Mr. Olmsted 

 thought the best results were to be obtained 

 by employing several professional men by the 

 government or contracting company having 

 the work in charge, all to work in collabora- 

 tion. The head of the group might be a lay- 

 man. Mr. Olmsted said that on the whole he 

 felt that it would be better to place an archi- 

 tect at the head of such a group; than either 

 an engineer or a landscape architect. The plan 

 of procedure might be for each group to con- 

 fer informally and submit a preliminary plan 

 and report. Then organize by putting one of 

 its members at the head of the group. 



The question of compensation is unsettled. 

 It is evident that all direct expenses would be 

 paid. The cost of assistants might be charged 

 plus 100% to cover overhead expense and a 

 definite stated fee for professional services. 

 The preliminary engineering services might be 

 placed on a definite fee basis in proportion 

 to the total expenditure. 



Net fee of $7,500 plus i% to 1% is a possible 

 fee in connection with the proposed housing 

 schemes, the percentage being based on the 

 entire cost of the undertaking. Mr. Olmsted 

 said he objected to a per diem basis, also a 

 straight percentage basis. He rather favored 

 a lump sum basis of charging. Mr. Nichols of 

 Minneapolis related his experience in manag- 

 ing the layout of a steel plant near Duluth, 

 Minn. He said his firm charged 4% on a two 

 hundred thousand dollar expenditure plus ex- 

 pense. 



The president read resolutions drafted by 

 Mr. Vitale, on the recent untimely death of 

 Charles Mulford Robinson. 



Voted: That they be approved and forward- 

 ed to Mrs. Robinson. 



