The Florists^ Review 



August 23, 1917. 



ous years' recortls, it is astonisliing 

 that there are numbers of our profes- 

 sion who are not members of this organ- 

 ization. And there is no excuse for 

 this state of affairs. There are many 

 lines of activities in our organization 

 that have done much to elevate our pro- 

 fession, and all members of our craft 

 who are deriving a direct benefit from 

 this work, and are not contributing to 

 its support, are disloyal to then-ause, or 

 1 might add, if you please, are ' ' slack- 

 ers. ' ' 



It is my intention not to unnecessavily 

 criticise, but I must say that we have a 

 weak point in our organization. Instead 

 of having 2,000 members, we should 

 have a national organization in num- 

 bers, say 10,000, from every corner of 

 the whole United States. The great 

 work that is being done by this organ- 

 ization should interest every man in 

 our profession, and the fact that any 

 are not members shows our weak point. 

 The majority of our state vice-presi- 

 dents are active, and doing a commend- 

 able work, but some are inactive. I 

 have sent out many letters during the 

 last year, trying to stir up interest, and 

 a few state vice-presidents do not even 

 reply; others reply, pleading that they 

 are too busy. We tlo have a number of 

 hard workers, who get results, and I 

 notice that these are usually tlie busiest 

 men in our profession. But these con- 

 ditions must be remedied; we should 

 provide ways and'li^'cans of reaching 

 the non-members and putting before 

 them the necessary information as to 

 our activities. 



In going (Oyer the reports of past 

 president%^ ilote that recommendations 



were made to the members to get active 

 individually. This, of course, is neces- 

 sary, but we are not getting results as 

 we should, and we must find even a bet- 

 ter way in which to work. Now, the 

 methods to use to overcome this ob- 

 stacle would be hard to work out with- 

 out considerable study, and I recom- 

 mend to the society that a committee 

 be appointed to devise ways and means 

 for a membership campaign that will 

 bring results. 



National Flower Show. 



When the society adopted, in Hous- 

 ton, an amendment to our by-laws to 

 place within the power of the execu- 

 tive board the changing of the date of 

 our meetings, I feel tliat this was a 

 great step forward. More particularly 

 will it give us the opportunity to try 

 out the holding of our convention and 

 National Flower Show in conjunction. 

 Our first combined convention and show 

 will be held in St. Louis in the spring 

 of 1918. This will demonstrate to the 

 members the feasibility of the plan. 

 This plan has been discussed by our 

 most able and conservative members on 

 both sides of the question. 



I predict that this new arrangement 

 in the conduct of our annual meetings 

 will see a decided change in the inter- 

 est taken in our work. The time has 

 long passed when our members want 

 only entertainment and a good time at 

 these conventions. Instead, they want 

 information along all lines. They want 

 to return home with new ideJ^ that 

 will assist them in furthering their 

 business. I predict that the new plan 

 will stimulate both in attendance and 



C. E. Critchell. 



(I)lioctor-('l('Ct S()clt»ty of Anicrican Florists.) 



membership. The year following the 

 St. Louis convention we will hold a 

 summer convention, and this will reach 

 the members who cannot attend the 

 spring convention. To my mind, this 

 would be a wise plan to follow in the 

 future. 



I want to take this opportunity of 

 commending the chairman of the Na- 

 tional Flower Show, George Asmus, and 

 his most efficient committee, for their 

 most excellent service rendered to the 

 society. Members who are not in close 

 touch little realize the great volume of 

 work undertaken and carried out by the 

 members of this committee, or the tre- 

 mendous responsibility that rests upon 

 their shoulders. The National Flower 

 Show has been the means of rapidly in- 

 creasing our funds, by putting dollars 

 in our treasury from the Philadelphia 

 show. While the finances are secondary, 

 these shows must be made profitable if 

 we expect to continue them. The 

 shows are of a wondei'ful educational 

 A'alue to the flower-buying people. 

 There is no better medium by which we 

 can increase the sale of flowers than by 

 holding these shows in different sections 

 of the country. 



I wish most heartily to recommend 

 the holding of our JS^ational Flower 

 Show every two years, and that the 

 National Flower Show committee carry 

 this into effect as soon as practical. 



School Gardens. 



I have been watching with interest 

 the good work accomplished by the 

 most efficient chairman of our school 

 garden committee, Benjamin Hammond. 

 He seems to be peculiarly fitted for this 

 work. 



The minds of our people are rapidly 

 turning in the direction of more home 

 products. It has been proven that the 

 way to reach the parents is through the 

 children. If the children are interested 

 in floral and horticultural work, the 

 parents can not help but become en- 

 thused and encourage the work. Aside 

 from beautifying the home, it forms 

 habits of training and uplift that have 

 no parallel in the shaping of tlie char- 

 acter of the children. My only regret 

 is that this work is not taken up in 

 every school in these Ignited States. 



I trust that we will lend every en- 

 couragement to further the work along 

 this line. 



Convention Gardens. 



Due to the holding of the convention 

 and National Flower Show at the same 

 time in St. Louis in the spring of 1918, 

 it will be necessary to dispense with 

 the convention garden for that year. 

 But I am confident that this will add 

 more interest in the garden the coming 

 year. Having these gardens every two 

 years will give more time to the prepa- 

 ration and we can have even a better 

 dis])lay than heretofore. 



It is hardly ])robable that we can im- 

 prove in all respects on ])revious gar- 

 dens, or on the one we have the pleas- 

 ure of viewing this year in New York, 

 but as time goes on and we profit each 

 time by ])ast experiences, we shall be 

 encouraged, and this will be one of the 

 loading features at our summer con- 

 ventions. 



Legislation. 



It is strange to say, but is neverthe- 

 less true, that unless we are continually 

 on the alert, laws are likely to be passed 

 that will be of serious detriment to our 



