12 



The Florists^ Review 



Fbbruart 6, 1919. 



TENNESSEEANS MEET 



THE ANNUAL CONVENTION 



Officers Elected. 



At the fourth annual convention of 

 he Tennessee State Florists' Associa- 

 Lon, held January 28 in the Hotel Her- 

 litage, Nashville, Tenn., the following 

 flficers were elected for 1919-20: 



President — H. G. Bramm, Bristol. 



Vice-president — A. J. McNutt, Knox- 

 illQ. 



Secretary — Prof. G. M. Bentley, state 

 ntomologist, reelected. 



County vice-presidents and other of - 

 cers of the association will be appoint- 

 d by the elected officers. The latter 

 srere made delegates to represent the 

 ssociation at the meetings of the 

 I. A. F. 



The program of the convention proved 

 be interesting and beneficial, while 

 he displays were exceptionally nu- 

 lerous and beautiful. Members of the 

 ssociation were of the opinion that the 

 leeting was the most successful thus far 

 eld. 



Several florists from other states were 

 resent, as well as a number of nursery- 

 len from points in Tennessee. 



Considerable interest was manifest in 

 he future of the trade, and the almost 

 niversal opinion was that the outlook 

 } bright for better and bigger business, 

 ot only this year, but in the years im- 

 lediately following. 



Address of President. 



In his address, Leo Geuy, the retiring 

 resident of the association, outlined the 

 'ork of the last year. He said the fail- 

 re of foreign stock to reach this coun- 

 :y, with the poor condition of the small 

 uantity that did arrive, had been a 

 ardship for the florist. Conditions had 

 een made worse, he declared, by the 

 lortage of fuel and the necessary gov- 

 •nment regulations. These curtailed 

 le amount of space used, he stated, 

 id brought about a shortage of flowers, 

 rices were so high, according to Mr. 

 eny, as to check both consumer and 

 saler. If florists are able to produce 

 jwers to sell at reasonable prices, it 



Mr. Geny's opinion that 1919 will be 

 year for the trade to remember, as he 

 !es an increased demand as certain, 

 [r. Geny mentioned the restrictions 

 jout to be imposed upon the trade by 

 le Federal Horticultural Board and 

 lid he feared there was little chance 

 ! having them modified. 



Domestic Growing Successful. 



A general discussion followed Mr. 

 eny's address, and turned to the sub- 

 ct of what the florists of the United 

 tates may be expected to produce in 

 lis country to take the place of stock 

 sretofore imported. Several reports of 

 :periments along these lines seemed to 

 •ove that there are many places in the 

 lUth where most of such stock can be 

 •own successfully. 



Results of forcing home-grown stock 

 ' various kinds were outlined by sev- 

 ■al members and, while some of tnese 

 ere not altogether successful, on the 

 hole thoy were encouraging. 



A committee was appointed to draft 

 a protest against the drastic features of 

 the new federal quarantine and forward 

 it to Washington, not only to the Fed- 

 eral Horticultural Board, but to the sen- 

 ators and congressmen representing Ten- 

 nessee at the capital. General opinion 

 was that while more stringent inspec- 

 tion regulations than are now in force 

 may be required, the new quarantine is 

 not for the best interests of either the 

 trade or the country in general. 



R. C. Kerr, of Houston, Tex., former 

 president of the S. A. F., attended all 

 sessions of the convention and aroused 

 considerable enthusiasm for the general 

 advertising campaign of the society. He 

 obtained several generous subscriptions 

 to the fund which he is helping to raise 

 to push the campaign. 



^ 



Suggests Wild Flowers. 



It was suggested by Mr. Kerr that 

 there undoubtedly are many wild flow- 

 ers in this country which could be used 

 as substitutes for the stock heretofore 

 imported, if only they were known to 

 the trade. In this connection Floyd 

 Bralliar made the suggestion that flo- 

 rists experiment with Mertensia vir- 

 ginica as a forcing subject, saying that 

 it forces easily and successfully. 



The value of cooperative buying and 

 selling was discussed at length. 



A novel idea on the question of hold- 

 ing efficient employees was the subject 

 of considerable discussion. The idea as 

 expressed by a member of the associa- 

 tion was that the employer should con- 

 sider the wages of his employees as part 

 of the capital of the business and divide 

 the profits accordingly. Several who 

 had tried this system praised it highly. 



Irrigation in the south was the sub- 

 ject of a talk by a representative of the 

 Skinner Irrigation Co. He said that 

 trusting rainfall for growing a profit- 

 able outdoor crop of flowers and vege- 

 tables is a thing of the past. He point- 

 ed out that no crop that florists grow 



requires less than an inch of rainfall in 

 thirty days to give best results. There 

 is not a state in the Union where it is 

 certain that this amount will material- 

 ize during the growing season, according 

 to the Skinner representative. 



While a number of florists at the con- 

 vention were familiar with the Skinner 

 system, the idea of using it extensively 

 was a new one for many. However, as 

 an evidence of the success of this sys- 

 tem in outdoor growing, it was said by 

 the irrigation expert that the R. M. Kel- 

 logg Co., of Three Rivers, Mich., now 

 has 320 acres watered by the Skinner 

 system. 



Numerous Exhibits. 



Local florists were on hand with a 

 good showing of cut flowers in the log- 

 gia of the hotel and a number of the 

 florists' supply houses were represented 

 also. 



The feature of the Joy Floral Co. ex- 

 hibit was a collection of seedling car- 

 nations, some twenty-five in number. 

 One large display vase of deep flesh pink 

 was especially fine. R. F. Smith, con- 

 nected with the company, attended the 

 convention in Cleveland and had charge 

 of a display sent there by the Joys. 

 Large vases of Ophelia, Russell and Co- 

 lumbia roses also were shown by this 

 concern. 



Mclntyre Bros, showed some unu- 

 sually good vases of Russell and Colum- 

 bia roses and, what was more unusual, a 

 dozen excellent azaleas grown in this 

 country. These did not show so large 

 a number of flowers as imported plants, 

 but the individual flowers were larger 

 and finer. ' 



A fine showing of ferns was made by 

 C. H. Tritchler, who also had other pot 

 plants on display. The feature of this 

 display was Mr. Tritchler 's new fern, 

 Liberty, which is a sport of Verona, 

 with all of its foliage advantages, com- 

 bined with the freedom of growth and 

 hardiness of the older Boston. Many fa- 

 vorable comments were heard on this 

 fern. 



Several vases of good carnations, be- 

 sides a display of primulas, cinerarias 

 and ferns, was the contribution of Geny 

 Bros. Unfortunately, this firm's new 

 rose crop was off, and it could not be 

 shown. F. B. 



j MMi»LL¥imM^iMi^is^iiyji*.^i|t^^ 



SEASONABLE SUGGESTIONS 

 FOR SOUTHERN FLORISTS 



:>1iyAWWASF 



ROSES IN THE SOUTH. 



General Care. 



With the last of the holiday crop cut 

 out and the plants well started on their 

 new growth, they will require extra at- 

 tention. The beds should be thoroughly 

 cleared of all dead leaves and rubbish 

 of every description and any of the old 

 mulch that is left should be smoothed 

 over. This smoothing should be done 

 with the palm of the hand, so as not to 

 disturb the young feeding roots that 

 are running over the surfaces of the 

 beds. Then apply a mulch of good, fresh 

 cow manure at least two inches thick. 



placing it in the center of each row 

 rather than spreading it evenly all over. 

 Keep the plants neatly tied up, but 

 avoid any crowding of the shoots. The 

 days are lengthening and the sun rapidly 

 gaining in power, so that water may be 

 applied a little more freely. The com- 

 ing crop is generally the best one, so be 

 particular to see that all the little points 

 that go to make up good cultivation are 

 observed. Perhaps the most important 

 of these is the handling of the venti- 

 lators. Mildew is ever ready to take ad- 

 vantage of the least slip. As a precau- 

 tion use a little sulphur paint on some of 

 the pipes each week, and see that the 

 air is left sweet and moving at all times. 



