Javuabt 80, 1919. 



The Florists^ Review 



15 



A'J'VtA'LV.tyjt 



tv:i'^i^i)9-L:'<)>fi^i)?lVrmi'^>iii'^^^^^ 



AS MR. STROUT SEES SITUATION 



^/i^1lr•^1r^T/s>rt^/s^1l^^1rr•\llVA^1^^1rrt^^1r/i^1r/'*^1y4^1lr^^^ 



rlff^lff^lgii 



PBESIDENT STBOUT'S ADDRESS. 



[The following is the address of Charles S. 

 Btrout, president of the American Carnation So- 

 ciety, read at the Cleveland convention, January 

 29, 1819.] 



It has been our privilege to meet in 

 convention in this delightful city of 

 Cleveland on former occasions. It is 

 my pleasure to bid you hearty welcome 

 to this twenty-eighth annual convention. 



We are all conscious that the last year 

 has been the most difficult year we have 

 faced since our society was formed. 

 The conditions produced by the great 

 war found us in a field of uncertainty, 

 in which many of us were doubtful as 

 to whether we should plow and set our 

 plants to grow, or whether we should 

 retrench and wait a more favorable 

 time. The problem of Hamlet, "To be 

 or not to bet" was ours. The air was 

 filled with rumors of a coal shortage. 

 Dame Eumor said the florists' business 

 was to be shut down as a nonessential. 

 To meet the situation, the American 

 Carnation Society and the S. A. F. sent 

 a delegation to Washington and, partly 

 as a result of their arguments, the dic- 

 tum of the fuel administration was that 

 growers using more than forty tons a 

 year should be allotted fifty per cent of 

 the average amount used for the last 

 three years; those using forty tons or 

 less, the full amount. Private growers 



were denied the use of coal. 

 .11 

 A Test of Intensive Culture. 



The fuel shortage has not been an un- 

 mixed evil. To illustrate, one of our 

 well known growers reduced his glass 

 one-third, yet produced 30,000 more 

 blooms than the previous year in the 

 same period with all his glass. This he 

 brought about by careful, intensive 

 work and conservative use of fuel. 



The spirit of patriotism among our 

 younger men led them into the army or 

 navy; the draft laid its hand upon 

 some, and a labor shortage added its 

 problem for many growers. Among 

 those who entered the service of Uncle 

 Sam were our then president, W. J. 

 Vesey, Jr., and David Ward, one of our 

 judges. 



Like all other lines of business, our 

 trade was affected by the scarcity of 

 supplies and prevailing high prices. Dif- 

 ficulties of transportation made the de- 

 livery of express companies uncertain. 

 We were beset on all sides and, to add 

 to the story, the high percentage of sun- 

 less days made the last year an exceed- 

 ingly difficult one. 



A League of Interests. 



In spite of all, however, this has been 

 one of the most profitable seasons for 

 florists. The old law of supply and de- 

 mand has led to higher average prices, 

 and the phenomenal amount of sickness 

 created a quick demand for all we could 

 offer. The circle of clients has been 

 largely increased by the advance in 

 wages produced by special war work in 

 shipbuilding establishments, ammuni- 

 tion factories and mills. This increased 

 demand has enabled both grower and 

 retailer to secure reasonable prices and 

 profits, and brings to our minds once 



again the question as to whether or not 

 we can bring about a minimum and 

 maximum price, in the interests of both 

 grower and retailer. These are days of 

 cooperation; a league of interests should 

 help us solve this question. 



The fact that florists the country over 

 have generously donated flowers to Bed 

 Cross drives and campaigns for the Y. 

 M. C. A., K. of C. and similar organiza- 

 tions indicates the spirit of patriotism 

 and the opportunity for service outside 

 our regular field of business. There are 

 several growers of whom I know in New 

 England who have contributed flowers 

 which have netted $1,500 each for such 

 work. 



Bemoval of Restrictions. 



The first part of November brought 

 the glad tidings of the signing of the 

 armistice and the removal of restric- 

 tions on travel, and with it our ener- 

 getic secretary took up the plans for 

 this convention. You are all well aware 

 that the railway administration had 

 frowned on gatherings similar to ours. 

 Traveling was discouraged in every 

 way, and our plans had been more or 

 less tentative. Thanks to the executive 

 ability of Mr. Baur and the interest of 

 the local committee on arrangements, 

 there is every indication of one of the 

 most successful anniversaries we have 

 had. 



It has seemed to me that the phenom- 

 enal circumstances under which we 



have labored the last year called for 

 review for permanent record. 



Believing it will meet with the ap- 

 proval of this society, I suggest to you 

 that steps be taken to furnish fitting 

 recognition of the members of the so- 

 ciety who have entered the service of 

 the United States. What form this rec- 

 ognition should take I think could read- 

 ily be determined by a committee ap- 

 pointed for the purpose. 



Two Kinds of Beconstraction. 



As an aid in reconstruction and as a 

 mark of our respect and sympathy for 

 our brave allies, I would suggest that 

 this society correspond with French flo- 

 ral societies and offer them carnation 

 stock to replace that destroyed by the 

 ravages of war. I am sure individual 

 growers will be happy to send stock for 

 this purpose. 



I further recommend that the Ameri- 

 can Carnation Society go on record as 

 urging carnation growers in groups or 

 sections to try for more uniform prices 

 and more accurate grading of stock. 



Well grown carnations are worth the 

 average price paid this season, and, all 

 things considered, should command a 

 better price than has been paid in the 

 last few seasons. But the extreme 

 prices, high or low, demoralize the mar- 

 ket and react unfavorably on all 

 branches of our business. Growers and 

 retailers can improve the present con- 

 ditions and perhaps the American Car- 

 nation Society can aid in the matter. 



MR. BAUR'S BUSINESS 



SECBETASY'S REPORT. 



[The following Is the report of A. F. J. Baur, 



secretary of the American Carnation Society, 



presented at the Cleveland convention, January 

 29, 1919.] 



The last year has been a memorable 

 one for the carnation industry. On ac- 

 count of the uncertainty in business 

 generally, with the restrictions imposed 

 by the government in the early part of 

 the year and the release from all re- 

 straint toward the close of the year, 

 there has been a chaotic condition run- 

 ning through almost the entire twelve 

 months. The depression caused by the 

 restrictions was reflected clearly in the 

 lack of enthusiasm among the craft 

 and this naturally affected the interest 

 shown in the activities of the trade so- 

 cieties. At the time of the Boston con- 

 vention, in January, 1918, conditions 

 were at their worst, resulting in a con- 

 vention which was almost entirely local, 

 and while our New England members 

 staged a splendid exhibition, the bene- 

 fits accruing from a large and enthusias- 

 tic attendance were lacking. Keceipts 

 fell off, while prices on everything 

 needed by the society advanced, caus- 

 ing a depletion of the treasury that 

 gave more or less concern. The printing 

 of the annual report had to be deferred, 



pending the collection of sufficient 

 funds, but, thanks to the generosity of 

 our president and a number of our New 

 England members, who contributed 

 some $60, the report appeared only 

 three months late. 



Returning Prosperity. 



It is gratifying to note that since 

 the great revival of business, due to the 

 return of peace and the extraordinary 

 demand caused by the influenza epi- 

 demic, our members are showing a 

 quickened interest in the affairs of the 

 society. Receipts have increased to 

 such an extent that the year's total 

 receipts are about normal, but still not 

 enough to cover the increase in expendi- 

 tures. It is hoped that the saving ef- 

 fected in the coming year's expendi- 

 tures may be sufficient to put the treas- 

 ury back to normal. 



During the last year we have col- 

 lected: 



Membership assessments $628.00 



Advertising 150.20 



Miscellaneous 96.00 



Total $874.20 



All of the foregoing amounts were 

 turned over to the treasurer and his 

 receipt was taken therefor. The books 

 of the secretary and treasurer were 



M 



