Januaby 6, 1921 



The Rorists' Review 



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NEW PRESIDENT'S GREETING. 



Opportunities In Horticulture. 



As president of the Society of Ameri- 

 can Florists, I extend hearty greetings 

 and best New Year wishes to all mem- 

 bers of our great society and would ex- 

 tend these also to all interested in 

 horticulture. The profession and prac- 

 tice of horticulture is the most delight- 

 ful of all occupations, and lovers of 

 plants and flowers who have the good 

 fortune to be engaged in it have much 

 for which to be thankful. 



The fiicience of horticulture offers un- 

 excelled opportunities to the young men 

 of our country. Not only are interest 

 and enthusiasm increasing, while they 

 are too well grounded upon human de- 

 sire and welfare to be a mere passing 

 fad, but the possibilities of horticultural 

 improvement, based upon scientific 

 study and research, seem tremendous. 

 The purely scientific side is scarcely 

 touched, and here is a wide area, of pos- 

 sible expansion into new forms, new 

 uses, new methods and new commercial 

 advantages. Here, therefore, business, 

 science, art and beauty combine to af- 

 ford great chances of a life of pleasure 

 and profit to the many who love Nature 

 and her ways in this form. 



Outlook. 



The outlook for the coming year 

 seems good, although many readjust- 

 ments are yet to be made in general in- 

 dustry in our country before we may 

 again go on safely and without danger 

 of violent alternations of feast and 

 famine. Readjustments will extend into 

 our own industry and we must be ever 

 watchful to see where reconstruction 

 will be helpful, not too conservatively 

 waiting and wishing for a return to old 

 conditions, which we shall never see, but 

 bold to step forward when a forward 

 step will help. There is more lack of 

 progress through inertia or fear than 

 through errors in seeking new ways. It 

 is even nobler to make new blunders 

 than to perpetuate old ones. 



The cost of production today is ex- 

 cessively yigh, but is slowly decreasing, 

 although it will not, apparently, reach 

 the low level of former years. High 

 prices may make a poor market, but, on 

 the other hand, people love plants and 

 flowers and hardly need to be taught or 

 urged to use them. They only need to 

 learn the many ways in which they may 

 be used, and to be reminded of the joys 

 which come with them. The uncertain 

 period of general readjustment will re- 

 quire more careful salesmanship than 

 during the last two years. Aim for 

 high-grade, healthy stock, care and 

 economy in production, and fair prices 

 and efScient service. The deflation now 

 taking place will not be over quickly 

 and, doubtless, troubles will come also 

 to our industry; but study, care and at- 

 tention will carry us through to ever 

 greater successes. 



National Flower Show. 



While the great national flower show 

 to be held at Cleveland does not come 



until the spring of 1922, it is already 

 time to plan for it, both for the show 

 and for the exhibits. Let us all aim to 

 make it the finest horticultural exhibi- 

 tion ever known. The national shows 

 have been handicapped by small or un- 

 suitably arranged buildings and spaces, 

 but the fine new building at Cleveland 

 is not only of ample size, but is believed 

 to be exceedingly well suited to the 

 purpose. I hope every grower of plants 

 and flowers, wherever located, will set 

 about preparing something for Cleve- 

 land in 1922. It pays as an advertising 

 and publicity medium, and a real re- 

 sponsibility for the success of the show 

 rests upon the shoulders of our members 

 and those cooperating with us, all of 

 whom should be exhibitors. 



PubUcity. 



One of the valuable things accom- 

 plished by your society was to draw the 

 attention of producers and distributors 

 to the value of advertising. The retail- 

 ers have spent for advertising, usually 

 locally, lar^e sums. This backwardness 

 of other branches of the profession was, 

 doubtless, partly because their adver- 

 tising could rarely be local and individ- 

 ual, while many believed this work 

 properly belonged to the retailers. At 



the time producers took up the question 

 they were practically the only great 

 group of producers who were doing 

 nothing to improve the market for their 

 product. Bead the advertising in any 

 magazine and see how much of it is by 

 producers. The proportion is steadily 

 increasing. Combination advertising, as 

 laid out by your publicity committee, 

 has been well started, but the firm basis 

 and benefit will crumble away unless 

 heartily supported financially. I have 

 recently attended committee meetings 

 at Cleveland and Indianapolis and, I 

 am sorry to say, the committee is some- 

 what discouraged over the slow response 

 to its appeals. The members are work- 

 ing heartily for you. ^elp them by 

 quick action. Here is one form of ad- 

 vertising which surely has proved its 

 worth. Will you forget about it and let 

 it drop? Much more can be done; great 

 things are planned; your committee is 

 experienced and eflScient. It should not 

 be necessary to say more in order to 

 enlist further support and support from 

 new quarters. 



Affiliation. 



I find a fear expressed here and there 

 that the increasing number of special 

 societies may weaken our parent society. 



Thomas Roland. 



(New President of the Society of American Florists.) 



