106 



The Rorists^ Review 



Jdni 2S, 1921 



legislative activities of the year. This 

 will be covered fully by the report of 

 our legislative committee and counsel. 

 Almost anything I could mention would 

 be an unnecessary duplication and can 

 be placed before you far better by the 

 committee and Curtis Nye Smith. 



A year irf the president's oflSce is a 

 revelation as to the amount of work 

 handled by counsel. It is counsel's prac- 

 tice to send copies of correspondence 

 relating to seed matters to your presi- 

 dent, and during the past year I have 

 been amazed at the volume of it. 



I believe that our association is well 

 served by our present counsel and that 

 his continued employment is to the best 

 interests of the association. 



Free Seeds. 



The seed business is the only business 

 that has to compete with a straight-out 

 gift enterprise on the part of Uncle Sam. 

 What's worse is that the taxes we pay 

 go to buy and distribute gratis seeds in 

 direct competition with us. At one 

 time this year there appeared a chance 

 to kill this hoary-headed fraud on the 

 public and imposition on the trade. 



My study of that particular subject 

 leads me to believe that this can be 

 done away with by proper effort applied 

 at the right time, but leaving it until 

 the appropriation bill is being made up 

 will get us nowhere. Once the congress- 

 man is convinced that his constituents 

 do not want these "free seeds," the end 

 of it is in sight. On this subject I would 

 recommend to my successor the appoint- 

 ment of an active committee to follow 

 up the matter in such manner as the 

 members deem best. 



Price Propaganda. 



It is no secret that the seed selling 

 season just past has been a generally 

 unsatisfactory one. While tliere have 

 been exceptions, the usual experience 

 has been unsatisfactory and unprofit- 

 able. Tills is disappointing, yet it was 

 hardly to be expected that the seed 

 business should escape when every other 

 line of business was having large and 

 able-bodied troubles. 



In late fall or early winter your presi- 

 dent did an unusual tiling that he has 

 no apologies to make for. We have 

 reason to believe that it liad in a num- 

 ber of quarters a steadying influence. 

 During the price disturbance last fall 

 we found much uncertainty as to the 

 question of prices in the trade, an al- 

 most semi-panic condition that bid fair 

 to bring about price demoralization. 



Through the trade press we called at- 

 tention to the fact that there was noth- 

 ing in the situation to justify a slashing 

 of seed prices; that there had not been 

 tlie inflation in seed prices that there 

 had been in other lines. We also called 

 attention to the fact that practically 

 every element of expense, other than 

 cost of seed stocks, was still at or near 

 peak jiriet's and would necessarily stand 

 against 1921 spring business. 



We recommended aggressive action in 

 promoting gardening and better farm- 

 ing and conseqiu'iit greater use of seeds. 

 In a m(>a.sure, tliis policy was followed 

 by many firms. Frequently the result 

 was a volume of business transacted 

 that matched up well with all but the 

 peak years. That the business gener- 

 ally was not profitable was due to the 

 fact that there was little or no oppor- 

 tunity to adjust expenses to meet the 

 generally changed business conditions. 



It may be superfluous to recommend 



HOLLAND BULB FIRM 



Locating in New York 

 SEGERS BROS., LTD. 



Bulb Grower* and Exporters 



LISSE, HOLLAND. 



Wish to thank their numerous clients throughout 

 the United States and Canada for the liberal patron- 

 age enjoyed in the past. 



In order to deal more satisfactorily with the ever 

 increasing volume of business, we are pleased to in- 

 form the trade that we have opened an office at 



1165 Broadway, New York City 



This 'new facility, together with our modernly 

 equipped warehouses in Holland, places us in a 

 position ito make prompt shipments to all points 

 West. 



We solicit inquiries from florist, seedsman and jobber 

 and will submit best possible quotations for high 

 quality 1921 bulb stock. 



SEGERS BROS.. LTD. 



(Strictly Wholesale) 

 r::S>.i^ i,jlll65 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY. 



More than 100 Acres of Bulbs 



Paper Whites- --Grandiflora 



Grown on our farm, nice bulbs. They bloom for us and should for you, many bulbs 

 throwing three flower spikes and often 1=^ to 17 flowers on single stem bulbs. Now 

 ready for shipment. We solicit your orders. Our prices are reasonable. 

 12 to 16 ctm., $20.00 per lOOO. f. o. b. here, net cash. Eight samples, 25 cents. 

 AUo retidy July lat 



BARRII CONSPICUUS $15.00 



SULPHUR PHOENIX li.oo 



MIXED, good varieties .... 10.00 



SIR WATKIN, small size 10.00 



Above'prices all per thousand SEND US YOUR ORDERS 



Tait Brothers Company, Brunswick, Georgia 



Mention The Beylew when jon write. 



SEEDS-BULBS-SUPPLIES, 



Highest Beckert's Seed Store ^™°;p' 



(jU^lty FIVE FLO ATER SEEDS A SPECIALTY OCrVlCC 



101-103 Federal St., PITTSBURGH, PA. 



