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The Rorists' Review 



.SKi>Tii)MBicn 22, 1921 



have brought about the desirability of 

 the National Flower Growers' Associa- 

 tion. While we have been so success- 

 ful in the past, it is my greatest desire 

 that we continue to work for still great- 

 er acconij)lishments. As an association 

 of flower growers for the greatest flower 

 distributing center in the world, our 

 opportunity for inaugurating measures 

 calculated to better our present form 

 of growing and marketing our flowers is 

 limited only by the amount of coopera- 

 tion and en(!rgy we wish to employ to 

 gain our objective. 



Gentlemen, do you fully realize the 

 value of the services this association can 

 render to the individual members as well 

 as the industry at large if you are but 

 willing to give your whole-hearted sup- 

 port to this movement? Let me say that 

 your officers, no matter how hard they 

 work, are j)owerless to accomplish much 

 without the cooperation of the whole 

 membersliip to the fullest extent possi- 

 ble. This has not been lacking in the 

 past, for the attendance at our meetings 

 has usually been good, but 1 think it 

 could be improved on if every member 

 realized that he has in this association 

 a real asset and that he needs this asso- 

 ciation. The association must in turn 

 have your sujjport and counsel in its de- 

 liberations. Remember you will gain 

 nothing by shifting by yourself. No one 

 has proven big enough to continue suc- 

 cessfully alone. This is an age for co- 

 operation, and through cooperation only 

 will we succeed in bettering our position 

 as an industry. 



For Larger Meetings. 



As your presiding officer, I appeal to 

 you for your own good benefit to make 

 it your business to attend our meetings 

 regularly. By so doing you inspire and 

 encourage your officers to greater effort 

 and I am sure you will find it time well 

 invested. It is the intention of the offi- 

 cers to provide at our meetings educa- 

 tional and instructive topics. All we 

 ask is that the members attend, so as to 

 take advantage of what is offered. 



One of the acts that will be of lasting 

 credit to this association is the help we 

 gave in organizing the Allied Florists' 

 Association of Illinois, that now so suc- 

 cessfully carries on our advertising cam- 

 paign. Credit is also due to the indi- 

 vidual members, as well as some non- 

 members, for their continued loyal suj)- 

 port. The Allied Florists' Association 

 has done more to make the Chicago 

 public think of flowers than any other 

 agency emjjloyed. I must emphasize 

 that growers should continue to support 

 the advertising, no matter what the 

 other branches of the trade may in the 

 future elect to do. Advertising is most 

 necessary. It is to a business what a 

 life line is to a drowning man. If he 

 grasj)s it and holds on to it he will live 

 to enjoy life. We have caught the line; 

 now let us hold on to it and we shall live 

 and enjoy prosperity. 



1 shall recommend for the considera- 

 tion of this assembly the advisability 

 of working to accomplish the following, 

 which I think would make for further 

 I'rogress in our business if carried out 

 faithfully by all concerned. 



Statistical Bureau. 



We should have a statistical bureau. 

 Its purpose would bo to gather data and 

 keep records of all greenhouse crops of 

 plants and flowers grown in and about 

 Chicago for the Chicago market. These 

 data would be disseminated to all mem- 

 bers of this association and others who 

 it may be determined should have access 

 to such records. I believe such a bu- 

 reau could accomplish much good in the 

 following ways: By getting complete 

 data about each flower grown, its gen- 

 eral condition throughout the season 

 of development, and the prospects as to 

 crops that may be expected' at any 

 l)articular time. Then we could possi- 

 bly to some extent eliminate the hit-or- 

 miss method now used in striking for a 

 good market. Such information, if 

 acted on, could be used to diminish the 

 abnormal gluts that occur at times; 

 also to lessen the abnormal scarcity at 



other times. After a year's compilation 

 of sueh data, we should know exactly 

 how to arrange our planting and crop- 

 ping for any certain date and to some 

 extent eliminate overproduction. Think 

 how valuable such information would be 

 — if, for instance, we knew today wheth- 

 er there is planted a half million more 

 or just the same amount of mums this 

 year as last! If we could tell with rea- 

 sonable accuracy a week ahead the pos- 

 sible size of supply of flowers for a holi- 

 day, it would help the wholesalers mate- 

 rially in making up their price lists in 

 such a way that a maximum price could 

 1)1' realized without leaving a large sur- 

 ]»lus, as sometimes ha]>pens. 



We should work for closer cooperation 

 with the wholesalers and retailers, al- 

 ways having in mind the fourth party, 

 the public, whose good-will is a great 

 business asst-t to this trade. We should 

 fit all times try to keejt and cultivate the 

 favorable sentiment of the public. No 

 l)usiiiess can afford under present condi- 

 tions to allow anything to occur that 

 would in any way excite public senti- 

 ment against our ]jroducts and methods. 



Monthly ExUbits. 



I shall also recommend to this associa- 

 tion a ])roposal to hold a series of 

 monthly exhibits of flowers and plants 

 to compete for awards. Plants will be 

 exhibited separately. I am urging this 

 feature because I believe that we should 

 let it be known throughout the terri- 

 tory served by the Chicago market that 

 Chicago is still the great flower center 

 :tud that here is a place where quantity 

 and quality stock can be obtained at all 

 times. By holding these exhibits, we 

 should be able to get considerable pub- 

 licity for the Chicago market, and I be- 

 lieve that we should do something in this 

 direction to help Chicago wholesalers in 

 their efforts to have the trade come to 

 this market for supplies. Some of you 

 do not realize the great stimulus such 

 flower shows would have in creating a 

 desire in everyone to produce the highest 

 quality stock possible. The success of 



Home of San Francisco Co-operative Market at It Appeared on Opening Day. 



