44 



The Florists^ Review 



May 4, 1922 



Mr. Roland presented a well tliuught out 

 report, the dealing with which took iiji 

 considerable time, especially as eiuli 

 amendment offered was carefully ex- 

 plained, both as to purj)ort and effect. 

 The amendments offered were as fol- 

 lows: 



1. All nmciidmeiit iirovidiiiK for tho npjxpint- 

 inoiit (if till (.■x<'<-iiliv(' cijiiiiiiitti'i', t(i ((insist of 

 the iirisiiU'iit, vice-president, junior ex president 

 and two directors to be iippolnted liy llic presi- 

 dent, to serve one year, on taking otll(o Jamiary 

 1. In the intervals lietween the meetings of the 

 directors, this conunittee to have charge of the 

 affairs of the so<'lety, subject to the general and 

 sijecific directions of the society and directors. 



2. An amendment jirovidhiK for the appoint- 

 ment of reserve fund trustees, the same to con- 

 sist of the treasurer and three past-presidents 

 to be appointed liy the president, one for one 

 year, one for two years and one for three years, 

 memlK'rs to elect their own chairman. This 

 committee, in the intervals between the meet- 

 ings of the directors and subject to the general 

 and specific direction of tlie society and direc- 

 tors, to liave the care and management of the 

 society's reserve funds, and tlie power to sell, 

 oxcliange, invest, reinvest and transfer tho same. 

 If adopted l\v tlie society, this amendment wo>ild 

 eliminate the finance committee, insofar as it 

 functions along similar lines. 



3. Amendment governing the permanent 

 fund, to be in future linown as "reserve fund." 

 Money accruing from life memliorship payments 

 to form a reserve ftind, tlie interest of which 

 can be used annually for general or specific i)ur- 

 poses. The permanent fund or any part of it 

 not to be used for any purpose whatever with- 

 out the approval of a two-thirds vote of tlie 

 entire Iward of directors, and to receive a ma- 

 jority of all votes cast at the annual election for 

 otHcers; to be jilaced on the ballot and voted on 

 as are elected otlicers of the society. 



4. An amendment defining the treasurer's 

 duties and powers. He shall deposit funds in 

 bank or trust ccmipany as the board of directors 

 shall approve, where his account as treasurer 

 shall be kejit and all payments shall be made 

 by check. He shall have in his safekeeping the 

 bonds, deeds, notes and other evidences of prop- 

 erty. He shall give lionds equal in amount to 

 the funds in his charge. In the absence or dis- 

 ability of the treasurer, the directors may ap- 

 I>oint a temporary treasurer, who shall have all 

 the powers and duties of the treasurer. 



5. An amendment instituting a budget com- 

 mittee and defining its duties, the duties to be 

 the preparation of an annual budget, to be 

 passed at the midwinter meeting of the executive 

 board. 



C. An amendment defining the status of the 

 president In regard to committees. He shall lie 

 an ex-officio member of all committees, and he 

 shall have the right to attend and be heard at 

 all meetings of such committees, but, at all such 

 meetings, except in the case of the executive 

 and budget committees, he shall not vote ex- 

 cept in the case of a tie. 



All these amendments were, by mo- 

 tions, accepted by the board. 



Other Amendments. 



J. F. Aniniann moved, and the motion 

 was carried, that an amendment be rec- 

 ommended, directing that the secretary 

 be elected by the executive board in- 

 stead of bv the convention. 



Secretary Young moved, and hi§ mo- 

 tion was carried, an amendment be rec- 

 ommended to make the councilor of the 

 United States Chamber of Commerce a 

 member of the executive boiird. 



Ceorge Asmus moved that an amend- 

 ment be recommended making the com- 

 mittee on tariff and legislation a con- 

 stitutional committee and its chairman 

 a member of the executive board, and 

 the motion was carried. 



Joseph Kohout, at the request of the 

 State Florists' Association of Illinois, 

 suggested that affiliated bodies be al- 

 lowed to elect their directors for more 

 than one year, it being believed that a 

 greater interest in the society's affairs 

 would thus result. In a discussion of the 

 matter, George Asmus, John Young, W. 

 R. Pierson and J. F. Ammaiin reviewed 

 the proceedings which led to the adop- 

 tion of the present regulation in affilia- 

 tion procedures, and action on the ques- 

 tion was not deemed necessary. 



Gold Medal Awarded Again. 



An interesting part of the proceed- 

 ings now took place. The matter of the 

 medal of honor recommended by Ex- 

 President Roland at the Washington 

 convention came up in the regular way, 

 being on the business agenda for dis- 

 cussion. Secretary Young read the rec- 

 ommendation as it appeared in the pres- 

 idential address, as follows: 



Many years ago this society established a gold 

 medal, wliich, I understand, has been awarded 

 but twice in all these years. Now, I believe we 

 should not bestow it except after the most care- 

 ful consideration, but I cannot but think that the 

 progress of many branches of our profession dur- 

 ing twenty years might have been rewarded 

 wisely through the medal we have had so long 

 established. This would tend to encourage and 

 to spur, especially those whose work is so val- 

 uable and so often not rewarded by financial 

 returns. Much of the scientific progress needed 

 in our profession is by work for love and for 

 knowledge and this sort of work needs our help 

 in any way we can give it. 



I therefore suggest that the society reestablish 

 this medal as a medal of honor, to be awarded 

 by the board of directors annually, to the man or 

 w'oman, firm or institution, in the United .States, 

 or elsewhere, who has done the most in recent 

 years to promote horticulture, using the phrase 

 in its broadest meaning, members of our society 

 to be eligible for this medal, for meritorious 

 service of the same kind. It may be awarded 

 once in five years to the members of the S. A. F. 

 who, diiring the preceding five years, shall have 

 rendered services best calculated to advance the 

 largest interest in this society. I do not believe, 

 however, that the medal should ever come to be 

 considered an internal operation, but that the 

 thought of the directors ever should be to en- 

 courage others. I would suggest that the board 

 of directors decide the award by ballot at the 

 annual meeting held about mid-Lent. 



Rose View Greenhouses, at Beardstown, 111., in Center of Flooded Area. 



Mr. Pierson in a short address spoke 

 of the significance of an award of this 

 kind, and referred particularly to the 

 fact that in his opinion no society had 

 received more unselfish devotion than 

 the devotion of George Asmus to the 

 S. A. F. He spoke of the manner in 

 which Mr. Asmus had faced the na- 

 tional flower show situation in Cleve- 

 land, and of how he had the key to it 

 in the change to Indianapolis. In rec- 

 ognition of this, and his past work of 

 years, he wished, he said, to nominate 

 Mr. Asmus for the medal of honor, to 

 be awarded this year. Mr. Hagenburger 

 seconded the nomination, as also did 

 H. P. Knoble, Secretary Young, J. F. 

 Ammann, Paul Klingsporn, President 

 Pennock, Treasurer Hess and Thomas 

 Roland, and a rising vote was called 

 for, awarding the medal to one who had 

 proved himself an unselfish worker for 

 everybody selling plants and flowers. 

 Mr. Asmus was not in the room at the 

 time. Mr. Pierson was directed to lo- 

 cate him and present him at the plat- 

 form. In the meantime, on motion of 

 Mr. Roland, it was decided to make 

 formal presentation of the medal at the 

 Kansas City convention. Mr. Asmus 

 now appearing, amid applause and 

 cheers, he was addressed by President 

 Pennock as follows: 



Mr. Asmus, there is a medal of honor which 

 is awarded every five years to the person who 

 lias done tlie most, and made the most sacrifices 

 for the S. A. F., and the gentlemen in this room 

 have gone over the field carefully and they have 

 selected you to be the recipient of that medal. 

 It gives us great pleasure today to hand you 

 one of the biggest honors that the society has 

 ever handed any member. We believe that that 

 honor is more than fully merited by the work 

 that you have done in the last five or ten years, 

 which has been prodigious in every way, your 

 time unstintingly given, your business sacrificed; 

 not only your business, but your family as well. 

 In the case of the flower show, you have given 

 every minute, night and day; as some men said, 

 you slept on the job and never flinched. Even 

 when you had the whole board against you, you 

 carried them through with your enthusiasm, your 

 push and your energy. 



It gives us a great deal of pleasure to be able 

 to award this medal to you, as a small recom- 

 pense for the work which you have done in the 

 last five or ten years. The medal is not ready 

 to give to you at this time. We are sorry It is 

 not ready, but it will be presented to you in 

 -Vugust, at the convention in Kansas City. 



Mr. Asmus made a feeling response. 

 The feeling which prompted the award, 

 he said, was quite sufficient reward 

 for anything he might have done, with- 

 out anything more material. He was 

 greatly pleased to accept the confidence 

 and thought of the society, and would 

 always cherish the token. 



Some further discussion was had as 

 to future bestowal of the medal of 

 honor, and finally, on motion of Mr. 

 Roland, it was decided that the chair 

 appoint a committee of three to con- 

 sider names and institutions for the 

 award. 



Budget. 



A long discussion then ensued on the 

 budget. Mr. Knoble, for the budget 

 committee, presented a report embody- 

 ing a budget for the year amounting 

 to $14,230, and an income estimated 

 at $16,900. The income estimate, he 

 .said, was placed at the lowest possible 

 figures. 



On motion of Mr. Knoble, it was de- 

 cided that the board recommend that 

 the society, at the Kansas City con- 

 vention, contribute $2,500 to the pub- 

 licity campaign. 



H. P. Knoble, for the finance commit- 

 tee, i)rcsented a report. The report 

 showed that the permanent fund bal- 

 ance of $13,000 had been reinvested in 

 government certificates of indebtedness 

 of six months' period, and the commit- 



