26 



The Florists' Review 



Adgcst 21, 1913. 



Minneapolis," illustrated by a large 

 number of handsome colored lantern 

 slides. The pictures showed the great 

 improvements that have been achieved 

 since the park board undertook the 

 present progr^im of development, and, 

 great as has been the progress made, 

 the audience was led to believe that 

 even finer things lie in the future. 



For the closing session of the conven- 

 tion Leonard Barron, of Garden City, 

 Long Island, is on the program for a 

 stereopticon lecture entitled "Glimpses 

 of American Gardens." 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



[The following Is the address of Pisesldent J. 

 K. M. L. Farquhar, read before the Spciety of 

 American Florists, in convention at Minneapolis, 

 August 19 to 23, 1913.] *, 



Never has it fallen to the lot 'of a 

 president to make his convention ad- 

 dress under such favorable conditions 

 as exist in our society at this, our twen- 

 ty-ninth annual meeting. 



Since we last met, we have pro- 

 gressed and increased our influence to 

 such a degree that a review of the 

 year's proceedings might well be de- 

 voted to laudation rather than to sug- 

 gestion or criticism, 



"We did well in deliberately deciding 

 upon beautiful Minneapolis for our 

 meeting this year. The wisdom of the 

 selection is already manifest; nor did 

 we choose Minneapolis alone, but the 

 Twin Cities, which are one in horticul- 

 tural spirit, one in effort for a success- 

 ful convention and one in welcoming us 

 to their midst. Yonder river does not 

 divide the twins; they are linked be- 

 yond its waters. 



A Busy Year. 



Since our Chicago convention the so- 

 ciety has been unusually active. The 

 great success of the New York flower 

 show was accomplished only by the 

 untiring work of your officers in coop- 

 eration with those of the New York 

 Florists' Club and other local organiza- 

 tions. Especially must I commend the 

 zeal and work of Charles H. Totty. 



Meanwhile our vice-president, Theo- 

 dore Wirth, has been busy with his out- 

 door garden exhibit in connection with 

 this convention, a feature but once be- 

 fore attempted and then on a compara- 

 tively small scale. 



W. F. Gude, our Washington repre- 

 sentative, as chairman of the committee 

 on tariff and legislation, has done much 

 to secure satisfactory action on the clas- 

 sification of horticultural imports in the 

 new tariff. 



Officers. 



Our by-laws wisely provide that sev- 

 eral of our committees shall change 



gradually, as in the case of executive 

 and National Flower Show committees. 

 I am opposed to spasmodic changes, and 

 I believe that our state vice-presidents, 

 where they have been active in promot- 

 ing the interests of the society, might 

 well be reappointed by incoming presi- 

 dents, as has been done not infre- 

 quently. 



State Vice-Presidents. 



A former state vice-president recently 

 asked me, "What besides making a 

 report of trade conditions in his state 

 is there for a state vice-president to 

 do?" I replied that at present the 

 aocifity did not seem to be making all 

 the use it could make of its state vice- 

 presidents. I think that the annual re- 

 ports, the submission of which is in 

 some instances neglected, are but a 

 small part of the work these officers 

 might do. 



I am convinced that great good would 

 result if the vice-president of each 

 state Would consider the S, A, F. mem- 

 bers therein as constituting a society 

 of themselves under his or her charge; 

 and if he or she would call these mem- 

 bers together once or twice each year, 

 matters affecting their interests could 

 be discussed and acted upon. Then, 

 through the secretary and executive 

 committee, the full support of the so- 

 ciety could be accorded to the members 

 of any state, when in need of its help- 

 ful influence. 



Such state meetings might be held in 

 connection with any important flower 

 show, or other horticultural meeting in 

 a leading town, under the direction of 

 our state vice-president. 



Headquarters in Washington. 



Attention has been frequently called 

 to our obligation, under our charter, to 

 establish a permanent domicile in Wash- 

 ington. 



In a few years it will be necessary 

 for us to petition Congress for permis- 

 sion to hold property beyond the present 

 limit of our charter, which is $50,000. 

 We should at once begin to make good 

 our delinquency in having failed up to 

 the present time to establish our office 

 in Washington, and, having done so, we 

 shall be in better standing when we ask 

 Congress to permit us to hold property 

 up to ten or twenty times our present 

 limit — a round million would be none 

 too much. 



Parcel Post. 



The recent raising of the parcel post 

 limit to twenty pounds weight by the 

 postmaster-general is a step in the right 

 direction. It is to be hoped that soon 

 the horticultural interests will be able 

 to obtain a better rate than the present 



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one of 8 cents per pound for their pro 1- 

 ucts. 



The Executive Board. 



The work of the executive board s 

 much more arduous than many membe s 

 of the society realize. The board h; s 

 an intimate knowledge of the affairs ( f 

 our organization, a knowledge and ii- 

 sight not possessed by the majority <.f 

 our members. At times the recommenu- 

 ations of this board, which actually con- 

 trols our doings for fifty-one weeks of 

 the year, have not seemed to receive the 

 responsive approbation and suj-port of 

 the society which their importance 

 would have appeared to justify. I feel 

 that the suggestions of this board should 

 receive more thoughtful consideration. 



Congratiilation. 



In conclusion, fellow members, let me 

 say that notwithstanding the few sug- 

 gestions I have made, the burden of my 

 message to you this morning is con- 

 gratulation. 



Our society has grown — grown numer- 

 ically — grown in financial strength — 

 grown in influence and power as an 

 organization helpful to its members in 

 the trade. It has grown as a factor in 

 promoting horticulture and the love of 

 flowers among all classes of our people. 



Your officers, your vice-president, your 

 secretary, your treasurer, your executive 

 committee, your National FJower Show 

 committee and your other officers and 

 committees, have done their work faith- 

 fully and well, and for the remarkable 

 physical and material growth of our 

 society, which their various reports will 

 disclose, there is but one comment — 

 congratulation. And for your wisdom 

 in choosing them, as well as for having 

 so wisely selected this city for our pres- 

 ent convention, you, fellow members, 

 have my heartiest congratulations. 



SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



[The folIowii)g is the repdi't of John Young. 

 Secretary of the S. A. F., presented at the 

 Minneapolis convention, August 19, 19x3.] 



The secretary's financial report will 

 show the affairs of the society to be in 

 a healthy condition. Undoubtedly the 

 vote of the Chicago convention to meet 

 in Minneapolis was a wise one. The 

 florists' interests are increasing rap 

 idly in the west and northwest, and 

 the meeting in this city will give those 

 interested in the florists' trade an op- 

 portunity to become members, to visit 

 the convention and to see and learn 

 what the Society of American Florists 

 is doing for them. The number of new 

 members taken in at this time is grati- 

 fying. While it is to be regretted that 

 the receipts from the trade exhibition 



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Geraaium Helen Michell, Exhibited in the Minneapolis Garden by Henry F. Michell Co., Philadelphia 



