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■ r«"™'Si>"- 



" "5 ?■•••. • • 



August ift^ 1915. 



The Florists' Rcvi^ 



2t 



dent, would result in creating a much 

 ^livelier interest in the annual conven- 

 tion, bringing the work of the society 

 nearer to the members and relieving 

 the future presidents of the difficulty 

 of making these selections. 



Ex-President Prank E. Pierson, in his 

 address at Eochester, N. Y., in 1910, 

 had the same idea in mind when he 

 said, "I am firmly of the opinion that 

 we would more nearly follow out the 

 ideas of democratic government by the 

 election rather than the appointment 

 of directors." 



The changes which have taken place 

 in the make-up of our board of direc- 

 tors within the last two years make it 

 necessary that the society itself should 

 elect two directors annually, especially 

 Bince the privilege is extended to local 

 clubs and the national organizations 

 having 100 S. A. F. members to elect 

 one. 



I would recommend that this society 

 in convention authorize the amendment 

 of the constitution so that hereafter 

 two members shall be elected to the 

 board of directors at our annual con- 

 vention. 



Cooperation. 



The parent society has ever been re- 

 nowned for her many activities in be- 

 half of advanced horticulture. It has 

 played an important role with patience, 

 zeal and determination, to the end that 

 cooperation between the allied societies 

 should be a fitting and notable achieve- 

 ment. To the committee comprising 

 Theodore Wirth, George Asmus and 

 William F. Kasting we owe a debt of 

 gratitude for their labor, loyalty, un- 

 failing patience and persistence. 



The first practical step toward real 

 affiliation with the kindred societies 

 and florists' clubs throughout the coun- 

 try was passed at the last convention 

 in Boston. Under the terms of this 

 amendment the New York, Boston and 

 Philadelphia Florists' Clubs, the Flo- 

 rists' Telegraph Delivery Association, 

 the American Eose Society and the 

 American Carnation Society are now 

 represented on the board of directors 

 by their presidents. This increase in 

 the board ought to prove of great value 

 to this society and contribute much 

 toward a liberal policy between the 

 clubs and the parent society. 



The wisdom and success of having 

 the various minor organizations made 

 a sectional part of the 8. A. F. is no 

 , better exemplified than in the instance 

 of the Florists' Telegraph Delivery and 

 the consequent eflfects upon the parent 

 body. This organization has grown 

 immensely within the last four years. 

 Approximately 235 firms have joined 

 the Florists' Telegraph Delivery and 

 resultantly members of these firms are 

 also members of our national society. 



The benefits from this important 

 branch of the flower business are not 

 retained by the retailer alone, but are 

 passed on through the various branches 

 to the humblest employee of the grower. 

 This certainly makes it worth while for 

 every retailer of standing to join and 

 receive the benefits of its workings and 

 also to assist the national association, 

 which ha.s helped materially in its 

 formation. 



We ought to make every eflPort to 

 induce other clubs throughout the 

 country to become interested in this 

 movement. 



I would ret-ommend that the consti- 

 tution be amended so that the members 



V. Podesta. 



(Cliairiimn of the Sports Committee for the San Fi-anctwo Convention.) 



before taking their seats on the board 

 of directors have the consent of the 

 majority of the club or society they 

 represent. 



Publicity. 



It is needless to point out the value 

 of publicity for the dissemination of 

 proper knowledge and educatinjr the 

 public in the more general use of horti- 

 cultural products. 



It is necessary for the society to 

 organize a publicity bureau, whose 

 work would be along the lines of a 

 campaign, directed primarily for the 

 annual increase of the sale of flowers, 

 plants and plant products, througli now 

 [Oontlnoeri on page 58.] 



REPORT ON SCHOOL GARDENS. 



[The following is tlie report of Benjamin 

 Hammond, chairman of the committee on 

 school gardens, presented at the San Fran- 

 cisco convention August 17, 1915.] 



Our country is so large that to na- 

 tionalize any movement is no small 

 work, and to hold the interest of all 

 sections in a particular work or object 

 is difficult. But there is one effort 

 that meets with almost universal ap- 

 preciation, and that is school garden- 

 ing. 



The florists of this country are of a 

 trade that greatly helps to develop 

 beauty all around, and the Society of 

 American Florists is stimulating inter- 

 est in home gardening by teaching 

 gardening and floriculture in the 

 schools. Proofs come from many points 

 that the effort is having a helpful re- 

 sult. 



This season our letter, sent to evorv 



school board or school 8Uperiiitefl||k)nt 

 where a member of the S. A. F. is lo- 

 cated and to everv state commissioner 

 of education, contaii»i|| a picture of 

 the beautiful Washington statue and 

 surroundings at Grand avenue park, 

 Milwaukee, Wis. This picture, with 

 its spirit of emulation represented by 

 the mother directing her son's atten- 

 tion to Washington as an examj^Jle, 

 seemed to strike a chord of admiration. 

 From one place, where efforts were 

 made to interest the children in gar- 

 dening, a report came saying: "The 

 children want flower seeds, for the 

 flower beds started have set an ex- 

 ample. The demand is for geraniums, 

 coleus, dahlias and roses." 



The newspapers of the country are 

 paying more heed to this flower gar- 

 den movement, and small yards of the 

 cities show the good results. 



To a dark backyard, overshadowed 

 In- buildings, two boys invited us, to 

 see their garden. The youngsters had 

 dug up a bit of waste ground, planted 

 it, weeded and watered the ten or 

 dozen square feet until it looked like 

 an irrigated patch near Denver, Colo., 

 so prolific it was. Those lads were 

 pleased. That kind of work helps de- 

 velop American citizens of character. 



In many villages and small towns im- 

 provement societies exist, and these so- 

 cieties are usually excellent supporters 

 of the florists ' craft, directly arid in- 

 directly. Small prizes, well dis- 

 tributed, encourage the children to keep 

 up the home yards. 



fContlnned on i>ajre.5fi.l 



