16 



The Florists^ Review 



ArcusT 26, If 15. 



PIEBSON DOma WELL, 



A telegram fronLji^n Francisco Aji- 

 gust 25 brings word that Wallace K. 

 PiersQn is making j&good recovery. 



As "reported in T^^ Review for Au- 

 gust 19, Mr. Pierson was ill on the way 

 to the convention, and on arrival at 

 San Francisco went to-a hospital, where 

 he was operated on for appendicitis 

 August 18. ";• 



HOW HOUSTON GOT IT. i 



The living wall — of niesembryanthp- 

 mum — seems to cause more talk than 

 any other floricultural feature of the 

 fair. But all the trade visitors^ agree 

 •lohn McLaren has done his work ex- 

 tremely well. 



One of the curious features of the 

 convention is the small number of those 

 who were at Boston last year who are 

 jjresent. Why did so many members 

 vote for San Francisco if they did not 

 intend to go? 



The contest for the prize of $1,000 

 for the best new rose must be a dis- 

 appointment to the exposition officials. 

 There are entries enough, but not suf- 

 ficient plants to make a showing worth 

 the money even if they had done well, 

 which they have not. The prize doubt- 

 less will bQ awarded to keep faith, 

 but the test is not an adequate one. 



The majority of those who have vis- 

 ited the Pacific coast this season have 

 stopped, going or coming, at Denver 

 and, of course, called on J. A. Valen- 

 tine. Mr. Valentine was not able to 

 attend the convention. Mrs. Valentine 

 has been seriously ill for many weeks 

 and the esteemed ex-president of the 

 society has not cared to absent himself 

 from home this summer. It is deeply 

 regretted that little improvement in 

 Airs. Valentine's eoudition can be re- 

 ported. 



"Look at wiiat 1 got for a dime at 

 the corner, '' said a florist's wife as 

 she held up a big bunch of sweet peas 

 for the inspection of her worse half, 

 attending the convention. The quan- 

 tity of flowers expo^^ed for sale on the 

 streets of San Francisco was the sub- 

 ject of general comment, no less than 



the low prices. Those who think flow- 

 ers are plentiful and cheap in the east 

 this summer should have attended the 

 convention. 



Mildew! Mildew everywhere! 

 Scarcely a clean rose to be found any- 

 where, cut, in the greenhouses, in gar- 

 dens or on the exposition grounds. The 

 cold nights and the heavy fogs are, of 

 course, responsible for the condition. 

 Eastern visitors to the convention ap- 

 preciate that the growers around the 

 bay have their own troubles. 



San Francisco has some splendid 

 flower stores, a surprising number of 

 first-class places charging^ first-class 

 prices when one takes into considera- 

 tion the extent of the street competi- 

 tion. And the quantity of stock car- 

 ried during the summer season is a 

 revelation; few eastern stores make a 

 better showing in winter. 



The gardening at the exposition is 

 wonderful when one takes into consid- 

 eration the character of the soil. Of 

 course nearly all the large plants are 

 in boxes and good soil was provided 

 in the places stock was planted out, 

 but the salt is beginning to work in 

 and in many places the plants now are 

 going backward. Between soil and 

 climate at San Francisco, an excessive 

 amount of work is required to keep 

 plantings up to the mark, but John 

 McLaren has done wonders, bo.th at 

 the exposition and at Golden Gate park. 



Such dahlias most of the eastern 

 visitors never had seen, and the gladi- 

 oli and many other subjects have won- 

 derfully bright colors under the influ- 

 ence of San Francisco's climatic con- 

 ilitions. 



An Exchange of Telegrams. 



Robert C, Kerr, of Houston, tlfe 

 spokesman of the Texans, was called 

 home by the destruction of his green- 

 houses in the great storm that swept 

 the gulf states last week and was not 

 present at the S. A.' F. convention \n 

 San Francisco when the question of next 

 meeting place came up. On his arriv&l 

 home he found the following telegran^: 



San Francisco, August 16. i 

 StroiiK sentiment here In favor of Texas. Vit' 

 think you can get convention next year. Hopt' 

 vou will wire an invitation naming the city hi 

 John Young, 432 Phelan building, San Franciscfi. 

 Patrick Welch, President. ^ 



Dan MacRorie, Vice-president. ; 



Tlie following reply was sent: ' 



Houston, August 16. ' 

 Texas florists unanimously Invite lillC S. A. y. 

 conveution to meet at Houston. Splendid audi- 

 torium convention facilities. We feel the grov 

 ing importance of Texas and the south in the 

 floral field need your encouragement and can 

 promise j'ou a. grand affiliation and rousing hos- 

 pitality. 



R. C. Kerr. Pres. T. S. F. 



L. J. Tackett, Secy. 



This was backed up by a telegram 

 from Elijah Coles, president of the 

 Rotary Club of Houston; by one from 

 S. L. Perrin, secretary of the Houston 

 Florists' Club; by one from Adolph 

 Boldt, secretary of the Houston Cham- 

 ber of Commerce, and by messages 

 from Mr. Kerr to individual members 

 of the S. A. F. asking their assistance. 



The result was announced as follows: 



San Francisco, August 17. 

 Houston, 105; New York, 28; New Orleans, 12. 

 Congratulations-. Spirited contest. 



Patrick Welch. 



To which the following reply was 



sent: 



Houston, August 111. 

 The 1910 S. A. F. convention city passeil 

 tliniugli severe storm. No lives lost. KegardlesH 

 of Ktorui, \\i- have already Jwgun to make prepa- 



The Randall and Evans Corner in the S. A. F. Trades' Display at the Sin Francisco Convention. 



