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Alulst 11, 1904. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



5J7 



the Dale Estate as we did in all stages 

 of building under the King Construc- 

 tion Co., and the same may apply to all 

 cities in a more or less degree that we 

 visit. Again, compare our really good 

 trade exhibit of today with that of five 

 years ago: Then two exhibits, now a 

 very fair number. There is a feeling, 

 perhaps, that it does not pay, but if not 

 directly I think it does indirectly and 

 will do so more year by year. 



All this is a preliminary to my saying 

 that although we are flourishing, we 

 must not become too confident and there- 

 fore careless. There is great room for 

 growth yet, both in membership and use- 

 fulness. The prosperity of the associa- 

 tion is to a great degree influenced by 

 its membership. In numbers ia strength. 

 All of us must realize that it is our duty 

 to the C. H. A. to do our utmost to 

 bring new members to our convention 

 and once we have them we must do our 

 best to keep them. When we become 

 members we should be considered such 

 until we withdraw. If we miss a conven- 

 tion, which often means not paying our 

 dues, we should not be dropped by our 

 officers, but we should receive a reminder 

 and many of us would quickly realize 

 our carelessness and be prompt to send 

 our dues and glad to feel that we were 

 yet a member. There should be a strong 

 effort made to get more gardeners to 

 join. Their presence and their knowl- 

 edge is wanted to strengthen us. The 

 same may be said of other branches. 



We are now going the rounds of the 

 larger cities a second time with our con- 

 ventions and in the near future I think 

 an effort should be made to see if our 

 annual conventions could not be held at 

 some of the smaller cities. Some of 

 these would be interesting to visit and 

 plenty large enough to accommodate a 

 •convention of our numbers. Horticulture 

 in them, I have no doubt, would receive 

 a stimulus in having us visit them. In 

 conventions like ours there must always 

 be a certain amount of play or social 

 ■enjoyment. Man is made for it and it is 

 health-giving, to the brain as well as the 

 body. In these cities there are one or two 

 good florists wishing they could have us. 

 To these it would be a great injustice 

 to expect the entertainment we are used 

 to in much larger and wealthier cities, 

 but I have an idea that it could be ar- 

 ranged so that no over pride in their 

 city or reflection on their hospitality 

 would be felt. If this could be done I 

 think it would be good for the associa- 

 tion and for horticulture generally. 



I must congratulate the members of 

 the trade on the prosperous year just 

 passed. Judging from reports, all 

 branches of the business have had a good 

 year, notwithstanding the severe handicap 

 imposed by the unusually cold winter 

 which meant largely increased fuel bills. 

 Prices to the grower have been good and 

 the public has been willing to pay good 

 prices for good flowers. This last is par- 

 ticularly gratifying, as it shows our busi- 

 ness is gradually getting on a higher 

 plane. 



The plant trade has made rapid strides, 

 the only drawback being the want of 

 uniform prices. There is no reason 

 ■why there should not be ; there are not so 

 many of us in most cities to make it dif- 

 ficult. The country at present is not 

 over-producing and for the last two or 

 three years we have found that the sup- 

 ply was hardly up to the demand. Could 

 this be arranged, it would benefit all. 



The old subject of duty on azaleas and 



The H. B. Beatty Bowling Trophy. 



other plants is still open to our discus- 

 sion, I am afraid we shall find, on hear- 

 ing the reports, that our case is still in 

 abeyance. It looks as if the Minister 

 considers it too small a matter to bother 

 with; therefore, now is the time for the 

 C. H. A. by persistently advocating our 

 claims to convince the Minister that it is 

 of great consequence to us. There was 

 an attempt made by a member of the 

 trade to get the duty taken off new in- 

 troductions in the way of carnations, etc., 

 from the States. This, as they are a 

 benefit to our country and cannot be 

 procured in any other way, is a just de- 

 mand. I have not heard how successful 

 he was. 



I am glad to say the relations between 

 employer and employe are of a satisfac- 

 tory nature but there seems to be a scar- 

 city of good plantsmen, which is a de- 

 cided disadvantage. I think the em- 

 ployer is somewhat to blame for this. 

 All other businesses make their skilled 

 help from the boys. Why should not we 

 do so? In some establishments I have 

 seen it done most successfully. I do not 

 know of any business that furnishes so 

 good a field for employment as the flor- 

 ists' trade. 



At the present day, in the horticul- 

 tural world, the most noticeable subject 

 is the growing use and popularity of 

 hardy plants and flowers. It is a subject 

 the commercial florist has to interest 

 himself in and with our visit to the Ex- 

 perimental Farm and Mr. Macoun 's paper 

 should lead to discussion that will be a 

 profit to all. 



The greatest good that we get from 

 attending these sessions is from a gen- 

 eral discussion of the various subjects 

 as they come up, therefore I hope that 

 when this convention closes there will not 

 be one member who has not risen in ses- 

 sion and spoken on some subject. All 

 are not orators, and the silent one often 

 knows a lot. We want to share that 

 knowledge and to express our ideas here 

 is only like talking to a family gather- 

 ing. 



FUMIGATING. 



I have a house of asters in which the 

 thrips are doing considerable damage. 

 As ordinary means have proved imavail- 

 ing, would it be safe to fumigate with 

 hydrocyanic acid gast In a recent ar- 

 ticle on the use of this fumigant you said 

 that the ventilators should be opened 

 from the outside, Howf A, A. W, 



It would be very risky to try the gas 

 on a houseful of asters in , bloom. In 

 quantities strong enough to kill thrips, 

 it would be very likely to kill the plants 

 aa well. In regard to raising ventilat- 

 , ors to let gas escape, two or thre- should 

 be arranged so that they may be opened 

 with a rope from the outside. Then, 

 after one-half hour has elapsed, the house 

 may be entered and the others opened 

 in the usual way. It is much more ef- 

 ficient to use a strong gas for a short 

 time than a weaker one for a long time. 

 In most cases, it is not at all advisable 

 to let the gas stay in the house over 

 night. E. F. Smith. 



