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AuODST 18, 1904. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



583 



of these available agencies and freely 

 make use of the advantages they offer 



.U8. 



The Guiution League. 



It s^ms fitting that our society should 

 give its ofl&cial approval and continued 

 encouragement to the Carnation League 

 of America. Mr. H. M. Altick, one of 

 the executive committee of S. A. F., 

 who is chairman of the committee on 

 McKinley memorial representing the 

 American Carnation Society, and which 

 was endorsed by this society a year ago, 

 has been expending commendable energy 

 in behalf of this most deserving project, 

 which I am sure will meet the hearty ap- 

 proval and most generous response of 

 the members of this society, whose char- 

 ter happily bears the signature of the 

 late distinguished and beloved president, 

 William McKinley. 



Another matter that I deem of suffi- 

 cient importance to here refer to is the 

 customary practice and usual instruc- 

 tions given to the various committees. 

 In most cases where their appointment 

 is deemed advisable a report from them 

 is not made until the next annual meet- 

 ing. This, • I think, is a mistake and 

 would suggest that such committees 

 should do their work as soon after the 

 appointment as practical and make the 

 report at once to the secretary, who 

 could without delay apprise the presi- 

 dent, and after the approval of the lat- 

 ter, publication to the members could 

 be made and the result of the commit- 

 tee's work put into immediate opera- 

 tion. While considering the work of 

 committees I will say that I think this 

 method of making a division of the so- 

 ciety's work should be more freely ex- 



orcised, but men of the best qualifica- 

 tions Bhould be selected and they should 

 be made fully aware of the prompt and 

 efScient work expected of them. 



Trade Exhibitions. 



The trade exhibitions connected with 

 our annual conventions, I am glad to 

 note, are growing in extent, importance 

 and popularity, and rightly so, for the 

 benefits arising from them are many 

 and widespread, and I sincerely hope for 

 a continuance of this valuable feature 

 of our annual meetings. 



Some of the most interesting discus- 

 sions we have ever had developed out of 

 the answers given to inquiries from the 

 question box and I urge the free use of 

 this valuable avenue of information. 



The Executive Committee. 



To those of my executive board who 

 were present at our sessions, who have 

 had the good work at heart and devoted 

 their time and .money for the good cause, 

 let me express my heartfelt appreciation, 

 and I hope the same enthusiasm will fol- 

 low their entire term of office. To those 

 who were not present, I must confess 

 that it was a disappointment. We should 

 understand it is largely a business 

 proposition. Speaking for myself, I 

 should not accept an honor unless I felt 

 I would endeavor to fill the requirements. 

 When a man is shown the courtesy and 

 is invited to give counsel in a society 

 representing his trade's interests, he 

 should put forth all efforts to lend such 

 assistance as lies in his power. This 

 question should be weighed well. We 

 must admit that we all have troubles of 

 our own. None so bad but what may be 

 worse. We should be anxious to lay 



aside our individual business a short 

 time for this cause. The executive com- 

 mittee is the main machinery of the so- 

 ciety. To them is allotted the year's 

 work, and in order to do good, effective 

 work it is absolutely necessary that every 

 director fully intends to do his share at 

 each and every meeting during the term 

 of office, and there ought to be men in 

 our ranks anxious for the opportunity. 

 This year we have arranged a program 

 that I hope will prove interesting and 

 valuable to all our members. 



In conclusion, I wish to use this op- 

 portunity to express my grateful appre- 

 ciation of the splendid work done in 

 connection with this event by the St. 

 Louis Florists' Club. President J. J. 

 Beneke, Messrs. Kuehn, Tesson, Oester- 

 tag, Schray, Ammann, Byer, Weber, El- 

 lis and Koenig have all to my personal 

 knowledge shown extraordinary interest 

 and applied themselves most industri- 

 ously to the work assigned them and the 

 happy result is the most complete prep- 

 aration for this glorious convention. 



Secretary Stewart then read his an- 

 nual report, which was as follows: 



Secretary's Report. 



In presenting my annual report I take 

 opportunity to congratulate the society, 

 and, through it, the horticultural inter- 

 ests of the country on the freedom dur- 

 ing the past year from widespread calam- 

 ities, such as the coal strike and the ex- 

 press-rate burden, which had in the pre- 

 vious season threatened our prosperity. 

 While not a phenomenal year in any re- 

 spect, it would seem from the vice-presi- 

 dents' reports and other sources of in- 

 formation from all sections, that a rea- 

 sonably satisfactory year has been passed. 



Some of the Men W^ho Maxle the Convention. 



