1244 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



>■■ 1 



NOVEHBEB 10, 1904. 



we should apologize to our Boston 

 friends for the comparative paucity of 

 contributions as a society. I confess a 

 feeling of keenest disappointment at 

 the non-attendance of many prominent 

 growers and the absence of their exhib- 

 its, more especially of western friends." 

 He did not make a prepared address. 



The following is the full report of 

 Secretary Fred H. Lemon: 



In making a report for the year 

 1903-4, it is not necessary to give a re- 

 view of the work of the year, as the pub- 

 lished proceedings for 1903 show the re- 

 sults which have been accomplished. The 

 delay in placing this publication in the 

 hands of the members is greatly regret- 

 ted by the secretary, and can only be 

 explained by the lack of a realization of 

 the immense amount of work and time 

 required to prepare the Elmer D. Smith 

 variety lists for the printer and a con- 

 sequent delay in beginning the work. 



The publication of the proceedings for 

 1903 will cost the society a considerable 

 sum. The income of the society for the 

 year, as will be seen by the treasurer's 

 report, wiU not nearly equal this outlay. 

 At the convention in November, 1903, 

 the secretary, realizing that such would 

 be the case, asked for instructions regard- 

 ing the extent of the publication and re- 

 ceived orders to "make it as complete 

 as possible." Now, it is certain that 

 the society cannot go on spending more 

 each year than it receives. The income 

 resulting from the exhibition of seedlings 

 before committees is much less than in 

 former years and for some unknown rea- 

 son the secretary finds it very difficult to 

 persuade the members to pay their dues 

 promptly. Three appeals have been sent 

 out during the year and yet there are 

 ninety-one members delinquent. Even if 

 all dues had been paid, the income would 

 still be too small to cover this year's ex- 

 penses. It will be understood, of course, 

 that this publication has cost more than 

 the proceedings will cost in the future 

 on account of the variety lists. A. 

 things considered, the secretary strongly 

 recommends that the dues be increased to 

 $2 per year, payable in advance, as sug- 

 gested by Mr. C. W. Johnson. 



Further, tue society should pass a reso- 

 lution instructing the secretary to mail 

 the society's valuable publications only 

 to members whoSe dues are paid. A 

 genuine effort on the part of the mem- 

 bers to get their neighbors to join would 

 certainly increase the membership list. 



For some reason unknown to the writ- 

 er there has been a great falling off in 



the demand for the society's certificates 

 during the past few years. It is a pe- 

 culiar fact that not one of the wonderful 

 Wells-Pockett set of novelties for last 

 year was set up before the committees. 

 Since one of the five "objects" given as 

 reasons for the organization of the C. 

 S. A. is * ' to stimulate the growing and 

 introduction of improved varieties in 

 every legitimate way, ' ' the society ought 

 to inquire into the reason for this condi- 

 tion and endeavor to correct it. If the 

 society could see its way clear to offer 

 a medal to the firm receiving the greatest 

 number of certificates in a year exhibit- 

 ing before the committees would be stim- 

 ulated. 



A proper revision of scales is also of 

 the greatest importance. In this con- 

 nection the secretary desires to state that 

 the use of the new scales for this fall's 

 judging was favored by every member 

 of the executive committee except one, 

 and as a consequence the scales were put 

 into use, mainly for the purpose of test- 

 ing their efiiciency. 



The most important work before this 

 convention must be the consideration of 

 plans to increase the society's income or 

 reduce expenses. 



The treasurer, John N. May, gave his 

 financial report, showing a small bal- 

 ance. In regard to the dues he recom- 

 mended $2 a year and said that if a 

 sn'.aller amount was adopted no more re- 

 ports need be expected. The society to 

 exist must have funds to support it. It 

 was unanimously decided that tho dues 

 be made $2. 



A discussion arose as to whether mon- 

 ey prizes or cups were the more desir- 

 able. C. H. Totty, J. T. Scott and F. 

 K. Pierson approved of cups. It was 

 voted to continue cups and to offer one 

 next year for ten blooms of one vaiiety. 

 It was voted that district vice-presidents 

 be appointed by the president. It was 

 voted that the president have power to 

 appoint a committee of five to take 

 charge of the exhibits annually. 



The committee on the revision ot the 

 scale of points for judging exhibition 

 and commercial blooms, E. A. Woo(i, E. 

 1 >. Smith and E. G. Hill, gave their re- 

 port as follows: 



Aflpr lengthy dellberution and porrespondence 

 with many of the leading pbrysuntbemum grow- 

 ers, we recommend the adoption of the follow- 

 ing scHles: 



Commerclnl. P^xhlbitlon. 



Color 20 Oilor 10 



FYirm 15 Stem 5 



ruUnesg 1<> FnliiiK" 6 



Stem l'> I'lillness 15 



Foliage 1"> I'lirni 16 



Snbstanrc 15 !►< pth 15 



Size lO Slw as 



Your comniittee has found that it la the con- 

 genaus of opinion that a good commercial vari- 

 ety must be a well balanced form ia all the 

 easontiul parts and have endeavored to average 

 the scale, ao that a variety being exceedingly 

 strong In one or two parts and weak in balance 

 could not score the necessary number of points 

 and have not given any one requisite a large 

 number of points, but all agree that In our ex- 

 hlblticn blooms the bloom itself Is the one 

 thing to be Judged and that size is the principal 

 factor and have so arranged the scale to bring 

 out this as the most prominent feature. 



We further recommend that the various com- 

 mittees use the scale in all their judgments, 

 for that is the only way to know whether our 

 scales are right or wrong and dispense Justice 

 to exhibitors. 



The discussion on the adoption of the 

 scale was opened by E. A. Wood, who 

 said blooms were scaled too much alike, 

 therefore it seemed needless to have two 

 scales. The committee did not know 

 what distinctiveness meant. If it had 

 been used many sorts would never have 

 passed the (committees. Such a fine vari- 

 ety as Colonel Appleton diu not score 

 or distinctiveness. A bloom to pass com- 

 mercially must be solid, have great sub- 

 stance, stiff stem and foliage up to 

 flower. As regards exhibition blooms 

 there is a considerable demand for these 

 large, showy sorts which may not have 

 a stem as stiff as a crow-bar. Size was 

 absolutely necessary. Depth Is size, 

 some would say, breadth was suggested. 

 They would be criticised for favoring 

 wide, flat flowers. One half of the 

 points, fifty, are in reality for size. 



Mr. Totty thought too much was given 

 to mere size. The short vase classes, he 

 considered very useful. His idea would 

 bf to cut down the points given to size 

 and add to color. In the opinion of 

 the New York committee size should be 

 twenty, color twenty, stem ten, foliage 

 ten, depth fifteen, the balance going to 

 fidlness and form. 



Mr. Wood said some considered color 

 too low. The C. S. A. idea is to judge 

 a seedling for a certificate and not for 

 an exhibition. E. D. Smith said color 

 junounted to nothing, as catalogues tell 

 it all accurately and considered color 

 should be a small factor. A. McLellan 

 thought points for size too high, the 

 scale set too much for commercial flow- 

 ers. Smaller flowers with good stem and 

 foliage should receive more considera- 

 tion. 



Janirs Wheeler considered distinct 

 types necessary. He would advocate tak- 

 ing away ten points from size in exhibi- 

 tiem blooms and giving five each to stem 

 and foliage. Mr. Duckham approved of 

 Ml. Wheeler's suggestion. Mr. Herring- 

 ton said anything to be distinctive must 

 be new. Term was too indefinite. It 



D. F. Roy's Group of Eight Specimen Plants at the Boston Exhibition. 



