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752 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



AnoDST 24, 1905. 



A Part of the Exhibit of M. Rice & G>. at the Wasfiington Convention, August 15 to 18, 1905. 



The newly elected vice-president of the 

 society, H. M. Altick, of Dayton, Ohio, 

 won the third prize, a suit case. 



The third event, a consolation contest 

 open to all who had not won a prize, 

 resulted in favor of L. B. Burdette, who 

 after tieing with Frank Bailey, of Wash- 

 ingtcJli, captured the first. Z. D. Blacki- 

 stone secured third place, and Messrs. 

 Smith, of Philadelphia, Scott, of Buffa- 

 lo, and Siebold, of Baltimore, each car- 

 ried off a trophy. At the conclusion of 

 the scheduled shooting a match shoot was 

 held between the visiting teams and the 

 Analostan Gun Club. The florists won. 



Befreshments were served in the shade 

 of the oaks skirting the range and Col. 

 E. B. Hay made the presentation 

 speeches. 



A FEW IMPRESSIONS. 



The twenty-first convention is past and 

 now a memory. We anticipated great 

 pleasure and were not disappointed. The 

 bugaboo about heat was simply imagina- 

 tion except Tuesday being a little sul- 

 try. The remainder of the week was as 

 cool and enjoyable as Portsmouth, N. H., 

 perhaps more so. We scarcely think the 

 . attendance was equal to many previous 

 convei.tions, certainly not the Washing- 

 ton convention of '92. The hall for the 

 meeting place was of appropriate size. 

 The president's address was crisp, prac- 

 tical and just the right length. As time 

 rolls on subjects for papers of interest 

 get scarce, in fact it must be a subject 

 of vital interest and finely delivered to 

 keep the audience in their chairs, and 

 the time is not far distant when papers 

 and essays will be ordered printed and 

 the i-eading of them at the convention 

 dispensed with. The papers on the 

 "Ideal Employer" were well worth 

 listening to and will read still better, all 

 three able, and it is most gratifying to 

 his host of friends that Mr. Skidelsky 

 should win the first prize. It is only 

 what we expected from this brainy man. 

 There was nothing of great impor- 

 tance c::me before the convention until 

 E. G. Hill sprung the spring meeting 

 and exhibition. This will mark an epoch 



in the history of Ihe society. It is not 

 a now idea. We have heard it dis- 

 cussed years ago, yet it never before 

 found such suitable expression. We do 

 not think that the society can have two 

 popular meetings in the year and the 

 August meeting will always be the 

 popular outing. Yet the great exhibi- 

 tion, and great it ought to be, will 

 bring together all the real standards of 

 the business, young and old. We can see 

 nothing to prevent an immense attend- 

 ance of the public. A national horticul- 

 tural exhibition is something the coun- 

 try has never seen. Our big fairs have 

 pretended to hold great exhibitions, but 

 they have been fizzles. Now here will 

 be an opportunity to see the best prod- 

 ucts of the best gardeners of the coun- 

 try ana it is in the hands of our lead- 

 ing men "with power to add." 



Persc'Pally we are glad the conven*. 

 tion is going to Dayton, O. We believe 

 a small city is better for the health of 

 the society than a large one, fewer otit- 

 side attractions to scatter the crowd. 



There promised to be a great con- 

 test over the presidency, but it flattened 

 out and W. F. Kasting had almost a 

 walkover. Mr. Kasting may not be as 

 old in years as many of us, but he be- 

 gan very young to display tact, energy 

 and enterprise and I know will put all 

 the energy into the affairs of the society 

 that he has into his own business, and 

 that has been remarkable, and the next 

 year of the society will find all its offi- 

 cers with plenty of work for their best 

 ability and work. Mr. Altick is, of 

 course, just cut out for his duties at 

 Dayton. Through the unadvised good 

 wishes of some friends of Mr. Beatty, 

 we came very nearly losing the services 

 of that gentleman for our treasurer, but 

 all's well that ends well and his suc- 

 cessor is not yet elected and we hope 

 that Mr. Beatty will fill that office for 

 years to come. It seems difficult to 

 select any man who can fill the very im- 

 portant office of secretary, in the opin- 

 ion of the very grent majority, equal to 

 Wm. J. Stewart and we think it a 

 cause for congratulation that Mr. Stew- 



art holds over in the coming important 

 events of 1906. 



Socially we had a fine time. That lawn 

 affair on Tuesday night was beautiful 

 and a president's reception within four 

 walls will hereafter appear very tame 

 compared to the fairy-like grounds. The 

 music and refreshments suited all ap- 

 petites. It was well conceived and 

 splendidly carried out. 



Never have the bowling enthusiasts 

 had such spacious, cool and pleasant 

 surroundings. From 1 p. m. Wednesday 

 to the "wee sma' hours" of Thursday 

 it was one long roll and anyone not 

 knowing the location of the hall would 

 be in no doubt if they once got within 

 three squares of it, for the noises that 

 floated out of the windows could only 

 come from the lungs of the Chicago 

 bowlers. We think the committee on 

 sports did well to spread out the prizes 

 to the greatest number both in bowling 

 and shooting. Make as many individ- 

 uals happy as you can. Philadelphia 

 won out. It would have been a rare 

 joke and greatly enjoyed if Washington 

 had overcome that small margin. 



A delightful, cool spot among the 

 woods was chosen for the shooting and 

 Mr, BlfiCkistone ran off the events with- 

 out a hitch. This shooting may be en- 

 joyed by much fewer than the bowling, 

 but it is rare sport for those who can 

 handle a gun. It is much more scientific 

 than bowling. It requires a cool, keen 

 eye, an iron nerve and a get-there de- 

 termination. We glory in the splendid 

 shots that Philaaelphia has. If it were 

 not for them there possibly would be 

 no shooting, but let ar team from Phila- 

 delphia be matched against a team from 

 the whole United States and then there 

 may be some excitement. After suit- 

 able thanks were given to Mr. Blacki- 

 stone and the shooting committee. Col. 

 Hay, of Washington, was introduced to 

 present the prizes. Now here was the 

 oratorical gem of the whole meeting. 

 Never have we heard more beautiful 

 sentimeiits associated with our business 

 nor more exquisite jokes connected with 

 the prizes and shooting. Stenograph!- 



