840 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



August 23, 1006. 



Wnu J. Stewart, President-elect Society of American Florists. 



augment our usefulness. Let us take a 

 leaf from the history of our host city 

 and clean up our back yard and put our 

 front yard in such condition that it may 

 be an example to all men, to the end that 

 we may become a greater power for 

 good in the years that are to come. Let 

 us take an example, too, from the work 

 that the National Cash Register Co. has 

 done, and in our wider dwelling-place 

 be leaders in improvement and educa- 

 tion. 



Perennial Queitioni. 



There are certain questions that seem 

 to be perennial sources of discussion, 

 which crop up annually for our consid- 

 eration. Occasionally one is settled; but 

 its place is immediately taken, and it 

 is only by constantly hammering at them 

 that they are brought into shape and 

 disposed of. 



I purpose briefly to refer to the more 

 important of these problems, not with 

 the idea of giving you any fresh argu- 

 ment, but rather that they may not be 

 allowed to rest until they are solved. 

 Among the questions discussed by my 

 predecessors perhaps none are of more 

 general importance than those pertain- 

 ing to education. 



We as professors of garden art and 

 craft will continue to be looked up to as 

 those having authority to speak, and it 

 devolves upon us to be prepared, as far 

 as we may, to lead in all matters relat- 

 ing to horticultural pursuits. How we 

 best can reach the people who' are inter- 

 ested in garden matters, and increase 

 their love for vernal surroundings, as 

 well as to implant desire where no desire 



exists, arc questions of vital importance 

 and worthy of our most earnest consid- 

 eration. Exhibitions as a factor in edu- 

 cation are of the greatest value. It is 

 by the eye more than by the ear that 

 people are instructed. The value of 

 local displays of plants and flowers, 

 happily on the increase, has done much 

 to stimulate a more general love for 

 flowers and incidentally has increased 

 the demands for the product of our art. 

 Probably still more far-reaching on ac- 

 count of its greater publicity and more 

 elaborate and comprehensive display 

 would be an exhibition of national char- 

 acter, where the entire country would 

 be represented. 



National Flower Show. 



This question of a national ^ower show 

 was again before the executive commit- 

 tee of the society at its recent meeting 

 in this city and was discussed at some 

 length, and I believe no one dissented 

 from the statement that such a show 

 would be of the greatest benefit to our 

 interests. The result of this discussion 

 will appear in committee report. I trust 

 that the details of plans for such an ex- 

 hibition may be perfected in the near 

 future and that such an exhibition may 

 be held in one of the great centers of 

 the country. 



Perhaps it is unfortunate in some re- 

 spects that our interests have been drawn 

 away, or divided, by the organization of 

 special societies devoted to the culture 

 of individual flowers. I mean that in 

 many cases the interest in the special 

 has overcome the interest in the general, 

 and to an extent has weakened the S. 



A. F. when it comes to a question of 

 combination of all interests in one grand 

 exhibition. Every one with the welfare 

 of our society at heart must labor for 

 the closer \inion between those vigor- 

 ous offsprings and the mother society. 



Trade Ezhibitioni. 



Trade exhibitions, as they are now 

 conducted at our annual meetings, are 

 undoubtedly of great benefit to our mem- 

 bers. They should be fostered, and the 

 exhibitors should be encouraged in every 

 way consistent with the proper disposal 

 of the business of the convention. 



I deem this subject of so much im- 

 portance that I should recommend that 

 special time should be given to the ex- 

 amination of the exhibits. The exhibitors 

 come to our meeting under a great ex- 

 pense, they contribute largely to the suc- 

 cess of our meetings both in interest and 

 financially, and I believe they should 

 have more consideration at the hands 

 of the makers of the program. 



We can well afford to call one day 

 Exhibitors' day. We have made an ex- 

 periment with outdoor exhibits and, 

 while the result to date is not satisfac- 

 tory, yet I believe the idea is good, 

 and that this outdoor exhibition can be 

 made an important adjunct. In order to 

 make an exhibit of this kind a success 

 time must be taken for proper prepara- 

 tion. A manager, preferably a local 

 man, must be appointed, and the ground 

 should be available a year before the 

 date of the meeting, or, better still, a 

 year and a half. It would then be pos- 

 sible for fall planting or even spring 

 planting to be done, and plants could 

 be properly established and prepared. 

 This would enable our nurserymen to 

 make an exhibit of trees, shrubs and 

 such other hardy material as they might 

 desire to show. A good exhibition of 

 this character would add greatly to the 

 interest of our meetings. 



The Experiment Statiotu. 



The experiment stations are doing 

 much valuable educational work, and their 

 publications are far-reaching. Every 

 member of this society should avail him- 

 self of his opportunity to obtain the 

 bulletins of his state stations and use 

 his best endeavor to see that these sta- 

 tions are provided with sufficient fund.«i 

 to carry on their work. Any one who 

 has been familiar with the work of these 

 institutions for the last twenty years 

 cannot have failed to notice the improve- 

 ment in the quality of work done. 



The complaint made by many that not 

 enough work is done for the benefit of 

 the florist and gardener is not so just 

 as it was years ago, and in many in- 

 stances more work along these lines 

 would be done if it were called for. 

 If you don't ask for it, you don't get it. 



Horticultural Education. 



Horticultural education as provided in 

 the public schools is perhaps rather dis- 

 appointing to many. But it must be re- 

 membered that in the common schools 

 only the merest rudiments are possible, 

 and just how much horticultural instruc- 

 tion is given will depend largely upon 

 the people of the locality. 



Nature study is in many cases really 

 a primary course in horticulture. Some 

 of the states are showing considerable 

 activity along this line, and probably the 

 great need at the present time is a more 

 efficient plan of work and better pre- 

 pared instructors. The way to stimulate 

 the work is by arousing public senti- 

 ment in behalf of the value of such 



