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The Weekly Florists' Review^. 



August 28, 1900. 



Philip J. Hauswirth, Secretaryr-elect Society of American Florists. 



stop and consider the cost. Today there 

 are only a few of the larger cities that 

 dare invite a convention, because they 

 cannot make the lavish preparations that 

 have become customary. A reform in 

 this direction is needed. 



Sports. 



Perhaps another reform is needed in 

 the matter of sports. Do we not give 

 rather too much valuable time to our 

 games f It is true that they are enjoy- 

 able to many, but it hardly seems neces- 

 sary to travel a thousand miles to play 

 a game of baseball or shoot a few clay 

 pigeons. I think we have gone a little 

 too far and have suffered in the attend- 

 ance on our meetings because of the 

 time taken for these contests. I do not 

 mean to decry the social value of our 

 meetings, but is there not a better way 

 of enjoying each other's society and one 

 less embarrassing to the business of the 

 convention f 



I believe that these contests should 

 be curtailed and so arranged as not to 

 interfere with the working of the society 

 as they do at present. Take a day for 

 them if necessary, but let that day be 

 after the business of the meeting is 

 completed. 



Horticultural Prcii. 



One factor in the general success of 

 our business that has received but scant 

 notice from us is the horticultural press. 

 While it may be said that these publi- 

 cations are purely commercial enterprises 

 and outside of our societies, yet they 



contribute a great deal to our success as 

 a society and contain from time to time 

 the condensed essence of the brains of 

 our more prominent members. They are 

 certainly worthy of our support in every 

 way and no man in our business can 

 hope to be posted in the doings of our 

 craft without the weekly perusal of these 

 papers, advertisements and all. 



In Conckiiion. 



A word more and I am finished. It 

 has occurred to me that many good ideas 

 are broached after the work of our com- 

 mittee is done. How easy it would be 

 for every member of this society having 

 opinions in regard to the management 

 of the business of the society to put his 

 ideas in writing and send the same to 

 the secretary at any time previous to 

 the meeting of the executive committee. 



In surrendering the oflSce of president 

 to my successor, I want to thank you for 

 your loyalty and consideration, which 

 have made the work a joy, and will leave 

 with me a most pleasant memory. 



The consideration of the address was 

 made a special order of business for 

 Wednesday evening, after which Secre- 

 tary Stewart made some announcements 

 and read his annual report, which was 

 as follows: 



Secretary't Report. 



I find it hard to realize that this is 

 my nineteenth annual report as secretary. 

 Twenty years seems a long period to look 

 forward to, but very short in retrospect. 



Some of us who are awakening tp- the 

 fact that the years count up very rapidly 

 and that conventions come around with 

 alarming frequency of late, can, however, 

 take some comfort from Emerson, who 

 wrote, "We do not count a man's years 

 until he has nothing else to count." It 

 is to be hoped that each and every one 

 of us may be immune from year-counting 

 for many a year to come. " To quote 

 again from the same writer, "Nothing 

 great was ever achieved without enthus- 

 iasm." Dayton has been" long on en- 

 thusiasm for many months, — hence this 

 truly great convention opening, and as 

 nothing is more infectious than healthy 

 enthusiasm, it is not difficult to forecast 

 what kind of a convention this, which 

 we are now entering upon, is to be. 



You all know that the executive board 

 met here last spring, that we had a 

 good time, as executive boards always 

 do, and that we worked long and hard, 

 as executive boards also always do. The 

 program as printed discloses but scantily 

 the quantity and quality of oratory which 

 is promised as various important sub- 

 jects are brought forward, and he who 

 thinks to stay away from any of the 

 sessions little realizes what he will miss. 



Among the recommendations of the 

 executive board are: First, the propo- 

 sition that at all future trade exhibitions, 

 the net profits therefrom be equally 

 divided between the national society and 

 the local organization. As this is a 

 matter to be adjusted by the executive 

 board each year, the main reason for 

 referring to it here is that organizations 

 planning to invite the society to visit 

 their city may know before extending 

 any invitation, and may govern them- 

 selves accordingly. The outdoor exhibi- 

 tion, wisely planned, earnestly urged and 

 generously carried out, so far as the soci- 

 ety and its Dayton friends are concerned, 

 has not received the support that should 

 have been given it by the plant growers 

 and nursery trade generally. The project 

 is on right lines, however, and should 

 have another opportunity next year. 



Recognizing the need of some better 

 method of instruction in horticulture for 

 young men, a sub-committee was ap- 

 pointed to confer with agricultural col- 

 lege ofBcials, and it was voted to recom- 

 mend to the society the appropriation of 

 a sum not to exceed $150 toward the 

 carrying out of some practical plan of 

 co-operation between the society and the 

 college. 



According to instructions by the soci- 

 ety, the scheme of numbered badges and 

 a key book for members has been put 

 in operation, and the name of every mem- 

 ber registered up to July 15, 1906, ap- 

 pears therein. Other important transac- 

 tions by the executive board are fully 

 disclosed in the various items of the 

 official program which you have before 

 you. 



Acting on the complaints of members 

 living in New Jersey, an effort was made 

 by your secretary and also by the chair- 

 man of the legislative committee, to get 

 from the manager of the U. S. Express 

 Co, a statement as to the reasons for the 

 increased transportation charges made 

 since last May upon flower shipments 

 from New Jersey points to New York 

 city, but we were met with a very de- 

 cided refusal to give any explanation. 

 A second refluest did not even receive 

 the courtesy of an answer. Your sec- 

 retary, in the meantime, had been making 

 some investigations as to our privileges 

 under the new Interstate Commerce Act, 



