694 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



January 24, 1907. 



John H. Dunlopt President American Carnation Society. 



exhibition hall should be taken advan- 

 tage of, not only by those who are grow- 

 ing them, but also by the public, who are 

 our best critics, for it is they who are 

 our support and to them we look for 

 approval of our product. Certainly if 

 the public do not patronize our wares 

 no matter how much we cherish any par- 

 ticular variety, it is valueless. It is 

 them we have to please and they whom 

 we should encourage to see the flowers in 

 all stages of development at our green- 

 houses, and to express their opinion on 

 what we are producing, criticising as ii 

 were, thus becoming familiar with tbo 

 varieties by name, color, etc., and the 

 public like to be consulted and have ;; 

 knowledge of the different varieties. 



We have long looked forward to this 

 time, when we could present such a mag- 

 nificent show and bring to our city the 

 men who have been instrumental in pro- 

 ducing such grand flowers ; men who arc 

 revered by every lover of the divino 

 flower and whose names will ever be re- 

 membered as those who, by their lovo 

 and devotion to their chosen calling, have 

 given to the world the best that has ever 

 been. 



There are not many things that I can 

 speak of in this address that would be 

 considered new, as we on this side feel 

 ourselves students and desire to be 

 taught. But there is one matter of par- 

 ticular importance to all, and I hope 

 that we can find a solution, or formu- 

 late a plan by which we can put it in 

 operation in an intelligent and practical 

 way. It is: What should qualify a new 

 variety for the American Carnation So- 

 ciety's certificate of merit? What has 

 been said and done at previous conven- 

 tions along this line has hardly been 

 satisfactory, or has been found to be de- 

 fective in some particular. At our last 

 convention at Boston a committee was 



themselves to us and who have by perse- 

 verance and industry advanced to that 

 high plane which few of us hope to at- 

 tain. I referred to the Boston welcome 

 on account of the historical connection 

 and the traditional history of that good 

 old commonwealth. But you are wel- 

 comed tonight to one of the newer or 

 more modern cities; one that is only be- 

 ginning to feel the impulse of commer- 

 cial activity and has not that traditional 

 history of which our last convention city 

 could boast, but none the less hearty and 

 loyal. Toronto welcomes you with the 

 true British hospitality that is ever found 

 where the Anglo-Saxon tongue is spoken. 

 Let me here express this wish: May 

 the ties that bind the two greatest Eng- 

 lish-speaking nations, of which Canada is 

 a part and I may say the brightest gem 

 in the British crown, never be severed 

 but be welded more closely together in 

 the bonds of love, esteem, friendship and 

 commercial union. 



We feel highly honored in having you 

 with us on this the first time that the 

 society has met outside of the United 

 States; more especially so as the mem- 

 bership from the Dominion has been very 

 small. It was not the numerical strength 

 of the Canadian members that brought 

 the convention to Toronto, but the good 

 feeling, the magnanimous spirit and the 

 desire to assist in showing the people of 

 this country the progress and improve- 

 ment that has taken place in the devel- 

 opment of the divine flower. 



It is of the greatest importance that 

 the educational feature of such an exhi- 

 bition 'of carnations as we have in the 



Peter Bisset, Vice-president Elect American Carnation Society. 



