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JANUARY 24, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



695 



Edward Dale. 



(President Toronto Gardeners' and Florists' Asssclatlon ) 



named to bring in a report, but it -was 

 received at the last afternoon session and 

 too late to receive that attention a ques- 

 tion of so much importance deserves. It 

 should be considered both from the orig- 

 inator 's and the buyer's standpoint; 

 both should be considered. The man 

 who devotes his time and brains to the 

 hybridizing of carnations should re- 

 ceive every encouragement from the so- 

 ciety; also the grower who buys the 

 new varieties largely from the descrip- 

 tion of the originator and from the 

 awards that have been made, both from 

 this society and the various exhibitions 

 at which the variety was shown. 



It may have scored high, as seen at 

 the various exhibitions, but there may 

 be some of the most essential points of 

 a first-class commercial variety lacking. 

 The question is, how are we to arrive at 

 a solution? How are we to ascertain if 

 the variety contains the points that go 

 to make up a profitable variety for the 

 average commercial grower! These 

 should be carefully considered, and when 

 the certificate is awarded it should be 

 a guaranty that these points have been 

 ascertained and proven. The more closely 

 we guard our awards, the more closely 

 we scrutinize these points," so much more 

 will the trade generally rely confidently 

 on the endorsement of this society and 

 it should enhance the value of any va- 

 riety having the endorsement of this so- 

 ciety. 



But let us guard jealously the award- 

 ing of this certificate, and let it be all 

 that the name implies. We know how 

 closely every award is made; how closely 

 every point is scrutinized in the old land 

 and as a result the award is accordingly 

 prized by the recipient, for he knows his 

 product has been deserving or it would 

 not be awarded. 



Another matter that should receive our 

 attention is the increasing work of the 

 secretary. With the growth of the so- 

 ciety his work has increased in a much 

 greater ratio. During the short time I 

 have held office as your president I know 

 the amount of correspondence must be 

 considerable, as from my end he has 

 had reason to know we were working. 

 The compiling of the premium list, solic- 

 iting advertisements, etc., the compiling 

 of the annual report and the preparatory 

 work for each convention is considerable. 

 It might be well for this meeting to 

 consider the question and suggest some 

 means of lightening the work, either by 

 granting an assistant for a stated time 

 each year, or the purchase of labor- 

 saving appliances and not to exceed a 

 certain sum to be named by the society. 

 Above all, let us recognize our secretary's 

 ability and make him feel by our words 

 and actions that we appreciate his serv- 

 ices. Nothing makes one feel more en- 

 ergetic than to know he has your sym- 

 pathy and support. 



This convention will have served its 

 purpose if it stimulates a still greater 

 interest in the divine flower in our broad 

 Dominion. We have not been as quick 

 to recognize the importance of the car- 

 nation as our American brethren and 

 for that reason the development has not 

 been as great as we would desire, and 

 we hope that in visiting the greenhouses 

 of this section where carnations are 

 grown that you will criticise our work 

 and not be slow to point out our mis- 

 takes. We note with interest the popu- 

 larity of the carnation in England, also 

 that the American varieties are being 



George Vair, 



(Prominent Horticulturlat, active In tlie Toronto Electoral District Society,) 



