The Weekly Florists' Review. 



Mabch 26, 1008. 



cietj upon a sound and permanent basis, 

 and to present its claims and benefits to 

 the florists of the entire country, and to 

 many who do not grow roses for a living, 

 than most of you are aware of. The 

 volume of correspondence and the amount 

 of clerical work done would stagger most 

 of us, if it should be put upon us, and he 

 certainly deserves the thanks of every 

 member of this body for his painstaking 

 work, done entirely for love of the good 

 cause, and refusing any pecuniary com- 

 pensation therefor. 



During the year the expenses have been 

 out of proportion to the income, the offi- 

 cers having advanced money to meet ob- 

 ligations and carry on the work, trusting 

 to the receipts of this meeting to balance 

 accounts. Failing in this, I suggest that 

 a few friends of the society meet here 

 in Chicago and together lift the treasury 

 out of its awkward predicament. 



A resolution was favorably received at 

 the Washington meeting requesting the 

 executive committee to consider the 

 proposition of establishing a rose jour- 

 nal. This matter has received considera- 

 ble thought and discussion during the 

 year at the hands of the committee, and 

 the secretary was authorized to go ahead 

 and issue a prospectus, which has been 

 sent out broadcast and has been com- 

 mented on favorably. The secretary will 

 present to you a fuller report on this 

 proposition. I would ask for it your care- 



society to furnish the money and take 

 care of all the details, and our society to 

 offer certificates, medals, etc., and assist 

 in arranging the schedule. The offer was 

 accepted and the exhibition is assured, 

 but the executive committee of the Eose 

 Society authorized the offering of certifi- 

 cates, bronze and silver medals for new 

 varieties only. 



It is the wish and desire of the mem- 

 bers of the committee that the nursery- 

 men, and all others who grow outdoor 

 roses extensively, will keep this exhibi- 

 tion in mind and arrange to make ex- 

 tensive displays of roses in Bronx park 

 next June. The educational features of 

 such an exhibition that is free to all 

 should be great, and as an advertising 

 medium it is not to be despised. 



In arranging the program for this 

 meeting the commercial rose grower has 

 perhaps been brought to the front more 

 than the amateur, which probably is as it 

 should be at the present stage, but it will 

 not do at all, I think, to allow this so- 

 ciety, now or in the future, to drift into 

 a trade organization and have its work 

 restricted to the holding of exhibitions 

 and exploiting of new varieties. That 

 would be praiseworthy work, but it can 

 do that and a great deal more by open- 

 ing wide its doors and seeking the co- 

 operation of every man and woman in 

 this broad land who have roses in their 

 hearts or in their gardens. We should 



Benjamin Hammond. 

 (Secretary American Rose Society.) 



ful and thoughtful consideration. If the 

 members will support it in sufficient num- 

 bers it can be put through; otherwise it 

 must be dropped. 



Through the good offices of our ex- 

 president, Mr. Newbold, an invitation has 

 been extended to the American Rose So- 

 ciety by the Horticultural Society of New 

 York to hold a June show this year in 

 Bronx park, New York City, the latter 



have in our ranks every authority on 

 roses in the country, and the secretary 

 should have a list of these authorities 

 to whom he could refer questions that 

 are too difficult for him to handle. 



Secretary's Report 



Secretary Hammond, after thanking 

 the trade press for cooperation, detailed 

 the action of the executive committee, as 



reported from time to time in the Eb- 

 viEW, and said in part : 



The life membership fund gradually 

 increases and this affords a revenue of 

 four per cent on the investment. The 

 fund is now close to $3,000. Our life 

 membership stands at fifty. The annual 

 membership paid for the year 1907 was 

 110, and the associate membership was 

 ten. 



The money awarded by the society at 

 its last show reached the sum of $309 for 

 stated premiums, besides the specials. 



The bulletin of the annual meeting, 

 which was begun under Secretary Stew- 

 art's term of office, has been continued 

 and 600 were issued last year. These 

 books seem to be highly appreciated, sec- 

 retaries of kindred societies asking for 

 them in various instances. To get out 

 these books nicely is considerable ex- 

 pense, and part of this cost was met by 

 soliciting advertisements. Out of sixty 

 letters sent out, favorable replies came 

 back from twelve persons. 



At the Washington meeting last March 

 the desirability of issuing a certificate of 

 merit for new roses which did not reach 

 the score required for such novelties to 

 win a medal was recommended. The ex- 

 ecutive committee prepared such certifi- 

 cate and issued seven: L. G. Hill Co., 

 Richmond, Ind., for Rhea Eeid; F. H, 

 Kramer, Washington, D. C, for Queen 

 Beatrice; Myers & Samtraan, Wyndmoor, 

 Pa., for Wyndmoor ; M. H. Walsh, Woods 

 Hole, Mass., for Paradise, La Fimma, 

 Delight and Juniata. This recognition 

 seemed to please everyone. 



Up to last year there had not been 

 any certificate of life membership nor 

 any society seal. A handsome certificate 

 was made, a special seal prepared and 

 adopted and fifty-four of these life cer- 

 tificates have been issued to persons who 

 have paid the $50, which is the amount 

 that is creating the permanent fund of 

 the society. 



At the last annual meeting a rose jour- 

 nal was a topic which grew out of the 

 question given by President Simpson: 

 "How to increase the interest and thus 

 the membership." The secretary as- 

 sumed the responsibility of issuing a 

 prospectus and of mailing same to all 

 present membership. 



Treasta-er's Report. 



Treasurer H. O. May reported cash re- 

 ceipts of $1,330.62, disbursements of $1,- 

 077.07 and balance on hand March 20, 

 1908, $253.55 in the general fund. He 

 reported seven -new life memberships, 

 making fifty-three to date. 



The treasurer's report brought out 

 considerable discussion, as bills shortly 

 to be met will more than absorb the 

 funds in the bank. W. A. Manda moved 

 that the executive committee be author- 

 ized to dispense with the society's offers 

 of cash prizes for future exhibitions, if 

 in the committee's judgment this seems 

 best, and after discussion the motion 

 prevailed. J. A. Valentine offered the 

 suggestion that exhibitors might be given 

 the choice of having certificates and per- 

 mitting the regular and special cash 

 prizes to revert to the society. 



Thursday's Session* 



Thursday's session was devoted to the 

 reading of papers and their discussion, 

 followed by election of officers. The 

 paper by William H. Elliott brought out 

 the best discussion of the convention. 

 Adolph Farenwald championed the small 

 rose house and the strong points, and the 

 weak ones, in each style of construction 



