August 17, 1911. 



The Weekly Florists' Review^ 



33 



large growers and with them it was a 

 case of "Not that I love you less, Brutus, 

 but that I love Ca;sar more," meaning 

 that their greater interests were in one 

 of the special societies, but we have 

 solved that problem and never again 

 must we meet separately. Ours is one 

 cause for the good of all. Our national 

 shows have come to stay and to that end 

 we should organize at once. The shows 

 should be held once every two years. 

 It is true that the first shows took a 

 longer period of preparation, but that 

 time was used in careful consideration 

 of premium lists, finances and other de- 

 tails which gave us the experience we 

 needed. 



Tlie national show should always be 

 held in the spring. Fall shows are not 

 new and are covered in nearly all large, 

 cities, and in this connection T wish to 

 state that I am pleased that many local 

 societies and florists' clubs are following 

 the example of the national society. 

 Now, if we wish to profit by the ex- 

 periences in past shows, we must always 

 have as men at the head some of those 

 who have assisted in previous shows and 

 as briefly as possible I will outline my 

 plan for your consideration. 



Permanent Show Committee. 



I would suggest a permanent national 

 flower show committee, say of six, tu 

 be appointed, two for six years, two for 

 four years and two for two years and 

 every other year the president to appoint 

 the members for the six-year term. Thus 

 there would always be on the committee 

 four members of at least two shows' ex- 

 perience. These committeemen should be 

 as representative as possible of the differ- 

 ent societies taking part in the show. 

 The chairman of this committee could 

 be elected by the committee or appointed 

 by the president after the location of the 

 show had been decided upon, as it would 

 be of great advantage to have the chair- 

 man close at hand. These exhibitions, 

 properly conducted, show but little chance 

 for loss and therefore I would suggest 

 that fifty per cent guarantee be assumed 

 by the society and fifty per cent, as in 

 the past, by personal subscription. 



Trade Exhibits at National Shows. 



Trade exhibitions and the selling of 

 space as inaugurated at Boston proved 

 wise and should be continued, ami the 

 checking of receipts and disbursements 

 should be done by our officers, as we have 

 a system that has always proved ade- 

 quate for that purpose and officials that 

 are paid for that work. The great good 

 done by such, exhibitions cannot easily 

 be conceived. The standing it gives the 

 trade and the general promotion of horti- 

 culture are apparent when the vast 

 throngs that visit the shows and the 

 newspaper publicity given them are con- 

 sidered. There are no doubt some of you 

 who will differ with me and say that 

 the shows should be conducted outside 

 the society, but I say no. We have found 

 the way to cement our different lines into 

 one general interest. The meetjjQgs and 

 the organization of this society have 

 made this possible and we must not take 

 this healthy young child from the mother 

 organization. Our national charter was 

 given us, too, for the development and 

 advancement of floriculture and horti- 

 culture in all its branches and we are 

 coming near to complying with that in 

 these exhibitions. 



The charter, constitution and by-laws 

 should be printed with the proceedings 

 every year, and it would be well to print 



N. F. Flittoo. 



(Set-retary Baltimore Florists' and Gardeners' Club.) 



therewith proposed amendments to the 

 constitution and by-laws. 



Dividing Convention Expenses. 



It has been my experience that im- 

 mediately after the selection of a city 

 for the convention the coming year, in- 

 quiries are instituted as to what part 

 of the expense the society will have to 

 assume, and I think that a by-law should 

 be passed that would cover this matter 

 in a general way. The officers of our 

 society awakened to the fact a few years 

 ago that our membership was not de- 

 veloping in proportion to the expense 

 which we incurred, and about the same 

 time we also discovered that one of our 

 largest assets, the trade exhibition, was 

 being used as a big joy fund, and in 

 several instances th6re was enough left, 

 although we all had participated in con- 

 siderable joy, to fatten the treasury of 

 the local organization. 



The necessity of stringent rules for 

 the proper conducting, the charging and 

 rating and the responsibility was ap- 

 parent, and the rules to manage and 

 maintain that part of conventions were 

 adopted, and the results of that action 

 are just beginning to be felt. By re- 

 ferring to the report of the Rochester 

 meeting it will be found that over $1,500 

 was added to the treasury after paying 

 all expenses. Thus, when we accept in- 

 vitations from cities that as an induce- 

 ment give us concessions such as hall 

 rent, etc., free, it is of great assistance. 

 This beautiful building has been granted 

 to us by the Baltimore brethren on be- 

 half of the business men of the city on 

 those conditions. Then the three prin- 

 cipal things for us to consider in the 

 selection of the next place of meeting 

 are: The offering of the hall, the ad- 



vantage to our trade exhibitors and the 

 opportunity for increase in membership. 



Entertaiimient at Conventions'. 



The society has no financial induce- 

 ments to offer any city soliciting the 

 convention. It long has asked that lav- 

 ish entertainment be done away with, as 

 there is always one enjoyment, greater 

 than any other, that of meeting your 

 fellow in trade and exchanging ideas. 

 The amount of business we have to do 

 sometimes suffers by the entertainments. 

 I can see the day not far distant when 

 the fourth day on the program will have 

 to be devoted to business sessions. De- 

 bates and discussions on subjects im- 

 portant to everyone are frequently 

 shortened for lack of time, and several 

 of our important committees have com- 

 plained that, after a large amount of 

 work and the preparation of a lengthy 

 report, the matter is hastily rushed 

 through and much that might be gained 

 by discussion is lost. 



I do not wish to be understood as 

 against all entertainment. There never 

 need be any fear of that! The danger, 

 if any, lies in each city trying to outdo 

 the other. 



The Rower and Plant Exhibits. 



At the convention in Cincinnati two 

 years ago a resolution was adopted to 

 hold a cut flower and plant exhibition 

 in connection with the trade exhibition. 

 This was attempted at Rochester last 

 summer by the Rochester florists, who, 

 with the aid of exhibits by trades people, 

 made a creditable showing. I am pleased 

 to note that the members of the Ameri- 

 can Gladiolus Society are with us as a 

 body, and it is just such exhibits as this 

 that will make the exhibitions possible. 



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