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JANUABY 11, 1912. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



19 



his knowledge when some of our timid 

 fellow members ask questions, for we 

 do not all have the nerve to stand up 

 in an open meeting to debate and ques- 

 tion. So, fellow members, give freely 

 where it is asked for. No man is so 

 wise but that he needs advice some- 

 time or other. 



A Question of Progress. 



I think our profession has kept 

 abreast of the times in every way. The 

 increase in glass put up must have 

 been enormous, though I have no fig- 

 ures to give. It was greatly stimu- 

 lated by the low prices of building ma- 

 terial. Cultural methods and econo- 

 mies are continuously being improved 

 upon. The grower of cut roses has not 

 been falling behind, I am sure. Neither 

 has the wholesaler or retailer, or else 

 the output of cut roses could not have 

 been handled so profitably for all. Only 

 wide-awake men can go into it and 

 survive. 



While our business has prospered all 

 over the country, I can not give quite 

 such a rosy view of our society. We 

 have gotten some new members, to be 

 sure — some annual and some new life 

 members. But what does that signify, 

 when we take into consideration the 

 thousands of men who are making a 

 competency by growing roses, and the 

 men who handle the product, either 

 wholesale or retail? Every one of 

 our members should be an apostle in 

 his particular sphere of interest at 

 home, to advance the cause of the 

 American Rose Society. Our people, 

 always so willing to uphold a good 

 cause, seem to be singularly lacking in 

 interest, and that where it affects the 

 most vital parts of their business; 

 namely, the upholding and advancement 



A. Farenwald. 



(President American Rose Society.) 



Fred E. Dorner. 



(Treasurer American Carnation Society.) 



of the rose, either as cut flowers or 

 plants. The English Rose Society last 

 year increased its membership by sev- 

 eral thousands. Are men and women 

 in our profession here less keen in their 

 appreciation of a strong rose society? 

 It seems so. But why? Possibly be- 

 cause they think their places as growers 

 or storekeepers are so small that they 

 do not count. Surely they are badly 

 mistaken. We need every one, large 

 and small. Their successes and their 

 failures will fit in where most needed, 

 either to inspire the already successful 

 ones to still greater achievements, or 

 to put new life and energy into those 

 men whom the gods have favored less. 



As to Joint Conventions. 



After many fruitless attempts to hold 

 a joint convention of the American 

 Carnation Society and our society, they 

 have at last joined hands to hold their 

 convention and exhibition together here 

 in Detroit, in the same hall. Both 

 societies had to change their plans 

 somewhat. Whether this joint meeting 

 will prove successful, I am at the pres- 

 ent time not able to say. But I do hope 

 for the best, as there were many points 

 in favor of doing so. The officers of 

 the Bose Society and its executive 

 board were unanimous in this move. 

 I know many members are dissatisfied 

 with such an early date, but let us 

 withhold our criticism until after the 

 meeting. Without giving it a trial, 

 we were not able to speak positively 

 either for or against the Detroit meet- 

 ing. I hope that this exhibition is all 

 it should be — an educator to us and the 

 public. 



