Organization in American Horticulture 



WHAT THE VARIOUS SOCIETIES ARE TRYING TO DO, AS EXPRESSED BY THEMSELVES 



[Editor's Note: Much is being accomplished in a quiet way by the persistent effort of those devoted to particular flowers or interests 

 to develop American horticulture along definite and cohesive lines. The benefit- in each case accrues to people who garden in any form, but 

 only a small minority of those who benefit actually support the organizations that are promoting their interests. This is partly due to the difficulty 

 that the organization finds in getting^ in touch with those who might be interested. We have asked the representatives of the leading national 

 organizations and special societies to interpret themselves to our readers. Letters concerning other organizations will appear in subsequent issues.] 



The Premier of All Annuals 



"THE Sweet Pea occupies the premier posi- 

 -*■ tion among annuals, in so much as it 

 is the only annual which has a society devoted 

 to it alone; and this unique position is de- 

 served, for is it not one of the most valuable of 

 all flowers? It is easily grown, surpasses as a 

 cut flower, and by the use of glass may be had 

 in bloom ten months out of the twelve. 



The American Sweet Pea Society was 

 founded in 1909, the exhibition and conven- 

 tion that year being held in the Museum of 

 Natural History, New York City. The aim 

 of the Society is to increase the popularity of 

 its particular flower: First, by holding an 

 annual exhibition whereat the most expert of 

 our eastern growers usually exhibit, and at 

 which the latest novelties can be seen. Sec- 

 ond, by issuing from time to time bulletins 

 containing advice and suggestions as to the 

 best methods of cultivation, best varieties for 

 various purposes, etc. The society conducts 

 trials and variety tests at Cornell University, 

 Ithaca, N. Y., under the direct supervision 

 and control of Professor A. C. Beal, who also 

 has written a number of comprehensive bulle- 

 tins on the Sweet Pea, copies of which were 

 distributed among our members. During the 

 past nine seasons most successful exhibitions 

 have been held in New York (three times), 

 Philadelphia, Boston (three times), Newport, 

 R. I., and Bar Harbor, Maine. 



That the Society has been doing good work 

 is noticeable by the ever increasing interest 

 of the public at our exhibitions. The great 

 advances made in the up-to-date methods of 

 growing the Sweet Pea is evidenced in the 

 competitive groups. The flowers staged now 

 are immeasurably superior to any put up at 

 our earlier exhibitions. Then again the ex- 

 ' hibitor stages his flowers in a more artistic 

 and attractive manner than formerly. The 

 result of being in good company and trying to 

 go "one better." 



The officers of the society are at all times 

 willing — nay, anxious to help the inexperi- 

 enced, and invite the cooperation of all ad- 

 mirers of the "Queen of Annuals." The 

 secretary is Wm. Gray, Bellevue Avenue, 

 Newport, R. I. 



Geo. W. Kerr, 

 Doylestown, Pa. President. 



Putting the Rose on the Map 



T^HE American Rose Society has since its 

 *■ organization stood for the orderly hand- 

 ling of Rose exhibitions in the United States, 

 and for the registration of new Roses in a defi- 

 nite and simple fashion. Its influence in the 

 direction of the greater shows of cut flowers 

 has been notable, and the premiums offered 

 and exhibitions held have emphasized, the 

 care and interest in this side of rose-growing. 

 Within the past three years, effort toward 

 interesting and enlisting the amateur in the 

 Rose army has borne fruit. The publication 

 in suocessioR of the 1916 and the 1917 Ameri- 

 can Rose Annual, the latter by impartial 

 critics said to be a better volume than the 

 famous Annual of the National Rose Society 

 of England, has enlisted many interested Rose 



growers all over the country in the Society's 

 ranks. In fact, the increase has brought the 

 membership of the organization close to 

 2,000. 



The publication of the American Rose 

 Annual has brought out many resources for 

 Rose prosperity not previously available. For 

 instance, the successive Annuals have dis- 

 cussed the hybridization of Roses so as to 

 greatly increase interest in that fascinating 

 and important art. Details concerning the 

 wonderful new Rose species obtained in 

 Western China by E. H. Wilson have been 

 presented, and distinguished amateurs like 

 Admiral Ward and Captain George C. 

 Thomas, Jr., have given the results of their 

 careful testing of new foreign introductions. 



Not only has the investigation instituted 

 through the publication of the Annual re- 

 sulted in presenting more details as to the 

 control of Rose insects and diseases, but as a 

 result of the disclosure of the rather unfortu- 

 nate situation as to lack of attention by any 

 educational institution to Rose troubles there 

 has been put to work a skilled plant patholo- 

 gist, supported by public-spirited members of 

 the American Rose Society, who is running 

 'down Rose troubles in a scientific fashion. 



For the first time in the history of American 

 rose-growing there has been prepared and pub- 

 lished a carefully made list of Roses introduced 

 in America from the earliest days of Rose 

 hybridization. This list serves a most im- 

 portant purpose, and will be particularly in 

 point in connection with the hope of the Amer- 

 ican Rose Society shortly to present to its 

 members an authoritative catalogue of varie- 

 ties current in American commerce, which 

 catalogue would serve to classify, describe and 

 accurately name the Rose subjects available. 



The American Rose Society has started 

 work to stimulate the holding of many June 

 Rose shows in various parts of the United 

 States, and it is believed that 1918 will see a 

 great interest evidenced in shows in which 

 the man with one - good Rose opening on the 

 morning of the show in his own back yard will 

 have an equal chance for an award with the 

 grower who works at greater expense and 

 under more pretentious conditions. The 

 thought is to actually popularize rose-growing. 



One of the ideals of the Society is to bring 

 the Rose into attention as a proper subject 

 for shrubbery, through the description of the 

 various original species and new sorts that 

 are just as good as a Spirea, or a Deutzia, or a 

 Mockorange, but have been overlooked. 



It is believed that the American Rose So- 

 ciety has not only upheld the best traditions 

 of rose-growing, but more recently has under- 

 taken work which cannot but result in a vast 

 increase of Rose prosperity in America. 

 This increase cannot continue or the Rose 

 situation improve as it ought to unless and 

 until the interested amateurs the country 

 over attach themselves to the Society. It 

 was rather lamentable and remarkable to 

 note recently in the beautiful Journal of the 

 International Garden Club, published in New 

 York, that free quotations were made from 

 the English Rose Annual, and no knowledge 

 evidenced that there was an American Rose 

 Society or an American Rose Annual. Put- 



166 



ting it plainly, it is the work of the American 

 Rose Society to get the Rose on the map in 

 the United States! 



The secretary is Prof. E. A. White, of 

 Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and 

 he is always ready to accept memberships. 

 J. Horace MacFarland, 



Harrisburg, Pa. Editor of the Annual. 



An Association of Women 



A DOZEN women gardeners, farmers, and 

 -^*- landscape architects met in Philadel- 

 phia early in 1914, to form an agricultural and 

 horticultural association of and for women, 

 an innovation inspired by the Woman's 

 Farm and Garden Union of England. The 

 objects of the Association were and are: Co- 

 operation among women engaged in farming 

 and gardening; exchange of ideas between 

 members by means of local branches, exhi- 

 bitions, conferences, and sale of produce by 

 members on farms to those in towns; increase 

 in the knowledge and use of existing institu- 

 tions; encouragement of school gardening and 

 vacant lot gardening; establishment of a stand- 

 ard for diplomas in practical gardening; the 

 bringing together of supply and demand, pro- 

 ducer and consumer, employer and employe, 

 gardener and land, and individuals who might 

 form a partnership. 



Membership dues in the Association are 

 one dollar a year; in local branches, two dol- 

 lars, one of which goes to the Association, one 

 to the Branch. In any case these fees include 

 the subscription to the Monthly Bulletin. 



We have now nearly two thousand members. 

 We have held in the four years of our existence 

 conferences in Philadelphia, New York, Bos- 

 ton, Washington, and Chicago. We have 

 branches in Chicago, and Youngstown, Ohio; 

 and New York and Boston are soon to or- 

 ganize. 



This Association was begun by those who 

 saw that teaching, stenography, book-keeping 

 were not the only occupations open to women; 

 in fact not always the best occupations for wo- 

 men. They hoped to make many see that an 

 out-of-door occupation would be profitable 

 in more ways than in money alone, though it 

 would give a good living too. 



We belive in farming and gardening for 

 women. We believe in these as money- 

 making . occupations. We believe that the 

 trained woman is the one who will most 

 surely succeed in them; we therefore advise 

 courses in farming and gardening for all who 

 would undertake such work, these courses to 

 be preceded if possible by some practical 

 experience on the land that the nature of the 

 work and one's adaptability to it may be fully 

 realized. We publish a list of all institutions 

 in the Middle Atlantic States where courses 

 in farming, gardening, landscape-gardening, 

 poultry-raising, bee-keeping, are to be had. 

 We have helped women to positions on the 

 land and provided many members with pur- 

 chasers for their produce. We have now or- 

 ganized the Land Service League or Woman's 

 Land Service. Under this Committee registra- 

 tion of women who want work on farms or in 

 gardens or to care for poultry, and registra- 



