82 



Annals of Horticulture. 



have established by custom, definite weights for certain com- 

 modities. Beyond these limits, however, the government ap- 

 pears never to have established any uniformity in measures. 



4. The National Flower Discussion. 



The most prominent discussion of the year upon matters 

 pertaining to plants has been upon the selection of a national 

 flower. The movement appears to have begun with an article 

 from Jean. Kincaid in the Boston Daily Globe, May 13, 1888, 

 since which time almost the entire press of the country has 

 given the discussion prominence. Mr. Prang has issued an 

 artistic souvenir with various native flowers in colors, and 

 asks for votes upon the choice of a national emblem. This 

 vote is to be announced at the opening of the year 1890.* 

 Other novel plans of awakening interest in the movement 

 and securing opinions have been devised. There appears to 

 be less agitation concerning the feasibility or necessity of 

 adopting a national flower than upon the selection of one. 

 The fact appears to be too often overlooked, althought it has 

 often been expressed, that national flowers are the product of 

 events or of peculiar fitness in the plant. There are neither 

 of these incentives to the choice of a flower for America. If 

 an emblem is to be selected de novo it should possess charac- 

 teristics of the nation while at the same time it conforms to 

 particular requirements. Such a plant does not exist. If we 

 must have the emblems, they must appear as the representa- 

 tives of particular regions or particular events. The Horti- 

 cultural Art Journal suggests that each state select its own. 

 This simplifies the problem by extending it, and places it upon 

 the basis of the coats of arms of the states. It may be perti- 

 nent to inquire, in the present issue, who is to make the 

 choice. A committee on the national flower, of the Society 

 of American Florists, declined to assume the responsibility : 

 " Your committee report that they have given much con- 

 sideration to the subject assigned to them, without being able 

 to recommend any particular flower. There are so many 

 candidates for favor and such a diversity of opinion upon the 



* Of these votes, 70 per cent, favored the golden-rod, 16 the Mayflower, and the remaining 

 14 per cent, were divided among the daisy, laurel, dandelion, sunflower and some others. 



