520 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 
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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GARDENERS 
WILLIAM N. CRAIG, President, 
Brookline, Mass. 
OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS 
M. C. EBEL, Secretary, 
Madison, N. J. 
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A representative attendance, the marked interest in the business 
sessions, the cordial hospitality of our Washington friends and 
ideal weather made the 1910 convention of the National Associa- 
tion of Gardeners one of the most successful in its history. 
Although it was originally planned to hold the business sessions 
in the lecture hall of the Smithsonian Institute, the arrangements 
of the local hosts, which provided for activity during every minute 
•of the visitors' presence in ,,'ashington, except the hours required 
for sleep, made it necessary to somewhat modify the original pro- 
gram. Accordingly, the offer of the management of the New 
Ebbitt House, the headquarters of the association, to provide ac- 
commodations for holding the meetings in the hotel, was ac- 
cepted. 
Promptly at nine o'clock on Tuesday morning. December 5, the 
convention came to order in the meeting hall of the New Ebbitt 
House, with William F. Gude, Washington's representative of the 
Society of American Florists and Ornamental Horticulturist- and 
ex-president of the Washington Chamber of Commerce, presiding 
as temporary chairman. In welcoming the convention to the 
Nation's Capital. .Mr. Gude assured his audience it was not simply 
his own home, but the home of every American citizen, and 
therefore all must feel truly "at home" in it. Mr. Gude referred 
to the fact that he and his brother, although not professing to have 
as mur,'' or as varied scientific knowledge of flowers and plants as 
the gardeners, were still trying in their humble way to grow 
flowers commercially of a standard the very highest possible. 
The meeting lie understood to be for interchange of ideas for 
the uplift of floriculture in general. Mr. Gude then detailed the 
entertainment that he expected to give the visitors. Mr. Gude 
spoke as representing the Washington Chamber of Commerce and 
the florists generally of the city. His remarks were enthusi- 
astically received. He then introduced President William X. 
Uraig, who returned the thanks of the association to Mr. Gude, who 
ne characterized as the "silver-tongued" orator of the Capitol City 
PRESIDENT CRAIG'S MESSAGE 
I am very glad that we have an opportunity to meet in the city 
of Washington, a city very dear to the hearts of every true Ameri- 
•can. Entirely apart from wdiat we will find here of horticultural 
interest, there is so much that apeals to the eye that I presume 
most of you would, like myself, prefer to make our business ses- 
sion as short as circumstances will permit, in order that we may 
have more time to enjoy the architectural and other features of 
interest so abundantly spread before us. Having these things in 
mind I will not weary you with any tedious remarks. 
Since our convention in Boston a year ago, which proved to be 
•quite a successful one, in spite of the fact that we were meeting' 
on ground largely untitled so far as our association was con- 
cerned, progress has been steady and satisfactory; and while the 
.addition of new members has hardly reached my expectations, all 
things considered we have done very well and I anticipate a 
healthy growth during the coining year, for the better we become 
known, the more additions we will make to our ranks. 
We are still a young society and have a big field ahead of us. 
I trust members will individually do what they can to bring in 
additions to our ranks: it is a simple matter to carry one or two 
of our small application blanks in a pocket and just as easy to 
hand them to the right parties when suitable opportunities pre- 
sent themselves. 
It is very gratifying to know that our membership grows 
more truly national each year. At one time we were looked upon 
*s a purely New York society: that time has passed and members 
are now being added from all parts of our country; in fact, of 
late, the West, thanks to energetic work done by our Vice-Presi- 
dent, Mr. Theodore Wirth. ami one of our Directors. Mr. T. W. 
Head, has been adding more members than the East, and with 
our next convention in the West we are bound to add many more 
members in that section. 
Our membership being truly national in character, we should 
spare no pains to preserve it as such. As our conventions are 
held only annually, there must naturally be long lapses between 
tin- visits to the various centers, and f think some plan might 
"be evolved for the holding of occasional gatherings oi members 
-of the N. A. G. in the various centers of horticultural activity. 
A local secretary might be selected in each of the sections where 
we are the strongest, who could call quarterly or semi-annual 
meetings of the local members and where matters pertaining to 
the wefare of the Association could be discussed, short reports of 
each being sent to the official organ. These local secretaries 
could perhaps collect dues, as well as enroll new members, 
and in this way relieve our hard-worked secretary in some 
small measure. These meetings need not in any way 
conflict with the activities of the local clubs and horticultural 
SOClCtlCS. 
We have during the present year been furnishing practical 
papers for discussion amongst the thirty-five or more local socie- 
ties co-operating with us. We would' be glad to know from 
members how far these papers have filled local wants. If they 
have proven helpful we shall continue them, and in that case we 
must ask your aid in helping to furnish the necessary quota of 
practical papers to carry the work along for another year. Every 
latitude would be given in the preparation of such papers, and if 
we need them. I hope you will assist us in securing the necessary 
number. 
The Service Bureau of the association, as it becomes better 
known, is being more largely patronized. We cannot, unfortu- 
nately, secure positions for all applicants, but our good secretary 
lias placed a good number and would gladly have helped every 
one had it been in his power to do so. While there is no charge 
for this, we need a special fund to work more effectively, and I 
want to say that if those whom the bureau has benefited would 
each make a small contribution, it would materially aid us. All 
are not unappreciative; one good member not long ago donated 
lift}' dollars for services rendered. Is it too much to hope that 
others will contribute for similar reasons to this fund? 
Our annual dues are small, and seem particularly so when our 
monthly organ is included. I want to commend our magazine to 
all members of the Association; it is one of the strong links which 
help to bind us together. Our secretary, hard-worked as he is, 
and with physical disabilities to handicap him, has labored stead- 
fastly to make our organ helpful and attractive, and has suc- 
ceeded very well. What he needs, however, and would, I am sure, 
apreciate. is a little more aid from our members in the way of 
short practical articles, reports of gardens visited, and other 
matters of interest. We may not all have literary ability, but 
surely there are a goodly number, especially amongst our younger 
men, who could help to make our magazine more valuable. 
In conclusion, I am sorry that I have not been able to accom- 
plish more for the interests of the National Association of Gar- 
deners during my tenure of office, but I have done my best to work 
up an interest in it in New England, and I pledge my unstinted 
support to my successor: and will continue to give the Associa- 
tion all possible publicity. I ask the co-operation of every mem- 
ber in making 15117 the most successful year, and the National 
Association of Gardeners one worthy of our noble profession, 
and one which will command the respect of both gardeners and 
their employers. 
The minutes of the last annual convention, held at Boston, 
Mass.. were read, and on motion duly approved as read. 
Mr. Gude at this time announced that he had secured passes to 
the Senate and House of Representatives galleries, signed by the 
Vice-President and the Speaker of the House, for each attendant 
on the convention; also that he had arranged for the convention 
to go by boat to Mt. Vernon on Wednesday, through the courtesy 
of the Mt. Vernon authorities. 
On motion, it was ordered that the officers of the National Asso- 
ciation of Gardeners procure and have placed upon the tomb of 
George Washington, at Mt. Vernon, a suitable floral offering com- 
memorative of the visit on Wednesday. 
In order that the members might accept the invitation to make 
an auto inspection tour of the city and interesting points adjacent 
to it, if was moved to suspend the usual order of business until 
the next session. 
On motion of Robert Cameron, seconded by William Kleinheinz, 
a letter of condolence was sent to William Downs, of Brookine, 
Mass.. who was prevented by illness from attendance on this 
meeting. Sincere regret was expressed at his unavoidable absence. 
Secretary Ebel read and moved the adoption of the following 
lion, proposed by Mr. Jensen, of St. Louis. Mo. : 
WHEREAS: The United States has recently concluded a treaty 
with Canada for the protection of migratory wild turds: 
WHEREAS: It will be necessary to enact further legislation 
by Congress to give effect to the terms of this treaty and to ap- 
propriate funds to carry out its provisions: and 
WHEREAS: We. the members of the National Association of 
