FOURTH NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW 13 
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FLORISTS AND 
ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURISTS 
ITS ORGANIZATION 
The Society of American Florists was born at 
Chicago, III., on June 19, 1884. 
Previous to this time there had been no organization of any kind among 
the florists and gardeners of the country, although many of them were identified 
with the various horticultural societies and a few were members of the Nursery- 
men's Association. To a few far-seeing individuals it seemed that the florists 
were numerous enough and their business strong enough to maintain a separate 
national organization of their own. So in response to a call, about thirty or 
forty gentlemen assembled in Chicago on the 19th of June, 1884, and there 
laid the foundations of the Society of American Florists. One of the objects 
sought to be accomplished by organization was some plan for insurance of glass 
houses against injury by hail; indeed, it is doubtful if the Society had material- 
ized for many years had it not been for this impetus. At the Chicago meeting 
a preliminary organization was effected and an executive committee met at 
Pittsburgh, Pa., in February, 1885, where the program and other arrangements 
were prepared for the first annual convention to be held in Cincinnati, O., 
in the following August. 
The Society was incorporated by special act of Congress, March 4, 1901. 
LADIES' SOCIETY OF AMERICAN 
FLORISTS 
The Ladies' Society of American Florists was organized 1907 at Philadel- 
phia, Pa., with a membership of 139. Since then its growth has been steady, 
now numbering from 250 to 275. Its object is to promote sociability among the 
ladies attending the S. A. F. and O. H. conventions. It has proved a benefit 
to its own members, and a valuable asset to the main society. Officers consist 
of president, two vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, and a board of six (6) 
directors. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY OF 
AMERICA 
The Chrysanthemum Society of America was organized at Buffalo, N. Y., 
in 1S90, with the following officers: President, John Thorpe; Vice-President, 
Wm. K. Harris; Treasurer, John Lane; Secretary, Edwin Lonsdale. 
Its aim and object is the cultivation and improvement of the Chrysanthe- 
mum. To further this purpose an annual meeting and exhibition is held each 
year in conjunction with one of the FaU Flower Shows, the 19 15 Meeting and 
Exhibition being held at Cleveland, Ohio, November 10, 11,12, 13, and 14, 1915. 
Examining Committees are appointed each year in New York, Boston, 
Philadelphia, Chicago and Cincinnati, to examine new varieties of chrysanthe- 
