WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
98 
La Societe Nationale d 'Horticul- 
ture De France 
In every large town in France 
there is a Horticultural Society 
which owns public gardens and 
holds annual exhibitions. By far 
the largest and most important of 
these is the National Horticultural 
Society of France. 
The national organization was 
founded in Paris in 1827 and called 
at that time the Horticultural 
Society of Paris. This name was 
later changed to the one it now 
bears. The original membership 
consisted of 400 members which in- 
creased to 4,000 by 1900. Soon 
after organization the Society be- 
gan the publication of a Journal 
which has appeared regularly 
since that time. By 1852 the work 
of the Society had become so val- 
uable that, it was declared a public 
utility. A building was pur- 
chased, numero 84 rue Grenalle, 
which contains several large as- 
sembly rooms, small exhibition 
rooms, offices, etc. 
The organization has many in- 
terests and activities. Its work is 
divided among the following 
bureaus, each one being a separate 
and complete unit : fruit culture, 
vegetable growing, floriculture, 
orchids, ornamental trees, land- 
scape gardening, horticultural in- 
dustries, roses, chrysanthemum 
culture, chrysanthemum flowers 
and scientific studies. 
The work of the last mentioned 
department is interesting and im- 
portant. It deals with research 
and the spread of facts relative to 
lands whose fertility has been lit- 
tle exploited, transportation and 
the relation of the horticulturist to 
the inspector. It also deals with 
cooperation, mutual insurance 
against accident and the loss of 
animals and agricultural credits. 
The society itself, however, de- 
votes its main efforts to the prob- 
lems of fruit, flower and vegetable 
culture. They hold two meetings 
each month, and once each monrn 
they have a seasonable exhibit. 
These exhibits are very profitable 
and are given considerable prom- 
inence in horticultural literature. 
In the spring and fall large exhibi- 
tions are given in magnificant 
greenhouses which are considered 
to be of great importance to the 
horticulturist. These exhibitions 
are open to the public and are very 
popular with all of Paris. 
Besides the Journal of the So- 
ciety which is published monthly 
bulletins upon subjects of special 
interest are also published. Each 
year the best varieties of chrysan- 
themums are listed and described 
and given publicity. In 1906 a 
valuable and comprehensive book 
entitled “The best fruits of the be- 
ginning of the 20th century,” was 
published. The data for this pub- 
lication was carefully collected and 
arranged according to the climate, 
the soil, and growers and accord- 
ing to the purpose for which the 
varieties were used. This publica- 
tion was declared a very valuable 
work by the government. 
The Society maintains a registry 
for new varieties. This is open to 
non-members as well as members. 
Blanks are furnished the grower 
or producer of the new variety, 
which are to be filled in with the 
necessary details of the history of 
the plant and the chief character- 
istics of the variety. These blanks 
together with the plant are pre- 
sented for exhibition, providing 
the plant can be moved. If the 
plant is too large for such exhibi- 
tion, a committee examines and 
April, 1919 
classifies it where grown. Such 
new plants or varieties are of- 
ficially registered and the origina- 
tor own all rights according to 
French law. All new varieties 
are published in the Journal of the 
Society and in other Horticultural 
publications. 
The Society owns a tract of land 
just outside of Paris on which it 
was planned to start a school for 
orphans who wish to become gar- 
deners. The war has seriously in- 
terfered with this work. 
A complete account of the 
achievements of the Society is im- 
possible for the official organ Le 
Journal de la Societe Nationale 
d’ Horticulture de France, to- 
gether with a list of the member- 
ship is not received by the Univer- 
sity. This literature is kept on 
file at Washington. Great prom- 
inence is given to the Society by 
the Revue Ilorticole. The names 
of the officers of the Society appear 
as officers in other Horticultural 
Societies of note. 
The national Society established 
the Union Connnerciale Ilorticole 
which is a kind of labor union and 
mutual aid society, whose work is 
very practical. Through the ef- 
forts of the Society a Horticultural 
Federation was organized of all the 
Societies in France. The presi- 
dent, M. Tiger, was made Presi- 
dent of the Federation. 
The Society carries on a great 
deal of educational work. Prizes 
are offered for gardens and for ai’- 
ticles on horticultural subjects. 
Before the war the Society 
agitated gardens for working men. 
M. Tiger asserts that according to 
statistics alcoholism was reduced 
one third in places where gardens 
were provided for workingmen. 
In the, annals of the Society of 
