28 
Gardeners and Florists’ Annual for J9J8 
a crop of 2'/2 million bushels of 
Potatoes in 1916, and the retail 
price in March, 1917, was $4 a 
bushel. 
Spinach seed advanced from 
7 Vic. per pound on contract, to 
30c. 
Contract price on coal from 
the Virginia mines to Massachu- 
setts in 1915 was $1.40 per ton; 
a year later it was $4.10. 
A REMARKABLE instance of 
successful cross pollination of a 
Rose was illustrated in The Flo- 
rists' Exchange, March 10, page 559. 
It was estimated that the losses caused by tree and plant pests 
amounted to five million dollars annually. 
Polish speaking florists and gardeners organized a club in Chicago 
on Feb. 18, with a membership of over 20. 
A REMARKABLY fine I'oof garden was shown in The Florists’ Ex- 
change March 17, page 593. 
The ANNUAL meeting of the Illinois State Florists’ Ass’n was held 
March 7. 
The Dept of Horticulture, University of Minnesota, collects por- 
traits of eminent floriculturists and horticulturists and has these framed 
and hung in the class rooms. 
Novelty exhibitions became popular with the Chicago Florists’ Club, 
several successful ones being held. 
Shamrock plants grown in small condensed milk cans painted 
green, and mailed out in wooden boxes by J. F. Rupp, Shiremanstown, 
Pa., were a feature for St. Patrick’s Day. 
A destructive cyclone struck New Castle, Ind., on March 11, when 
the establishments of F. J. Benthey and P. J. Lynch were made a 
total wreck, tlie losses being put at $150,000. 
Both the Chelsea and Holland House shows of the Royal Horticul- 
tural Society were abandoned owing to shortage of labor and difficul- 
ties of transport. 
The College of Agriculture at Columbus, Ohio, produced a motion 
picture film illustrating seed corn testing, which it will loan free for use 
in local motion picture theaters to communities desiring it. Several 
other films along the same lines are available. 
The School Nature League is the name of a new society for the 
furtherance of school gardening. The secretary is Mrs. S. W. Weiss, 
44 W. 86th st., New York. 
Ruhleben, the German camp for British prisoners near Berlin, 
has a full-fledged horticultural society with course of lectures. The 
secretary is T. Howat, Ruhleben Horticultural Societ}% Bar 6, Box 15. 
The markets were glutted with flowers of all varieties in the middle 
of March. 
The following points for judging flower groups at the New York 
