32 
Gardeners and Florists’ Annual for J9J8 
The Book of the Peony, by 
Mrs. Harding, was issued early in 
the year. It is the most complete 
work on this flower to date. 
The leading florists of Bing- 
hamton, N. Y., formed an associa- 
tion for social and business pur- 
poses. 
The weather in April was 
cold in most parts of the country. 
The same might be said of the 
month of May, which was raw, 
chilly and sunless generally. At 
the end of May the season was 
computed to be 15 to 20 days late. 
Roof gardening has recently 
shown signs of development. Each 
large new building, particularly 
hotel buildings, in New York and 
other cities has had provision made 
for a roof garden. It is a feature worthy of encouragement. 
A NUMBER of flower shows were cancelled as a result of the decla- 
ration of war. The one on which most preparation had been expended 
was the Pittsburgh Flower Show. 
Xandina domestica, the Heavenly Bamboo of the Chinese, has 
been mentioned as a likely subject for pot cultivation. 
W. J. Palmer & Son, Buffalo, N. Y., opened a very elaborate 
flower store and conservatory in the Spring, one of the handsomest in 
this country. 
So BUSY were many of the seed stores during the Spring that it 
was a practice with some to close on one or two afternoons each week. 
Through the Women’s Department of the State of New York 
Department of Labor, trained women and others willing to work in 
floral establishments and in nurseries were registered, and made avail- 
able to take the place of men drafted into the army. 
A FROST on May 8 injured a large area of the Strawberry section 
in Southwestern Missouri. The acreage is 6950 acres. 
Fruit exports from the United States during 1915, according to 
U. S. Dept, of Agriculture statistics, were valued at $34^29,906. The 
values of the principal fruits exported were: Apples (dried, green, 
or ripe), $11,358,124; Apricots, dried, $2,241,061; Oranges, $3,851,013; 
Prunes, $3,274,197; and Raisins and other dried Grapes $1,718,54.7. 
British nurserymen have a proposal before them to grow forest 
trees from seed an dsell the product at a fixed rate in two or more 
years’ time. 
Military vegetable gardens to the number of 6622 maintained at 
various posts, hospitals and supply depots in France greatly alleviated 
the shortage of vegetables in 1916, their total production being 13,000,000 
francs. 
Elderly near-sighted gentlemen 
(mistaking florist's shop for carpenter's 
shop next door) I would like you to make 
me a swinging door. 
Florist. So.ry sir, that I can’t ac- 
commodate you. But I can make you a 
"gates ajar.” 
