Cbe national IDursoi^man. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK 
The National Nurseryman Publishing Co., Incorporated 
Vol. XXVI. HATBORO, PENNA. JULY, 1918 
The Forty-Third Annual Convention of the 
American Association of Nurserymen 
I N TIMES gone by, if you happened to drop into the 
hotel headquarters on the morning of the day pre¬ 
ceding the opening of the convention you would 
find a few “early birds,” and during the day a few more 
would drop in, but not until the morning of the conven¬ 
tion did the majority of the nurserymen appear. More 
recently, however, you would find quite a handful of 
these men camped on the ground two days ahead, and a 
larger proportion rolling in the day before the meeting. 
This year, however, though the convention did not open 
until Wednesday, as early as Sunday morning, the chairs 
in the rotunda of the New Shennan House were held 
down by Bert Lake, the two Chase boys, Henry and Bob, 
and of course Charlie Perkins, C. B. Burr and Jim Fraser. 
Also, if you looked closely, you would see John Dayton, 
Ed. Welch, and other prominent nurserymen. By Mon¬ 
day night there were enough to make a goodly sized 
crowd, and by Tuesday, pretty much every one was there. 
In the absence of the President, Major Lloyd Stark, 
the convention was called to order Wednesday morning 
by Vice President J. R. Mayhew, who continued to pre¬ 
side at the several sessions. 
Led by Henry Chase, two verses of “The Star Spangled 
Banner” and one of “God Save Our Splendid Men” were 
sung by the entire assemblage and there were many 
fathers there who voiced a silent “Amen” at the con¬ 
clusion of the latter song. 
This was followed by an invocation which was sent by 
the Rev. C. S. Harrison, who was unable to be present. 
Mr. Graw, of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce, in a 
strong and inspiring speech, welcomed the nurserymen 
to Chicago, his remarks being frequently interrupted by 
loud and continuous applause. 
J. M. Pitkin had been scheduled to respond, but was 
nonpulsed to find that Mr. Graw had departed imme¬ 
diately he had concluded. “Jim” arose to the occasion, 
however, and addressed his remarks to the chair va¬ 
cated by Mr. Graw. 
Henry Chase read a message from Major Lloyd Stark, 
and upon its conclusion, a committee of three was ap¬ 
pointed to draft a reply. 
A MESSAGE FROM SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE 
OR ON THE WAY. 
From Major Lloyd C. Stark 
Mr. President and Members of the Great American Associa¬ 
tion of Nurserymen: 
To-day, I am not with you to answer the roll call, but I am not 
a deserter. In leaving you, in tearing myself away and denying 
myself the honor of presiding as your President, I have sacrificed 
something that is very near to my heart. But not to see your 
faces, not to be with you to shake your hands and meet you again 
—that is the greater sacrifice. 
All I am or hope to be I owe to my country—the land that gave 
me birth, and educated me. When the call to arms came, when 
the bugle sounded, when the cries of bleeding Belgium and 
ravished France echoed in our ears there was but one answer 
and one choice. 
In these days of anguish, with the whole world on fire, and the 
very fate of humanity hanging in the balance, the man who has 
been trained to fight sees but one road—the road to the sea and 
over, and on through France to Berlin. 
To-day my Battalion is on that road—and I am with it. We 
shall not return soon, perhaps never, but rest assured my dear 
friends that my heart is with you—and my thoughts and good 
wishes—always. 
Those of us who go to fight and give our lives and our all, do 
so joyfully. And those of you who cannot go—whose ties and 
responsibilities point to the path of duty there at home—you are 
no less patriotic than those who fight. Do your duty well, work 
harmoniously together to preserve and protect and upbuild our 
noble calling—so important to the health and sustenance of our 
people in these days of war and privation. Food alone won’t win 
this war, but great stores of American foods and millions of 
strong-hearted American men will win. As Kipling says: — 
“It ain’t the guns nor armament 
Nor funds that they can pay. 
But the close co-operation 
That makes them win the day. 
“It ain’t the individuals. 
Nor the army as a whole. 
But the everlastin’ teamwork 
Of every bloomin’ soul.’’— 
Just as our armies have almost insurmountable difficulties to 
overcome, so you have now and will have perhaps to an even 
greater degree in the future war years, tremendous problems 
to solve. 
In this great Association of ours there are many divergent in¬ 
terests, therefore, self-sacrifice on the part of the few for the 
benefit of the whole nursery profession may at times become 
necessary. And when that time does arrive, as it will, pull 
together, be of strong heart and keep the faith, remembering 
always that whatever benefits the majority must in the end 
benefit the whole nursery profession. 
I shall not attempt to suggest or advise or even discuss the var¬ 
ious weighty problems that will come before you at this Conven- 
