1<)0 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
vilie, Ala., was at John’s Hopkins hospital being operated 
on also. 
Walter Hillenmeyer, of H. F. Hillenmeyer and Sons, 
Lexington, Kentucky, was ill. 
Much sympathy was expressed and ordered appropri¬ 
ately conveyed to these brother nurserymen. 
Charles M. Peters, Salisbury, Maryland, a familiar fig¬ 
ure at the conventions, entertained a little party at the 
Terrace Garden. His guests were James Frazier, Lester 
Lovett, Charles Perkins, Thomas B. Meehan and Charles 
Ilgenfritz. 
Mr. Peters lias been coming to conventions so long he 
begins to feel the next one is more or less uncertain but 
we hope his farewell party will be like a prima donna’s, 
an annual affair for years to come. 
J. F. Donaldson, Willadean Nurseries, Sparta, Ky., was 
ill and unable to attend the convention, a resolution ex¬ 
pressing sympathy with flowers was adopted. 
W. L. Hart, Fredonia, New York, reports weather con¬ 
ditions very dry and as a consequence small fruit stock 
will be short. 
Robert Pyle called attention to the fact that 1925 
would be the 50th anniversary of the American Associa¬ 
tion of Nurserymen, and suggested a rousing horticultur¬ 
al effort should be made to make it a noteworthy oc¬ 
casion. 
PEONY WEDDINGS 
There is something impressive, simple and beautiful in 
the idea of a peony wedding held under sunny skys in a 
peony field and quite apart from the freak weddings so 
often to be noted in the daily press. 
The peony weddings seem to be becoming quite an in¬ 
stitution at Yankton, South Dakota, where under the 
patronage and encouragement of the Gurney Seed and 
Nursery Company they are an annual occurance. 
Three couples were united in the Gurney peony field 
while the plants were at the height of their beauty. 
A platform was erected where it was surrounded by 20 
acres of peonies in full flower. 
Led by President D. B. Gurney, head of the House of 
Gurney, and the officiating minister, Rev. N. H. May, and 
with the Yankton Municipal Rand playing festive music, 
flower girls from the Yankton high school class of 1923 
led the way for the bridal couples. The flower girls, all 
dressed alike as they were for their recent graduation, 
carried great bunches of peonies. 
Arriving at the platform, President Gurney stated that 
Peony Week, bis firm planned, was to be an annual 
event, to grow greater each year, with increased acreage 
for what had become the favorite American flower. So 
great was the interest taken that he could predict in the 
near future the event would bring together as great a 
company as any event in South Dakota could produce. 
GEORGE C. PERKINS IN FRANCE 
An interesting letter has been received from George 
C. Perkins, president of the Jackson & Perkins Company, 
Newark, N. Y., who in company with his wife is travel¬ 
ling in Europe. 
Mr. Perkins lias been away on a part business and 
pleasure trip since the middle of April and is not expected 
home until the middle of August. 
While visiting the nurseries of Pernet-Ducher, Lyon, 
France, Mr. Perkins was much impressed with the work 
being done on roses. He thinks Mr. Pernet is a “top 
notcher” in hybridizing. The firm has several beautiful 
new ones which will be ready for distribution the fall of 
1925 and some at an earlier date. 
Mr. Perkins has been signally honored by being invited 
to act as one of the judges at the exhibit of new roses at 
the Bagatelle Gardens in Paris. 
The Bagatelle Gardens are perhaps the most famous 
rose gardens in the world. It is where rosarians from 
all over Europe and even the United States send their 
new roses to have their status judged and compared with 
existing varieties. 
Mr. J. P. N. Forestier, the director of the gardens, sent 
the invitation to Mr. Perkins through Mr. Pernet, ask¬ 
ing him to act as one of the judges. 
Through their president the Jackson & Perkins Com¬ 
pany will be in close touch with the latest about roses 
in Europe. 
THE S. A. F. & 0. H. ANNUAL 
When the S. A. F. & 0. II. authorized the publishing 
of a yearbook at their thirty-eighth annual convention it 
did a wise thing and when it placed the compilation and 
publishing of it in the hands of the A. T. De La Mare 
Company, New York, it secured a publisher in sympathy 
with and having a masterly grasp of the needs of the 
florist and allied trades. 
The annual has just come to hand and immediately 
won a permanent place for itself on the desk where it 
will always be handy for reference. 
It is equivalent to a costly index filing system that a 
commercial horticulturist always needs, but rarely has 
the time or money to put in operation. 
Apart from its practical value as a record of horticul¬ 
tural trade activities, it should prove invaluable in knit¬ 
ting the various branches of the horticultural trades to¬ 
gether. 
All interested in American horticulture should have a 
copy. The price is $3.00 bound in paper, $4.00 bound 
in cloth. Published by the A. T. De La Mare Company, 
438 West 37th street, New York City. 
Rather Rough 
Young lady is pinning on badges to boost Kansas City 
for the next convention. 
Young Lady —Have a badge, sir? 
Visitor —No thank you. I am not a nurseryman, I’m 
an honest man. 
