The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-24

income.
 The florists business is something more than the cut flower trade. There is the beautifying of gardens and grounds, muc hof which comes under the care and suggestion of florists and gardeners. But the first thing ever wideawake florist will do is to beautify his own home and surroundings. It is positively necessary for us to have ex- amples of everything that is good and grown in the most attractive and best possible manner if we would have the desired effect on our surrounding neighborhood. I have heard recon- mended in our of our New York con- ventions a press bureau which could be attached to the local societies to SUD- ply the monthly or weekly journals with reliable news. Such thing once established would rid us of the exag- gerated statements such as carnations bringing $1OO0O, etc., now frequently circulated in irresponsible journals, oft en of such nature as to make our best people skeptical regarding all horticul- tural news
 We should do all we can to advance and extend public exhibitions. They are not only educators of florists, but of the whole public at large. When an exhibition is attempted every gardener and florist in the city should, as mat ter of personal pride and duty, do his part in the work. It is often complain ed that the public does not sufficiently appreciate the floral shows. Is it not because that they are so frequently un- worthy? If we open to the people a good show we can depend upon moral and financial support. With the recent great awakening of public interest in Horticulture we have all seen the ten- dency of the promoters of various char itable and other enterprises to make prominent the floral section of their bazaars, or even to institute, on behalf of some worthy society or charity so- called flower show Should it not be the duty of every local florist or gar dener, wherever an exhibition is att tempted under the banner of a floral show, to come forward and insist that the affair be creditable one, since we all know that every exhibition of this kind, if poorly carried on, is direct reflection on every local member of our profession? We are, in the public mind, held responsible. It follows, therefore, that we must take hold and have it properly exploited, or deferred until such time as it can be creditably carried out. Otherwise future exhibi- tions in the same locality, undertaken by our craft with our best efforts, will be discredited by the public because of the fake shows which we have, without protest, allowed to be undertaken.
 I have been in a position to watch from the beginning the efforts to estab- fish mature study" as part of our public school course of study. This teaching, which was taken up but a few years ago in our educational cen ters, is spreading rapidly, and one can see already some of the results. Not only have the children better under standing of nature and her products, but by the methods employed in teach ing they come to love the plants they care for and to appreciate in some de- gree their value, the laws which govern their growth and the loss entailed by their destruction. Now, I believe that when these children come to be men and women we shall see flower lovers more abundant and garden makers more skilful than is generally the case now. The formation of florists clubs at trade centers is of inestimable value to every member of such club, doing away largely with trade jealousies and bringing our profession more promi- nently before the public. The value and need of association is recognized in all professions and in all lines of trade, and none need 1t more than in our pro- fession. Associated effort incites our aspirations, begets fellowship, promotes harmony, destroys ignorance, removes differences, prevents misunderstanding and encourages trade. These are some of the fruits of associating together.
 We should not forget the ladies. would recommend that they be given an opportunity to enter the business. Their correct taste and their aptitude for recognizing the beautiful in form and color make their services desirable as artists and designers.
 There are many women to-day throughout the country who are doing a profitable business, on their own ac- count, and there is room for many more in an occupation which is so ap- propriate and pleasant, and for which they are so admirably fitted in refine ment and taste.
 So far as the work relating to the growing of crops under glass is con- cerned, I think it may be safely stated that the development within the past five years has been greater than in any similar period of the country. It is very hard to collect reliable statistics bearing upon Horticulture. We have made attempts to do this from time to time, and while we believe reasonable success has accompanied our efforts, there is always necessarily consider able element of doubt.
 We have no street fakirs in our city as far as l know, but some of the larg- er cities are overrun with crepe chasers and there seems to be no visible means to put stop to them.
 Twenty-Five years ago such men as Thorley, Stump, MacConnell, Dards and others met most every morning about o'clock at old Thirty-fourth street ferryhouse, where the growers would bring in their baskets, covered with bedquilts Tiled with roses, sprunt, Bonsaline, Marcheneil, Safrano, La nn.. ....,,n and TNnicLnSS In RraNant