Meeting of the American Horticultural Congress
By J. Harold Clarke
The twelfth annual Horticultural Congress, organized by the American Horticultural Council, was held in Denver October 23-25. As a member of the Council, the American Rhododendron Society was represented, by the writer, who has been serving as a Director of the A. H. C.
There were a number of subjects of horticultural interest, and many committee reports and discussions. Of outstanding interest was a report that the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboretums is planning to cooperate in an extensive program of registration and testing of woody plants. This rather ambitious plan, if carried out as outlined, would provide an excellent means of testing and evaluating new plants under various climatic conditions. This is primarily for those plant groups for which no registration system is now in force but presumably the testing part of the program could include rhododendrons which are registered by the A.R.S.
Another important development was the completion and printing of the Nickerson Color Fan, a color chart of a unique, and apparently very practical, design. This chart is available through the A. H. C. Secretary, Dr. Donald Wyman, Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.
The A. H. C. now represents approximately a hundred leading horticultural organizations.