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                                                                   Exhibit 24(b)

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that Christopher A. Forster, a director of
General Host Corporation, a New York corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Harris J. Ashton, James R. Simpson and John R.
Ficarro, and each of them (with full power to each of them to act alone), his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for him and on his behalf and in
his name, place and stead, to sign, execute and affix his name thereto and file
the Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January
30, 1994 with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other appropriate
authority, granting unto said attorneys and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises in order to effectuate the same
as fully to all intents and purposes as he himself might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

   IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 21st day
of March, 1994.

                                                 /s/ Christopher A. Forster
                                                     Christopher A. Forster