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                                                                   Exhibit 24(f)

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY


 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that Edward H. Hoornstra, a director
of General Host Corporation, a New York corporation (the "Corporation"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Harris J. Ashton, James R. Simpson, Robert M. Lovejoy,
Jr., and Mark A. Grobbel, 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 29, 1995 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 17th day of
March, 1995.

                                                    /s/ Edward H. Hoornstra
                                                        Edward H. Hoornstra