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TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



(made by a dibble for its reception) and carefully pack the sand in place 

 by the same slow process. After many years I learned better : with the 

 sand in a firm condition, a single stroke of the arm and the excavation 

 is made for twenty to fifty cuttings, these are dropped in place and a 

 half-dozen strokes of a brick and all is complete. With nine-tenths of 

 plants this process will root just as many as the other way, besides being 

 more expeditious. 



" Knowledge comes but Wisdom lingers," the poet says. Have we 

 learned by experience to look upon the novelties just received from 

 Europe with suspicion ? Do we realize that because the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society has made special and honorable mention of Mr. A's new, 

 striking, unique, wondei-ful, gorgeous and beautiful plant, be it a rose. 

 dahlia, geranium or what not, it is no indication that such will succeed 

 with us in our climate? 



Or, coming still nearer home, because certain plants succeed in New 

 York or Massachusetts, do we bear in mind before purchasing or before 

 recommending them to the public in our State, that they may prove 

 tender with us, or if they do not die will only partially succeed ? Taking 

 the word or even experience of Eastern growers regarding the good 

 qualities of a plant, be it a shrub, tree or plant, is not sufficient to warrant 

 us in recommending it to our patrons. Don't we rush into novelties 

 with too much haste? Isn't there a matter of false pride with us in the 

 making of our catalogues, believing that the public will think us slow 

 coaches if one or more pages are not filled with novelties? 



The writer has been taken in by the glowing accounts of certain 

 plants which were not worth the postage on a single package, besides the 

 loss of time, vexation and disappointment not taken into account. To 

 be strictly honest in our business we should not recommend a plant to our 

 patrons unless we know it can be grown successfully, if they use reasonable 

 care. I'll go one step farther: it is incumbent on us to give directions 

 for the proper management of such plants as are difficult to grow. 



Are we so poor in manly honor to fear that if the rose just bought be 

 successfully grown we shall lose the sale of another? I wist not, and 

 yet purchasers have inquired of me about plants with such a doubting 

 intonation, that I knew they had been deceived, even before they told 

 me. Such policy is suicide. Solomon knew more about correct business 

 principles than such people ; he was wise enough to be liberal, and 

 encompassed a great deal of truth when he said, " There is that which 

 scattereth abroad and yet increaseth, and there is that which with- 

 holdeth and yet tendeth to poverty." How can we best acquaint our 

 customers with such knowledge as will make them succeed with plants ? 

 With the seller of a few hundred plants it may be by personal instruction. 

 Ask them if they have succeeded, and act accordingly. With the 

 grower of 100,000 this would not be possible, but certain plants could 

 be classified together, and a small pamphlet or circular of two to four 

 pages, giving explicit directions for each class, could be sent with the 

 goods. The success of your customer is your success, and outside of all 

 moral obligations it is the best policy you could pursue. 



