THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 25 



on Keiffer and Japan pear seedlings, a large proportion of 

 which have been grown by Europeans for the American trade. 

 Foreign horticulturists and nurserymen with the aid of cheap 

 labor and years of experience in selecting the best locations 

 for their stock have been able to propagate many varieties in 

 a way to successfully compete with American grown plants. 



One of the first great victories of American over Euro- 

 pean growlers was when one of <a firm of Illinois nurserymen 

 took samples of Illinois grown evergreens to eastern nursery- 

 men and received an order on condition that if not satisfactory 

 the stock could be returned. The evergreens were shipped 

 and a check subsequently received for the goods. 



Since the plant quarrantine went into effect, largely 

 eliminating imported stock, the movement toward the produc- 

 tion of American fruit stocks has become very necessary. 

 We have a very excellent Bureau at Washington called the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry which is making valuable tests of 

 plants, both foreign and native for all sorts of soils and cli- 

 mates. It is very desirable that we have such an active and 

 efficient Bureau as this which is of course primarily interested 

 in securing plants for commercial purposes. But we need al- 

 so, to search out and develop the better forms of our native 

 plants both for commercial and decorative purposes. In this 

 it is very desirable that botanists and nurserymen co-operate. 



The United States contains a broad and diversified re- 

 gion in which there are a great number of herbaceous peren- 

 nials, shrubs and trees that are desirable. While botanists 

 plant lovers and protectors of our native flora are i)robably 

 best informed as to the locations in which desirable specimens 

 grow, the nurserymen afford the best means for multiplying 

 and distributing such plants. Botanists, landscape architects, 

 gardeners and the like, should make note of the location of 

 specimen trees or other desirable plants especially those that 

 are characterized by special liardiness, vigor, fine foliage, 

 larger and better flowers and fruits etc., and should p.ovidc 



