140 state Horticultural Society. 



BUSINESS METHODS m HORTICULTURE. 



Bv Z. T. Russell, Carthage, Mo. 



I have been expecting to attend the meeting at Pierce City and to 

 prepare a paper to read as per printed program, but on account of sick- 

 ness in mv family and pressure of work, I am compelled to give up tlie 

 idea, but will send you a few lines, however, outlining in a very crude 

 way the ideas which I would have liked very much to have been able to 

 present to the meeting in a more complete and systematic manner. 



There is one method that is very generally adopted and well carried 

 out by berry growers, and to this portion of horticulturists I will con- 

 fine what I have to say at present, that is different and without good rea- 

 son therefor. I think, from the methods adopted by other classes of 

 business men in other lines of business try in various ways to hinder 

 others from engaging in the same line of business as themselves and 

 hamper them in all the ways they can. They form great trusts for the 

 purpose of controlling prices and shutting out competition; they limit 

 the number of apprentices that one may have in some lines of business 

 and in other and various wavs make it difficult for others to enter com- 

 petition with them. 



But how is it with the berry men ? They spend their time and their 

 money in holding meetings to which they invite their neighbors and all 

 others whom they can indiice to attend. They then read papers ano 

 tell about their business and try to persuade all their neighbors to go to 

 raising berries. Isn't that so ? We all know it is. Is it business ? I 

 think not. 



What would be thought of men in other lines of business who would 

 do as we have done ? Who ever heard of dry goods men, grocers, hard- 

 ware men, railroad men, bankers, butchers, lawyers, doctors, or editors 

 holding a meeting and laboring with tongue and pen with a view of 

 inducing others to embark in the same business as themselves. Who, 

 of all these, would spend his time and his money trying to get some one 

 to enter into competition with him and to start up in the same business on 

 the next corner? Not one. Who, of all the above, would s]>end his time and 

 his monev to in*trii('t all wlio will read or listen in all the details of his bus- 



