CHARACTER OF NURSERYMEN. 



There is no class of community, I presume, more censured than 

 nurserymen ; sometimes with, and sometimes without sufficient cause, 

 no doubt. How often do we hear the purchaser exclaim that he 

 ' never will buy another fruit tree, of any nurseryman, without first 

 seeing and picking the trees out of the nursery himself! ' His ejac- 

 ulation implies suspicion of the nurseryman's honesty — that he has 

 at some time been hit, and now is unwilling to trust the integrity of 

 any one engaged in growing trees for sale. Now, there must be a 

 cause for this almost universal censure — this apparently dogmatical 

 phraseology; and the question at once arises, where is the fault? 

 and what is the remedy? From personal observation of many years, 

 I am fully convinced that the delinquencies lie at the door — in most 

 cases — of both parties; and with your generous permission, will 

 endeavor briefly to point them out. 



First, as to the nurseryman. I have known instances where an 

 order has been sent somewhat in this wise : ' Send me one hundred 

 choice apple trees, twenty Early Harvest, twenty Yellow Bellfleur, 

 twenty Winter Pearmain, twenty Tallman Sweeting, and twenty 

 Rome Beauty.' The nurseryman takes his order in hand, walks 

 through the nursery rows, and finds that he has no Yellow Bell- 

 fleurs left, and furthermore, discovers that previous orders have 

 crowded upon him so hard, the balance of his stock was not 'choice.' 

 Nevertheless, he concludes to fill the order by substituting for the 

 Bellfleurs, twenty Dominie, which he has in great abundance. He 

 thereupon writes his correspondent, apprizing him of the substitution 

 which he has made, and praises up the Dominie apple, far beyond 

 its real merits. The invoice comes to hand, and then ensues disap- 

 pointment number one. The purchaser either had already plenty of 

 the Dominie apple trees planted out, or had no kind of aifection or 

 faith in the fruit, whatever. He, of course, feels deeply chagrined, 

 but concludes to hold his breath awhile, until the trees come to hand. 

 They finally arrive, the package is opened, and then ensues disap- 

 pointment number two. The most prominent feature in his order 

 had been violated — they were not ' choice ; ' and besides, the packing 

 had been entrusted to careless hands, and half the trees ruined ! 

 Now, then, can there be any two opinions — I mean divided opinions 



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