196 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



affects the man who plants, but the nurseryman as well. An 

 evil which does not probablj'- exist in the eastern part of the 

 state to the extent it does here, and elsewhere over the west, a s 

 the masses of the people there who plant are better informed 

 along these lines. 



I refer to the work of the so called "Tree Agent" or dealer, 

 claiming to do business generally through eastern nurseries. 

 These western counties have for many years been made the 

 dumping ground of nursery stocks which was never grown in 

 Nebraska and never passed through the hands of any Nebraska 

 nurseryman. In my twenty years experience in this county, 

 as nearly as can be estimated, from $5,000 to $10,000 worth an- 

 nually, of such kind of stock has been distributed among the 

 farmers of the county; and other counties have about the same 

 experience. Purchasers usually paying from three to five 

 times as much for the stock as the same might have been pro- 

 cured for at home. Probably not five per cent of such stock is 

 growing to-day. It is not always because of the poor quality or 

 worthlessness of the stock that renders the same of so httle 

 value, but more because of the fact that in buying of the class of 

 adventurers they are made- to beheve that their success depends 

 altogether on buying of them, without giving any practical 

 knowledge of how to do the work. The average salesman repre- 

 senting this class usually knows little and cares less whether 

 the planter is successful than the planter himself. I would not 

 disparage the honesty and intelligence of all salesman, as many 

 are honest, and honestly represent some well known nursery. 

 The majority of the salesman, however, are not of this class in 

 this western country. We have the "model orchard-man" who 

 sells from $75 to $100 orchards, agreeing to plant, care for, 

 and warrant for a series of years, who get their money and 

 are never seen again. 



Nextcomes some one claiming to represent some northern nur- 

 sery, and lay claims to the extra hardiness of this stock on ac- 

 countofthesamebeinggrownin a cold climate, then goto Hunts- 

 ville, Alabama and buy stock to fill their orders. Another man 

 sells two year old stock on three and four year old roots, al- 

 ways different from that of any one else. Again some one sells 

 some variety of peach or cherry, on which they have a copy- 

 right, and the same can only be obtained through them. 



