Imposition Exposed. — In the March number of the Horticulturist is an article from German- 

 town, Ohio, headed " Imposition." "Whether or not that movement is a part of the following 

 described system bi fraud we do not know, but we have full information that a most villainous 

 plan of fraudulent dealings in the way of fruits and flowers, has been carried on in the West for 

 a number of years. Cleveland, or its immediate vicinity, is the place where it is arranged. 

 Foreigners, mostly, if not all of them, Germans, collect together, during summer and autimin, 

 the vilest rubbish of roots, shrubs, and seeds, from the forests and fields, and also the refuse seed 

 of culinary gardens, and the garbage of nurseries and flower gardens. These are carefully packed 

 and labelled with either known and popular names, or with hard botanical names, and are all 

 represented to be either something new and very extraordinary, or of the greatest value. 



As a bait to catch "green ones," books of colored plates of fruits, and especially flowers, are 

 shown ; also spurious catalogues of noted foreign nurserymen. For instance, they exhibit cata- 

 logues of bulbous plants for sale by the Harlem (Holland) gardens, purporting to be the cata- 

 logues of the gardeners, yet printed in English and evidently the work of a Cleveland printing 

 press. Whenever a "green one" gets into their clutches, the plates and cataloges are exhibited 

 to illustrate the beauty, value and cost of their select articles. They deal only in superlatives 

 and superlative prices. 



In the years 1847-8 they perambulated extensively the Muskingum Valley and the south-east- 

 ern borders of Ohio. Then their books looked old and worn from use. The present season they 

 have been renovated by new and fine binding, done, evidently, by a Cleveland bindery. In 

 those years they were engaged in disseminating seeds, bulbs, roots, and plants, of new species, 

 just introduced by the labors of Mr. Fortune, in China. One instance will illustrate their mode 

 of dealing: A large and showy plate of a flower, bearing a long and hard name, was exhibited. 

 It was recently from China, and they, by mere chance, and good luck, had obtained one solitary 

 tuber, which, as a special favor, they would sell for $o to no one except him who would purchase 

 $10 worth of their other articles. A customer at length swallowtd the bait, hook and all. The 

 seeds vegetated in due time, producing a long list of weeds and worthless articles, from a 

 Jamestown weed to the common Poppy and Onion. At length the five dollar tuber put 

 forth its foliage, flower and fruit, and was no other than the Poke-root of the highway. 



We have happened to witness their different modes of dealing with both the "green ones " 

 and " know somethings." With the former they are all volubilitj-, free to illustrate and instruct, 

 in ecstacies with fruits and flowers, full of horticultural and floricultural incidents gathered 

 during their recent visits to the Harlem, Sawbridge, Angers, and other European establishments. 

 Botanical names roll out of their mouths as freely as water from a pitcher — Amaryllis regina, vit- 

 iata, Wegelia rosea, For'^ythia viridissima, d:c. Their well stocked boxes and packages can readily 

 furnish these, and everything else imagination can name. Like the enchanted bottle of the jug- 

 gler, which will turn out rum, brandy, gin, or any other kind of spirits called for, their bundles- 

 will yield as readily everj' species of vegetation customers may require. Of course such accom- 

 modating facilities render it proper that round juices should be demanded. 



In contact with a " know something," the scene is changed ; all is mum or moroseness — " oth- 

 erwise engaged, can't wait upon j-ou at this time, you want only to look over our valuable things 

 without making a purchase." Happening to fall in their waj', and unknown to them, they mis- 

 took me for a " green one," their books of plates, catalogues, and whole paraphernalia of imposi- 

 tion, were rapidly displayed — "just arrived, sir, from Holland, — splendid bulb, from Harlem — 

 a new and beautiful blue Amaryllis — Amaryllis coerulea" — the daubed plate was exhibited — 

 "price $3 to $5" — roots exhibited, evidently common garden Daff'odills. On expressing doubt^ 

 as to the existence of a blue Amaryllis, and making a few inquiries as to some details about the 

 Harlem nurseries, the scene changed from farce to tragedj'. Whew! whew! out flew a volume 



curses, aimed at me for being an impudent nurseryman who was endeavoring to injure 

 ess. 



