120 



TJie HcniicuUurist and Journal 



Are Our Nurserymen Reli- 

 able? 



BY MYSTIC. 



THE experience of many prove the nega- 

 tive. Drummers from some of the lead- 

 ing nurseries travel through the country 

 taking orders, and the trees or plants sent 

 out, quite often, if not generally, prove to be 

 very inferior, or different varieties from those 

 ordered. I know your advice (having read 

 The Horticulturist for years), buy directly 

 of reliable dealers. Good advice ; but hear 

 my experience. 



In the spring of 1871, I wanted some 

 plants (I use the word in its generic sense) 

 for my garden, and, resisting the solicitations 

 of a Rochester drummer, personally applied 

 to a Boston dealer of high reputation. The 

 following were included in my order : A 

 dozen grape vines (mostly Concord). The 

 " Delaware" proved, by its fruit, next year, 

 to be Concord, and the Creveling (taken on 

 his special recommendation) lingered along 

 in a feeble condition one year and died ; prop- 

 agated from very small and probably unripe 

 wood. Brighton strawberries ; for which the 

 Nicanor was substituted, without my consent. 

 Wilson's Albany ; roots so dead (black) I re- 

 turned them. Three peach trees ; Early 

 Crawford, Late Crawford and George Fourth. 

 On planting them out, I found what should 

 have been George Fourth, marked Stump of 

 the World. Next year, what I bought for 

 the Late Crawford, fruited very early in the 

 season, proving to be a poor, little red peach. 

 What the Early Crawford will turn out to be 

 I cannot tell, the fruit-buds having been win- 

 ter-killed. " Hall's honeysuckle" {Lonicera 

 Halliana, or Splendida), recommended as 

 hardy, was winter-killed, though on the south 

 side of the house and laid down under a thick 

 covering of straw. The Dutch Monthly (Lo- 

 nicera Belgiu?)i), proved to be the Scarlet 

 Monthly (L. Semper virens). 



These facts, under the most charitable con- 

 struction of the case, show a most provoking 



carelessness. Such treatment submitted to 

 unmurmuringly by purchasers, will be, as it 

 has been, repeated over and over again by 

 dealers. How long would a merchant retain 

 his customers with such unscrupulous or care- 

 less dealing. 

 Medford, Mass. 



Berries— Lost Baskets. 



EVERY season there are a great many 

 complaints made by growers against deal- 

 ers, of their losing so many baskets. In some 

 instances it may be the fault of the dealers, 

 but as a general thing, the loss takes place 

 during their transportation homeward. We 

 all know how roughly all empty packages are 

 handled by these lines, therefore, we should 

 do all we can to overcome the losses on the 

 route. And I am convinced that most of this 

 loss arises from the fact of the cases not hav- 

 ing fastenings that can be relied upon. And 

 if the owners of these cases neglect to pro- 

 tect the contents, they should not censure 

 others for their loss. Many of these so-called 

 fastenings are no security to the contents, 

 whatever, when full, and are worse than noth- 

 ing when empty, for they are simply an apol- 

 ogy for protection, deceiving both parties ; for 

 if there was none at all on the case the dealer 

 would nail the lid to secure the contents. 

 The hasp and staple is the one most in use, 

 but they give but little protection to baskets 

 and platforms unless the plug is nailed in, for 

 they are easily knocked out in handling; and 

 the new style of having a revolving wire for a 

 fastening is about the worst ever introduced, 

 for there is no dependence to be placed upon 

 them, for they revolve at every handling of 

 the case, leaving the lid fi-ee from control. 



The lock introduced by the American Bas- 

 ket Company is the best I have met with ; it 

 has an extra slide to secure the lid while the 

 cases are full, which is ample ; when, if the 

 dealer wishes to ship farther, it can be locked, 

 and also locked on its return — thus securing 

 both parties from loss. 



As commission merchants, dealing in small 

 fruits, guarantee the return of the package 



