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Mr. A. H. Perrit.—1 look upon this discussion as a mere waste of time. If we 
wait until the humbugs are all done away with we shall wait until the millenium. 
The Secretary.—I think it is a mistake to make any personal references whatever 
in a farmer’s institute ; I do not think we ought to disparage any local nurseryman by 
name in any of our meetings, nor do I think we should advertise any of our reliable 
nurserymen by name although we have every confidence inthem. We should recommend 
those varieties that are desirable for planting and be unsparing in our condemnation of 
those which are worthless ; but [ do not think we ought to make any personal references. 
one way or the other by name of either Canadian or American nurserymen. In regard to- 
the Russian apricot, which has been spoken of, I believe it was sent out by nurserymen 
both in the States and Canada with perfect confidence, because it had not been tested. It 
has been found that a large number of these Russian apricots, introduced by the Mennonites 
from Russia, were seedlings grown from the fruit of trees that fruited in the southern 
part of Russia, down near the Black Sea, and I am told by a correspondent in Russia that 
that section of the country will grow tender fruit such as we cannot pretend to grow here = 
fruit such as is grown in Oalifornia. Russia is a word which covers a very wide territory 
and the southern portion of it is a very mild climate. 1 believe, however, that there are 
some varieties of Russian apricots which have been tested at the Iowa Agricultural 
College that have been found hardy, and I am told by Russian friends that there is a 
variety of apricot, known there as Ansjustin’s, which is more hardy than any of the varieties. 
we have tried. 
Mr. McMicuaret.—The gentleman from Galt has said that they sometimes, under 
some circumstances, take the liberty of substituting. I remember a number of years ago- 
giving an order for a considerable number of pear trees, and in filling it the nurseryman 
substituted some varieties and said he had not what was ordered in stock. All the sub- 
stitutes with us were found to be totally worthless when they came into bearing. 
Mr. Morton.—One humbug in connection with this matter and connected with the 
Canadian nurseryman is the humbug of the agents nurserymen employ. The nurseryman, 
according to what was stated by the secretary a minute ago, is no better than the farmer, 
because, if the apricot was introduced in the way he says, it proves to me that no person of 
any common sense would send ont a thing in perfect confidence because it had not been 
tested ; I cannot see that it at all follows. 
The Secretary.—He might not have known that it was a fraud. 
Mr. Morton.—I think a person who introduces a thing, recommending it as likely 
to prove beneficial when he does not know anything at all about it is the next thing to the 
man who will recommend that which he knows positively to be worthless. A person has. 
no right to recommend a thing of which he does not know anything. However I do not 
wonder at their adopting that course when I find that in appointing agents they follow a 
similar plan. Their agents have not been tested, and consequently, as in the case of the 
apricot, they have every confidence in them. Of course it is well known that some firms 
have had experiences the reverse of pleasant with their agents. In my own section sev- 
eral instances have come under my notice of orders having been duplicated by agents or 
raised on the face of them. I must say in justice to the nurserymen that in no case have 
they refused to do what was right in the matter, according to my opinion. In a great 
many instances the agent does not know anything about the business. I have had exper- 
ience with several. One man, who came to me to sell me grapes—I pretended not to 
know anything about them—recommended the Niagara as of better quality and earlier 
than the Champion. I asked him what quality the Champion was and he said he was not 
quite sure of the color but he knew it was a sour grape. Now I think it is folly to send 
out anagent like that. It is to the advantage of the firms themselves to see that the men 
who represent them understand their business and are straight and honest, because on 
their shoulders must fall any slip made by the agent. 
Mr. WeE.LuINGTON.—It is not often I take part in a discussion that lays me open to 
the charge of talking “ shop,” and I am very sorry the present discussion has assumed the 
form it seems to have assumed. I fully appreciate the remarks made by Mr. Morton, but 
