326 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EDUCATING THE NURSERY AGENT. 



Wi. S. HIGBIE, EDEN PRAIRIE. 



That specimen of the genus homo called a nursery agent, some- 

 times styled a slippery-tongued scoundrel, undoubtedly sells at least 

 90 per cent of the nursery stock that is planted in the Northwest. 

 Incidentally he is one of the greatest agencies for the dissemination 

 of horticultural information, — or misinformation, as the case may be 

 — that exists. This society boasts of a membership of about two 

 thousand persons, and it is trying bravely to educate the masses of 

 the state along horticultural lines ; but for every person that it 

 reaches through its literature there are many others who come in 

 contact with, and listen to, the man who sells the nursery stock. 

 To him is usually given the credit — or blame — of the success or 

 failure of the stock planted. If these statements are true — and I 

 believe that nearly every one in this audience will agree with me 

 that they are — is it not important that men who are sent out to 

 solicit orders should be men of good character and have some special 

 training for the work? 



That the above-mentioned epithet applies to some nursery agents 

 the writer of this will not attempt to deny, but, on the other hand, he 

 will not concede that the majority are of this stamp or that the blame 

 for dishonest selling wholly rests with the agent. A certain class 

 of buyers demand that they be humbugged, and there is always some 

 one ready to meet any demand of the public, or portion of the public, 

 whatever it may be. For an example : Let two agents start out in 

 the same territory. One offers good, honest stock at a reasonable 

 price, his descriptions are truthful, his representations fair, but he 

 has to leave many places without making any sales or, at least, very 

 small ones. Now let the other fellow come along with his over- 

 drawn pictures, his mammoth samples of fruit and exaggerated 

 statements. Ten chances to one, he reaps a rich harvest. But for- 

 tunately for the man who wishes to do a straightforward business, 

 there is a class of buyers that know enough to place their orders 

 where they will get good treatment. Does it not behove nursery- 

 men to see that these get honest goods and correct information ? 



Now let us see if we get a correct view of the situation : Nur- 

 serymen are not in the business for their health, neither are many 

 of them in it from a philanthropic motive. Orders must be gotten, 

 and in their eagerness to obtain all the business possible they hire 

 some men not at all fitted for the work and allow them to get orders 

 by none too truthful representations, thinking to redeem the good 

 name of the firm by delivering good stock. 



