JOBBERS IN TREES. 97 
JOBBERS IN TREES. 
ER. H. S. DARTT, OWATONNA. 
I very frequently receive letters inquiring as to the responsibility and 
methods of certain Minnesota nurserymen or jobbers in trees. Since the 
recent disasters to trees south of us, there is greater demand for genuine 
Minnesota grown trees. The tree jobber has appeared. He has located 
at a good shipping point, planted a few trees, established an office and 
packing grounds, with tree cellars and sheds, gets out an elaborate cata- 
logue and in a few weeks the great “Columbian Nursery Company” gets a 
puff in the papers as a new business enterprise and goes sailing on. Its 
boss says to his many agents “Go ye out into this cold world and sell 
genuine Minnesota grown trees. All want the best, as _ indicated 
by the price charged, so I have placed prices well up in the 
catalogue. Be liberal. Frequently donate 50 cents or $1.00 in 
the shape of a 2 cent grapevine. It pays to please customers. Sell 
the Dewey, McKinley and Bryan at $1.50 per tree. If your customer is 
English add Queen Victoria. If he is Dutch or Irish put in Gen. Kruger 
instead and sell the four trees for even $5.00. I have paid $1,000 each for 
these choice varieties and have very few left, but sell all you can!” 
I am’ glad to say that some of the jobbers are planting young stock 
extensively and will soon become respectable nurserymen, if such a thing 
is possible after having learned so many tricks of the trade. As a matter 
of information I suggest that our State Horticultural Society publish a 
Nurseryman’s Directory, giving in tabulated form, name, location, age 
and approximate amount of stock growing, number of agents employed and 
amount of sales. 
Under existing circumstances allow.me to give a little gratuitous advice 
to the poor man—the rich are abundantly able to take care of themselves, 
and if they get swindled they can stand it. But to the poor man I would 
say: Buy nursery stock only from reliable nurserymen of your own state. 
Do not be deluded by the song of the agent. If he has any high priced, new 
thing leave it for your rich neighbor and buy sparingly of well tried, com- 
mon things, which, as a rule, are of more real value than boomed sorts. 
Fay’s Prolific currant had a great run, but I understand that a man in 
Wisconsin dug out acres of them because they were of less value than the 
more common kinds. If you would get value received buy good common 
stock and give it good common care. 
Owatonna, Minn., Feb. 15, 1goo. 
(Country papers please copy.) 
ANNUAL MEETING, 1899, SOUTHERN MINNESOTA 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
R. PARKHILL, RETIRING SECRETARY. 
The seventh annual meeting of this society was held at Skinner Hall, 
Albert Lea, Feb. 14 and 15. The attendance was good, considering that the 
district court was in session, and that the meeting had been postponed 
about a month, but faithful work had been done by Clarence Wedge and 
gome of the Albert Lea ladies, and so on the whole the meeting was a 
success. The hall was brightened by a liberal display of plants and flowers, 
furnished by Mr. Clausen, proprietor of the Albert Lea greenhouses. 
