78 ANNUAL BEPORT 



true words were spoken many years ago before this Society by the late 

 Dr. P. A, Jewell, whose eloquent words always carried weight, and 

 commanded marked respect and close attention. Mr. Jewell was a 

 "gentleman and a scholar." He had no haughty words of contempt 

 for any poor mortal who peddled for a livelihood, whether on foot, or 

 with a cart, providing he carried on an honest business. What we 

 understand to be a " Tree Peddler" in Minnesota is a man who takes 

 a load of trees on a wagon, or some other conveyance, most invari- 

 ably from some home nursery, of hardy, well grown plants, and ke 

 carries these trees among farmers, who dare not order, owing to hav- 

 ing been swindled so often, shows them just what he has got, and 

 usually sells as low as the same stock could be purchased at the nur- 

 sery. Now I am not aware that I ever peddled a tree in my life — but 

 think I have known men in the business, as stated above, that were 

 as honest and reliable as any man I ever dealt with. But is it not just 

 la rely possible that I was expected to speak of a very distant related an- 

 imal species, known as the "Tree Dealer?" Please to excuse me for 

 introducing an entirely new subject under the head of the "Tree 

 Peddler." Now this animal usually known as the "Southern Tree 

 Dealer," is in such marked contrast with the tree peddler that there is 

 no danger of mistaking one for the other, no more than there is of 

 mistaking a clod-hopper for a dude. You may also entertain a regi- 

 ment of Southern Tree Dealers without the slightest danger of enter- 

 taining an angel unawares. And as President Elliot said in his an- 

 nual address a year ago, "many of them have more cheek than a gov- 

 ernment mule." A friend living less than a mile from my place kindly 

 handed me the following bill of plants last week that he purchased of 

 one of the aforesaid tree dealers last spring, more than half of which 

 are now dead : 



4 Russian Mulberry $4 00 



2 Rhododendrons _ 4 00 



2 Paul's New Flowering Thorn ' 2 00 



2 Camperdown Elm " 4 00 



2 Unknown shrubs 2 00 



2 Cut Leaved Birch 4 00 



$20 00 



There are two Scotch varieties of weeping elms, the Camperdown 

 and Scampston. But what a scamp a man must be to charge two dol- 

 lars for a small elm tree. Such a man should be made to scamper 

 down and out, in a hurry. 



