CHAPTER XVII 



PURCHASING STOCK 



A Few Dangers. 



WHEN a person who knows nothing about the matter 

 goes a-marketing he is always likely, no matter what his 

 purchases may be, to return home poorer than he went. 

 This could be proved by a great many people, who would 

 rather not speak on the subject. Accepting the statement 

 as being in most cases fairly accurate, we must draw the 

 moral that unless a person is qualified to so judge of the 

 quality of stuff that he can arrive at its approximate value, 

 he had better leave purchasing alone, or take with him 

 some one who can perform this useful office. It often 

 happens, though perhaps not more so in gardening than in 

 other callings, that a person attends a sale for the express 

 purpose of picking up something cheap. Now, at a casual 

 glance before the sale, it is difficult for an amateur to 

 appraise the value of what he intends to bid for, and 

 certain it is that he will not see it at greater disadvantage 

 when being disposed of by the auctioneer. Hence a 

 person is very likely to buy what might to all outward and 

 casual appearances seem a healthy plant, and at the same 

 time be introducing to his own stock some of the most 

 destructive and noxious insect and fungoid pests. This, of 

 course, is a danger to be sedulously avoided ; for the 

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