54 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETl'. 



in the center (as it should be), with a few blooming shrubs in the 

 corners, and perhaps a border by the roadway or front walk. And 

 although there are a good many yards still needing combing out, 

 great progress has been made in this direction. Men, as well as 

 women are sensibly taking pride in matters of horticulture, as well 

 as pomology. Pear and plum trees are noticed in gardens once 

 barren of these necessities, and small frui's demanding more than 

 your passing notice. 



Now, while it is admitted this has not all come about through 

 travelling salesmen, it has very largely. Were it not for the means 

 thus used, the nursery interests would be nothing like what they 

 are now. Business in these days is largely done through repre- 

 sentatives of the business. Thus, the dry goods house, the gro- 

 cerv and the hardware trade, and other mercantile branches, have 

 each found that their interests a-e better served, and their trade 

 held more securely, by sending out their commercial drummers, — 

 and nurserymen do the same way. Why not? The only differ- 

 ence is, while the goods of the former reaches the consumer through 

 the retail trade, the latter deals directly with the planter. It is 

 true, errors are sometimes made So ihere are in all kinds of 

 business, and there is no reason why a man who buys fifty apple 

 trees of a tree agent stands any greater chance of loss by errors, 

 than the man who buys fifty pounds of sugar, or a ready-made 

 overcoat. 



Tree agents come from all the walks of life. A large per cent 

 are farmers and farmers' sous. Then there are mechanics, teachers, 

 students, and so on. And for the most part they are men not only 

 of respectability, but men of education. They are not dudes, it is 

 true, but men of sense and good judgment, — men you and I would 

 like as neighbor.-'. 



Follow such an agent over his rounds, through cold or heat, rain 

 or shine, as the case may be, meeting with all the rebuffs named, 

 and many more during h s year's toil. When his day's work is 

 done he is ready for rest, but often it is nine o'clock before his 

 day's work is done. You will agree with me that he has earned his 

 money. 



Friends, where would many of the profitable fruit orchards, the 

 gardens of small fruit, the outside ornamentations of homes be 

 to-day, had the much distrusted and ever under-rated tree man never 

 called at your door ? 



