I9I1 BETTER FRUIT Pc^ge 67 



IMPORTED NURSERY STOCK IN GREAT DEMAND 



BY J. B. BILKINGTON, OF THE PILKINTON NURSERY, PORTLAND, OREGON 



DISCUSSING this subject the 

 thought suggests itself: How 

 many nurserymen are aware of 

 the extent of the importing business in 

 the United States of foreign grown 

 nursery stock, and how many orchardists 

 know that their prized trees, bearing 

 three-dollars-a-box apples, six-dollar 

 pears, and cherry trees of such varieties 

 as Lambert, Royal Ann and Bing are 

 grafted or budded on seedlings "made in 

 Germany"? 



At the present time, when the demand 

 for all kinds of nursery stock is the 

 greatest known in history, it is reason- 

 able to suppose that the foreign grower 

 gets his share of the increased patron- 

 age; and by referring to statistics in the 

 matter we find that in 1903 (or the season 

 ending June 30th, 1903) the value of 

 importations amounted to nearly one 

 million four hundred thousand dollars. 

 This amount has been increased yearly 

 since that time until the season of 1909, 

 when the value reached nearly two mil- 

 lion dollars. Figures are not yet avail- 

 able for the season just past. When one 

 stops to consider that these amounts 

 represent values at the nurseries in 

 Europe, and that on this imported stock 

 there is paid a duty averaging more than 

 twenty-five per cent, then the freight 

 charges, it is an easy matter to figure 

 that the laid-down cost of foreign nursery 

 stock in the United States for the past 

 season will range from three to four 

 million dollars. 



During the past year duties on foreign 

 nursery stock were advanced somewhat, 

 which will have the tendency to still 

 further increase the cost of imported 

 goods. It will also have a tendency to 

 increase the home production of this 

 class of stock. But when one realizes 

 the scope of the nursery business and 

 how hard it is for a nurseryman to grow 

 everything he has call for it will even- 

 tually result in specializing. For instance, 

 at the present time there are a number 

 of rose nurseries in the United States. 

 Other nurserymen give their exclusive 

 attention to ornamentals, fruit trees, 

 herbaceous stocks and other lines, any 

 one of which is a business in itself. And 

 if growers would confine themselves to 

 one line rather than undertake to grow 



a little of everything it would undoubt- 

 edly benefit the general trade so far as 

 quality and production is concerned. 

 The importation of foreign stock will 

 continue just as long as there is a 

 scarcity at home of the stock wanted; 

 and, too, when large sizes are used that 

 are two or three, up to ten years of 

 age (and it is impossible to produce 

 these in less time), it necessitates going 

 to a foreign market, where these goods 

 are to be had already grown. 



As to the comparison between foreign 

 and home-grown stock this is a matter 

 that will have to work itself out. There 

 are plenty of arguments on both sides of 

 the question. Speaking from my expe- 

 rience, I have found that imported stock, 

 particularly small stock — at the age of 

 one or two years — has invariably reached 

 me in good condition, and my losses in 

 transplanting have been little or nothing, 

 yet these same shipments might have 

 been subjected to cold weather while in 

 transit and the loss would have been 

 great. Larger stock does not carry so 

 well, and except to meet the immediate 

 demand I would gladly discontinue the 

 importation of same only that it requires 

 several years to grow these things here, 

 and patrons do not find small stock satis- 

 factory for immediate results. 



In fruit tree stocks my importations 

 consist principally of apple, cherry, pear 

 and Myrabolan plum seedlings, which are 

 usually brought in when they are one 

 year old. 



Of the seedlings mentioned apple are 

 the only ones that are extensively grown 

 in the United States, and the product 

 of apple seedlings in the Mississippi 

 Valley exceeds the foreign production. 

 Nurserymen generally prefer the home- 

 grown to foreign seedlings. 



In the June issue of the National 

 Nurseryman there appears an article by 

 a prominent Am^erican nuseryman who 

 strongly favors imported stocks. His 

 experience is based on a number of 

 years' use of home-grown seedlings, but 

 after experimenting placed an order last 

 season for one million French grown 

 apple seedlings. He attributes the supe- 

 riority of imported stock over domestic 

 to the fact that in Europe they have 

 cheap expert labor. And herein I believe 



lies the secret of the necessity of import- 

 ing anything in the way of nursery stock 

 other than new varieties. In Europe you 

 will find that nursery workmen have 

 been reared in the business, and when 

 you find three generations working side 

 by side the matter of competency and 

 thoroughness cannot well be questioned. 

 They are thorough, put in long hours 

 and draw but small pay in comparison 

 with wages paid in this country, so that 

 there is a standard of uniformity and 

 excellence in their work that as yet we 

 are unable to duplicate. These nursery 

 workmen are contented and satisfied, 

 and probably have no other hope or 

 expectation. 



The supply usually seems adequate 

 to the demand, although contributory 

 causes, such as shortage of seed supply, 

 drouth and floods, have their effect upon 

 the output. 



Importers who have been buying for 

 a number of years past will also note 

 that there has been a gradual increase in 

 prices, which is always attributed to 

 some unforeseen cause, but there is an 

 impression that foreign growers who 

 have supplied the American trade for 

 years are beginning to learn the advan- 

 tages of trusts and combines in the mat- 

 ter of securing better prices, and there 

 is also a suspicion that Yankee shrewd- 

 ness is invading the foreign field and the 

 "corners" on the market are being- 

 worked upon the small American buyer. 

 The result is that we are paying more 

 for imported stock than formerly, and 

 consequently we are also receiving more 

 for our products. So this condition is 

 not unreasonable, and for the future I 

 see no ground for a decrease in importa- 

 tions, especially if we must continue to 

 pay two dollars and upward a day for 

 unskilled labor. 



J. F. LITTOOY 



CONSULTING HORTICULTURIST 

 Orchard director, orchard schemes examined, 

 orchard plans submitted, orchard soils and sites 

 selected, nurseries visited and stock selected, 

 values examined for farm loans, purchasing agent 

 for land and orchard investments, acts as power of 

 attorney in selection of Carey Act lands. 



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ORCHARD YARN 



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PORTLAND, OREGON 



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