THE REPLACEMENT PROBLEINI 



59 



replace the plants free, the customer paying for transpor- 

 tation, replanting, etc. Regardless of the policy adopted, 

 every case should be weighed on its own merits and the 

 nursery cannot go too far in assuming a reasonable atti- 

 tude, providing the customer is in a like frame of mind. 



SPECIFICATIONS 



It matters not what replacement policy you adopt or 

 what other terms you make, these things should be clearly 

 understood before the job is under way. There should 

 be a clear and written understanding of just what you 

 will plant and where you will plant it, together with sizes 

 and prices of all stock bought. 



As an instance of the necessity of a clear and written 

 understanding between the nurseryman and the customer 

 the following is of interest: A nursery company advised 

 a client that for a certain location an evergreen tree six 

 feet high was large enough to move and that the job would 

 cost a given amount. At the time the estimate was given 

 this height seemed satisfactory to the client and the trees 

 were duly planted. But the location for planting w^as 

 two hundred feet distant from the house and down a hill, 

 so the trees appeared much smaller than they actually 

 were. The customer claimed that the trees were not up 

 to specifications, but reference to the written agreement 

 proved the nurseryman's point. Without being able to 

 produce this written proof the nurseryman would have 

 been obliged to replace the trees with larger ones. 



Having the specifications fixed, the next important re- 

 quirement is to live rigidly up to them. When you can- 

 not go yourself to do the planting work, send men on 

 whom you can depend, and give them written instruc- 

 tions'that there may be no misunderstanding. However, 

 do not depend too much on writing, but go yourself when 



