1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
437 
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSERYMEN. 
REPORT OF THEIR RECENT MEETING. 
The meeting of the American Association of Nur¬ 
serymen at Chicago, June 10 and 11, was well attended, 
and favored with instructive addresses. After a close 
and prolonged contest as to the place of the next 
meeting, between St. Louis, Mo., and the Thousand 
Islands, the former was selected. The old officers 
were reelected: Silas Wilson, of Atlantic, la., presi¬ 
dent; Geo. C. Seager, of Rochester, N. Y., secretary. 
An important committee of five, including the presi¬ 
dent as an ex-officio member, on railroad transporta¬ 
tion of freight, was created, with instructions and 
money provided to use all honorable means to secure 
lower rates. Some concessions have already been ob¬ 
tained by the nurserymen, but the rates are yet far 
too high, and as the planters all over the country 
have to bear the principal part of the burden, it is 
very desirable that the work of this committee should 
be successful. 
Hon. N. H. Albaugh, of Ohio, led in the discussion 
of the subject, “To Plant or Not to Plant.” This was 
considered from the nurseryman’s standpoint, of 
course. In view of the exceedingly low price of nur¬ 
sery stock, and the general depression in prices 
of fruit, as well as all other things, there is a ques¬ 
tion in the minds of nurserymen as to whether it is 
best to increase, or even maintain the present amount 
of stock. It was thought by the speaker that, in 
nearly all lines of stock, especially orchard trees and 
small trees, there was no need for holding back. 
“ The duty of the nurseryman to the fruit grower,” 
was the topic of a comprehensive address by Prof. H. 
E. Van Deman. His first point was that the nursery¬ 
man should be honest, because the fruit grower is 
practically at his mercy, and must, in nearly all cases, 
take his stock on trust as to being true to name. He 
should be an intelligent guide to the fruit grower 
who constantly seeks his advice. To this end, he 
must understand, at least, the fundamental principles 
of botany and vegetable physiology, in order to be 
able to know how to propagate his stock, and to recog¬ 
nize and classify the species and varieties. He should 
be well posted in pomology, that he may be able to 
select the best varieties for all localities covered by 
his trade, and to advise his customers which to plant 
for any purpose, and which not to plant. Entomology 
and mycology should be carefully studied, because he 
and his customers have to fight insects and fungous 
diseases almost constantly. The duty of being very 
careful not to introduce any new fruit until it has 
been well tested and proved to be really better than 
others of the same class and season, was especially 
emphasized. The solemn duty was pointed out, which 
he owed, in preventing the spread of insect pests. 
The mixing up of the names of fruits, by reason of 
not knowing the right ones, or being careful to use 
them, is another fault of the nurseryman which he 
should correct. The make-up of the catalogues came 
in for a share of criticism, as they sometimes con¬ 
tain extravagant statements regarding fruits, and 
illustrations which are misleading. Another reforma¬ 
tion should be in the way of hiring only agents of fair 
experience in horticulture and strict honor. If nur¬ 
serymen would follow the advice given, their trade 
would be increased and all parties benefited. 
Prof. L. H. Bailey gave a most instructive address 
upon the subject of nursery lands, what they should be 
and how treated. He stated that nursery trees should 
be grown in soil suited to produce good crops of 
almost any kind, such as Nature grows her trees in. 
It should be rich in potash and phosphoric acid in 
available form, and filled with humus. They are con¬ 
stantly taking the needful mineral elements from the 
soil, putting nothing back, and cultivation is burning 
up the humus. Commercial fertilizers alone will not 
restore its ability to produce another crop of trees as 
soon as the old one is taken off. There must be a 
period of rest and a rotation of farm crops of some 
kind, in which clover and stable manure are plowed 
under to replenish the supply of humus. It is not 
practicable to supply the humus during the time of 
the growing of a crop of nursery trees, which occupy 
the ground from two to five years, by working in 
stable manure, and thus prevent the period of rest; 
but that end can be reached by growing Crimson 
clover wherever it will succeed. If sown after nur¬ 
sery cultivation ceases, in the latter part of the sum¬ 
mer or early fall, it will grow up sufficiently before 
it is time to resume cultivation in the spring to add 
materially to the soil humus that is rich in nitrogen. 
If properly followed up, the soil may be in as good 
condition for the growth of trees at the end as at the 
start of a crop of nursery stock. Underdraining and 
deep subsoil-plowing will always pay, because they 
make a soil, especially if it be stiff and largely com¬ 
posed of clay, loose, and able to retain a large store 
of moisture. 
Mr. Greening, of Michigan, spoke against the un¬ 
wise policy of nurserymen putting their wholesale 
catalogues in the hands of the retail customers. It 
rarely induces them to buy more stock than they 
would from a retail catalogue, and furnishes them 
and often their neighbors with an excuse for not buy¬ 
ing at retail prices. It breaks down the legitimate 
retail nursery trade, which is the support of the whole 
business. Nursery trade deserves the same protection 
as any other commercial business. l. 
ARE WHITE GRAPES LESS VIGOROUS THAN 
BLACKS ? 
Reports from the public press, and from our readers in various 
parts of the country, seem to indicate that the past trying winter 
has killed off the white varieties of grapes worse than the black 
ones. Can you give us any reason for this state of affairs, if it is 
a fact that this difference exists ? We shall be pleased if you can 
tell us why the white varieties should be less hardy than the 
blacks. 
It Is Only a Theory Yet. 
There are no data in our vicinity to justify the 
statement, and I would require a mass of facts before 
I formulated a hypothesis. Some white grapes have 
always been subject to damage more than some dark 
ones ; but the contrary is also true. I would dislike 
to formulate a reason for a doubtful condition. You 
may think that you may have sufficient testimony ; in 
that case, you might be justified in looking for the 
cause. I would prefer to gather more testimony and 
postpone the process of making out a theory. 
C. W. GARFIELD. 
T. T. Lyon Doubts the Statement. 
I have had no experience of the kind mentioned, 
within my sphere of observation ; and I very much 
doubt if it is, in any proper sense, true of white varie¬ 
ties of pure labrusca parentage, suchas Martha, Lady, 
Pocklington, and others. Such comparative tender¬ 
ness might, perhaps, be reasonably anticipated in the 
case of hybrids with vinifera, such as Empire State, 
Lady, Lady Washington, and various others ; while 
Niagara, a cross between labrusca and a less hardy 
species, may, doubtless, be assumed to inherit its re¬ 
puted lack of hardiness from such source. T. t. lyon. 
Has Never Noticed the Difference. 
The past winter has not been severe here, and only 
the most tender varieties of grapes, as of the Herb- 
emont class, were injured. If there is any difference 
in hardiness between white varieties of grapes and 
black ones, I have never noticed it. I would expect 
to find as much difference between white and yellow 
corn as between different colored grapes. True, the 
hardiest grapes that I can now recall, are black, viz., 
Ironclad, Janesville and Worden ; but Pocklington, 
Martha and Lady are but a neck behind. I am 
inclined to think that the “difference” does not exist. 
If it does, I certainly cannot tell why. 
BEN.J. BUCKMAN. 
Albinos are Usually Feebler. 
I believe that, as a general rule, Albinos, either 
vegetable or animal, are of a feebler organization 
than colored species and varieties. Strong coloration 
is likely to attend upon vigor of organization. But 
when it comes to the “ why,” there may be many con¬ 
jectures with but a small degree of certainty. Color 
may be supposed to indicate stored force in excess of 
that existing, or active, in its absence. In relation to 
grapes, according to my not very wide observation, 
all ithe dark grapes have more vital vigor, or stored 
force, than light colored sorts. This is shown by 
their stronger growth, their wider range, and their 
greater resistance to adverse conditions ; and, to some 
extent, their more regular and abundant fruitage. 
T. H. HOSKINS. 
It's a Fact, Says Mr. Munson. 
Concerning the relative hardiness of white and 
black grapes in resisting cold, I am unable to impart 
much information ; but as to their capabilities in en¬ 
during severe drought and in bearing large crops con¬ 
tinuously, there is certainly a large difference here 
in favor of black varieties. To get at the exact truth, 
white varieties should be compared only with the 
black varieties of the same species, from the same 
origin. For example, let us compare the pure white 
varieties of Concord seedlings, with black varieties of 
Concord seedlings : White Concord seedlings—*Mar- 
tha, *Lady, Adeline, Augusta, Antoinette, Victoria, 
Alphonse, Capital, Eva, Macedonia, Esther, Golden 
Concord, *Hayes, Leavenworth, Mason’s Seedling, 
^Pocklington, Una, *White Ann Arbor, *Colerain, 
Witt. 
Black Concord Seedlings. —*Atavite (T. V. M.’s 
seedling), Albert, Black Hawk, Bundy, Burr’s Con¬ 
cord Seedling, Cambridge, Chautauqua, *Gov. Ireland 
(T. V. M.’s seedling), *Grayson (T. V. M.’s seedling), 
Modena, *Moore’s Early, McDonald's Ann Arbor, New 
Haven, *Worden, Young America, Chase Bros.’ Seed¬ 
ling, Chidester’s Seedling, ^Cottage, *Denison (T. V. 
M.’s seedling), Dr. Warder (Huber’s), *Eaton, Edmes- 
ton, Hero, Hosford, Jennie May, Jumbo, Keystone, 
Linden, Osage, Paxton, Rockland, etc. 
All those marked with an asterisk I have grown 
here, and the six white Concord seedlings marked, 
are, as a lot, weaker than the eight black varieties 
marked, enduring less hardships, and generally 
poorer bearers, producing smaller berries and clusters, 
but generally of better quality than the black varie¬ 
ties. However, very few of the black varieties are as 
vigorous as Concord, and all seedlings of Moore’s 
Early and other Concord seedlings, are much weaker 
than Concord, which I attribute to “ in-and-in 
breeding.” 
Why the white varieties are less hardy than the 
black, I can only conjecture. It is a fact, however, 
and generally, among plants and even animals, when 
the complexion is much fairer, tending to white or 
Albino, than the species at large, the constitution is 
feebler and capability to endure any kind of hardship, 
less. I regard the light color, either in foliage or 
fruit, as indicative of weakness in constitution. The 
cause of the weakness and whiteness is obscure and 
would seem to depend upon accidental conditions in 
the fertilization or pollination of the ovules ; for pure 
Concord seeds from the same vine, may produce some 
black and a few white varieties, just as the same 
parents sometimes produce Albino children, while 
their other progeny are normal. Generally, then, to 
secure greatest vigor in varieties of grapes, as well as 
other plants, select those with strong wood growth, 
large, tough, dark green leaves, and with dark red or 
black fruit. But in fineness of quality, the red and 
white varieties on the whole excel, and there is im¬ 
mense difference of vigor and hardiness, even among 
white varieties. t. v. munson. 
Prof. Goff Names Some Hardy Whites. 
The generalization has been made that whiteness in 
plants is correlated with weakness, and there are 
evidences that this is true. Among wild raspberries, 
blackberries, strawberries, currants, huckleberries, 
cherries and grapes, white-fruited varieties are com¬ 
paratively rare, which may be, in part, due to the 
inherent weakness. I think that white or light-col¬ 
ored varieties of fruit are, as a rule, less firm in flesh, 
and possess less of the characteristic quality than 
darker varieties. It is certain that the character of 
the wood is, to some extent, correlated with the color 
of the fruit, at least, in some plants, for in the rasp¬ 
berry, the white and yellow-fruited varieties have 
lighter colored bark than others, and I think that the 
same is true in the apple. It may be true that white- 
fruited grapes are less hardy than dark-fruited ones. 
It is certain, however, that some of the hardiest 
apples have nearly white fruits. The McMahan, or 
McMahan’s White apple, is proving to be one of the 
hardiest varieties in the Northwest, and the fruit is 
more nearly white than that of any other that is ex¬ 
tensively grown. Yellow Transparent is also very 
hardy, so far as cold is concerned, and so is Talman’s 
Sweet. Some of the Russian apples are nearly white. 
K. 8. GOFF. 
Notes from Three Authorities. 
The past winter was not unusually severe here, and 
the spring has been favorable for the growth of grapes 
and fruits generally. I do not remember to have 
noticed, at any time, that white grapes of the same 
class or family were, as a rule, less hardy or less pro¬ 
ductive than the blacks. In looking over the differ¬ 
ent varieties on my place, at this time (June 16) all 
the white grapes seem to be in full average good con¬ 
dition, except the Pocklington and F. B. Hayes, which, 
though not apparently winterkilled or injured, are 
bearing very little. Eldorado, probably on account 
of its imperfect blossoms, is also doing next to noth¬ 
ing. Colerain, Elvira, Empire State, Green Mountain, 
Lady, Niagara, Witt, and Moore’s Diamond, are all 
fruiting well; the last appears more vigorous in 
growth, and more productive than heretofore. 
G. W. CAMPBELL. 
Nobody knows why white grapes are more tender 
than the purple ones, neither is it well proved that 
they are always so. Niagara is less hardy than Con¬ 
cord and Worden. This is simply a varietal charac¬ 
teristic or difference, and I douot very much whether 
the comparative tenderness is correlated with white¬ 
ness Of fruit. L. H. BAILEY. 
The winterkilling of grape vines is a trouble that 
seldom occurs in Delaware, hence I have had no oc¬ 
casion to make a study of the subject. The white 
varieties of grapes, as a rule, are not as strong grow¬ 
ers as the black ones, and the reason for the differ¬ 
ence in the winterkilling of the white and black 
varieties would seem to have been due to the differ¬ 
ence in the maturity of the past season’s growth of 
wood. The general lack of moisture during the 
latter part of the growing season, prevented the 
weaker growing varieties from as fully maturing the 
wood as did the stronger-growing black varieties. 
This would seem to me, without making a systematic 
study of the subject, to be the reason for the greater 
damage to the white varieties. m. h. beckwith. 
