120 
THE fl6rist and pomologist. 
[August, 
to preserve in the dry state those only which 
have completed their development in the course 
of the summer. 
“ As an instance of their capability of resist¬ 
ing cold, we will quote the following fact:— 
About one-third of a lot of rejected seedlings 
which was left outside last winter without any 
covering, started into growth in the spring. 
These hybrids are therefore almost as hardy as 
B. discolor, while they have the brilliant lustre 
and markings of the hothouse Begonias.” 
THE NURSERY TRADE IN 
AMERICA. 
§ HE method of distributing nursery stock 
in our country is perhaps the best 
g&x under the circumstances, but is prolific 
^ of much dissatisfaction, and a fruitful 
source of frauds. The fruit-growers who have 
a personal acquaintance with the dealers who 
supply them with nursery stock are few indeed. 
Those who purchase stock year after year, with 
no guaranty that what they procure is true to 
name, or in any respect what they desire, are 
legion. The production and sale of all kinds 
of nursery stock is an enormous business in 
this country. A great many men and firms 
have large fortunes invested in the business, 
conduct their operations on a large scale, 
and have customers in distant States. Under 
these circumstances proprietors and their 
managers can have but a general oversight 
over their sale agents and deliverers, and no 
close oversight and supervision of the men 
engaged for this work. 
Much dissatisfaction has been caused by the 
course too often pursued by a very indifferent 
class of salesmen. The fruit-grower who buys 
a grape-vine, a berry-bush, or an apple-tree, 
usually has to wait several years before seeing 
the fruit of the vine, bush, or tree. Even the 
foliage or growing habit serves to determine 
the character of but few vines or trees, and to 
properly name the great majority we must wait 
for the fruit. A man purchasing from itinerant 
agents may have predilections in favour of cer¬ 
tain varieties of fruit. Many agents have not 
the hardihood to disappoint the farmer under 
these circumstances, and too often an undesir¬ 
able and worthless article is palmed off' on the 
farmer, who is several years in discovering the 
wrong. I do not say that principals are parties 
to these petty frauds ; not at all; when com¬ 
mitted they are wholly due to the cupidity of 
the agent, who is determined to sell. Nursery¬ 
men would best serve their own interests were 
they to adopt systematic measures to educate 
farmers in all that pertains to horticulture ; 
to disseminate correct information in regard to 
different varieties ; and lastly, to leave nothing 
undone in order to supply their customers 
with the best and most suitable varieties of 
the different fruits, true to name, and at 
reasonable prices. 
I do not say that nursery stock in this 
country costs too much ; indeed, when apple- 
trees can be procured for $0.25 each, grape¬ 
vines for $0.50 each, and gooseberries for $2 
per dozen, no one can grumble. But I do 
insist that salesmen are very careless. They 
are careless in another respect. Yery often 
the farmer wishes to procure, from some con¬ 
ceit of his own, something which the agent 
knows, or ought to know, is unsuitable. The 
farmer should be informed of his error, and 
offered a suitable substitute. Such a course 
would be more honourable than to sell him 
that which he has blindly ordered. Nursery¬ 
men who by their agents sell trees or vines 
not true to name are, of course, liable for 
damages, but the farmer who has been 
mulcted usually pockets his loss. This whole 
matter is worthy the attention of nurserymen. 
—Forrest K. Moreland, Ogsdenburg, N.Y. 
THE FUCHSIA AS A RAFTER 
PLANT. 
# ERF few plants are 'more general 
favourites with the public, or are more 
qVq largely cultivated than the Fuchsia ; 
and this is not surprising when we 
consider the great number of sorts there now 
are, how useful they are for decorating, how 
easily r grown, and the length of time they 
continue in flower. The plants are generally 
grown as pyramids, or bushes, which forms 
answer for decorative purposes, but the 
Fuchsia is seen in its greatest beauty when 
grown as a rafter plant. It is not often 
that a person sees them trained in this way, 
but when well done they are very striking. 
They should be planted out in a compost of 
peat and loam with a little sand, and when 
they cover the length of the rafters the plants 
