88 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
The National Nurseryman. 
C. L. YATES, Proprietor. RALPH T. OLCOTT, Editor. 
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY 
The National Nurseryman f^ublishing Co., 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
The only trade journal issued for Growers and Dealers in Nursery Stock of 
all kinds. It circulates throughout the United States and Canada. 
SUBSCRIPTION RATES. 
One Year, in advance.$i.oo 
Six Months.50 
Foreign Subscriptions. 1.25 
Six Months.75 
Advertising rates will be sent upon application. 
Entered in the Post-Office at Rochester, N, Y., as second class matter. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y., AUGUST, 1893. 
BENEFITS OF CO-OPERATION. 
The fruit growers of California have caught the idea 
of co-operation and are pressing on toward the formation 
of a great state association which shall be the outgrowth 
of the formation of several small associations. While 
the business is different from that of the nurserymen, 
the object is this case is the same. At a recent meeting 
of the State Horticultural Society of California, the 
president, Colonel Philo Hersey, and Edward F. Adams, 
manager of the Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange, 
discussed the subject of co-operation at considerable 
length. Mr. Adams defined the conditions and limitations 
of co-operation. ‘ ‘ The question : How far may fruit 
growers co-operate ? m ust be determined, ’ ’ said Mr. 
Adams, ‘ ‘ by the limitations imposed in the first place by 
the general laws of trade. The best business sagacity 
would dictate that fruit growers in co-operation should 
not attempt to revolutionize the recognized laws of trade 
that the experience of mankind through long periods has 
evolved and formulated. A serious difficulty in the way 
of successful co-operation heretofore has been the icono¬ 
clastic tendency of the man who decides to change his 
own ways of doing business. He may attempt to overturn 
established systems and adopt radical methods, often at 
variance with fixed business principles whose observance 
is a stne qua non to the successful accomplishment of any 
legitimate enterprise. Confidence in the honesty and 
^business sagacity of the managers and directors of the 
organization is a prime necessity, without which little 
can be done. The stockholders must be men broad 
enough to recognize business capacity in others and to 
exercise judgment in its selection, utilization and com¬ 
pensation. Capable management must be reasonably 
paid for, and in this regard the best is the cheapest.” 
Colonel Hersey called attention to the fact that while 
there are 1500 fruit growers in the Santa Clara Valley, 
an organization among half that number is all that is 
expected at present. He said : “A serious impediment 
to thorough co-operation has been found in the necessi¬ 
ties of the growers, which lead them to hawk their fruit 
about and often to sell it at a very low price to specula¬ 
tors, thus injuring the market for the entire crop An 
organization to secure the best results should be so con¬ 
ducted as to command the confidence of capitalists ; in 
which case money can always be obtained to help out in 
time of need, thus obviating the real or supposed necess¬ 
ity of selling at a sacrifice and demoralizing the market. 
Nearly all the specific industries of the state have gone or 
are now going through the trying period of organization 
and the attempted suppression of competition of each 
individual against the other. The wine industry, the 
raisin industry, and the wheat industry have had and are 
having their trials and tribulations. In all cases it has 
been found necessary to abandon the ancient methods of 
individuals struggling single-handed and alone against 
the combined forces in opposition. It is not the purpose 
of those who organize the fruit industry as proposed, to 
make any attempts to corner markets, to force exorbitant 
prices, or to do wrong or injustice to any industry or 
legitimate avocation. The chief ends sought or hoped 
for are a uniform system of preparation and handling 
fruit products, as well as of placing them upon the 
market in such manner as business prudence shall dictate 
to the end of steadying the markets and preventing dis¬ 
astrous gluts and famines.” 
Here is just the point that should be impressed upon 
the nurserymen. The fruit growers of the western state 
are contending, though in a different business, with the 
same evils that confront the grower and dealer in nur¬ 
sery stock It is believed that there is a desire upon the 
part of prominent nurserymen in certain sections to realize 
something of the same object which is so clearly outlined 
by the president of the California societ}^ and there is 
little doubt that within the next twelve months definite 
action will be taken 
THE OFFICIAL ORGAN. 
It has been suggested by several prominent nursery¬ 
men, members of the American Association of Nursery¬ 
men, that the cost of publishing the proceedings of the 
annual meeting of the association might be materially 
lessened by declaring The National Nlirseryman the 
official organ of the association, and having a verbatim 
report of the annual meeting, including the papers read, 
the list of members, telegraphic code, etc., published 
in a special convention number of the journal. 
The trade now has an established organ of its own. 
It is-at the service of the nurserymen, in whose interest 
it is published. The suggestion seems appropriate for 
the reason that The National Nurseryman published 
in the July number a complete report of the proceedings 
