The National Nurseryman. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK. O 
Copyright, 1893, by the National Nurseryman Publishing Co. 
VoL. Ill. ROCHESTER, N. Y., AUGUST, 1895. No. 7. 
NURSERY BUSINESS IN JAPAN. 
Yokohama, Japan, June, 189s.—So many people are 
aware that Japan has been, in recent years, one of the 
most productive countries in the world from a horticul¬ 
tural point of view, that comment on its resources would 
seem almost superfluous. Nevertheless it is as well to 
state that the islands which constitute the empire have 
wonderful advantages in the matter of soil, situation and 
climate. The people love nature for its own sake, and 
to a newcomer the country itself seems an interminable 
garden, especially just now in the spring time when 
nearly every plant and tree is green or smothered in sweet- 
scented and gaily-colored blossoms. At this season 
especially do the floral shrubs and trees add particular 
beauty to the landscape by the variety and profusion of 
their flowers. 
From a professional horticulturalist’s standpoint, how¬ 
ever, Japan differs from all the rest of the world as much 
as do its people. The nursery business is comparatively 
a new thing over here, and prior to the arrival of our 
senior partner, Mr. Louis Boehmer in the country, 25 
years ago, was practically non-existent. That the business 
will in time extend, there can be no doubt; but the un¬ 
happy proclivities of the natives to palm off worthless 
seeds, roots, plants, etc., on foreigners is a tremendous 
handicap. The native Japanese will sell any man any¬ 
thing, whether they have got it on hand or not, and this 
habit is seriously detrimental to legitimate nurserymen 
who depend for custom upon exporting bulbs, etc , in 
every way up to catalogue specifications. Many shippers 
in Japan purchase bulbs, seeds, etc., from natives and 
export them to the States and elsewhere without having 
any idea of the quality of the goods or the proper mode 
of packing, and these proving worthless when tested 
abroad, do much to injure the legitimate nurseryman’s 
business in this country. 
The principal exports are lily bulbs, iris and paeony 
roots, forest and ornamental trees; seeds of novelties in 
the florists’ line, such as the climbing cucumber, the free 
land melon, sacaline, etc., also large quantities of conifer 
tree seeds which are readily purchased by big landholders 
and government bureaus in the States and Europe for 
forest purposes. The Cycas revoluta or Sago palm and 
dried fronds of the same, and Eulalia Japonica grass are 
exported principally to Germany wliere they are used 
extensively in the construction of so-called “ Makart ” 
bouquets and cheap funeral wreaths. 
Regarding the bulk of our business, and at the present 
moment Boehmer & Co. are the only Europeans in the 
export horticultural trade in Japan, so there are no rivals 
to make invidious comparisons about, our principal markets 
are, of course, America and Europe, including England. 
In fact through our London agent the bulk of trade is 
done; the custom house lists show that from three to 
four millions of lily bulbs are exported annually. These 
are packed In clay balls—one bulb in each ball—and about 
a score of women coolies are employed on this task all 
through the season, which lasts from the end of August 
until January. The bulbs are cultivated by farmers all 
through the country, some of whom have acres under 
such and others only small patches. Different varieties 
of bulbs require different soils and conditions, and there¬ 
fore the business is carried on by people all over the 
islands. The auratum variety is grown principally in the 
vicinity of Yokohama, as we have here a soil particularly 
adapted to its growth. The growers have to get advance 
payments in the spring, and in many instances young bulbs 
have to be delivered (or planting on contracts that do not 
come due until the fall. Even after such advance pay¬ 
ments, etc., they frequently fail to fulfill their promises. 
At one time the chrysanthemum export trade was one 
of the most important branches of the business, but as the 
plants have been disseminated all over the world we now 
only send out new varieties that are discovered from time 
to time, such as the “ Louis Boehmer,” the “ Uncle Sam,” 
the “ Golden Wedding,” etc., etc. We could dilate 
through many columns of your valuable paper on the 
divers branches of the business, the troubles, trials and 
tribulatidns that beset it, and the occasional heavy losses 
sustained through the negligence of transport companies 
in “ stewing ” the bulbs or plants by stowing them near 
the boilers, which is always expressly provided against in 
our contracts; but withal the business has its occasional 
rewards and pleasures, some of which we may be able to 
inform you about in some future article. 
A. Unger, (of Boehmer & Co.) 
WESTERN WHOLESALE ASSOCIATION. 
Kansas City, Mo., July i.—The semi annual meeting 
of the Western Association of Wholesale Nurserymen was 
held June 25th at the Centropolis hotel in this city. It 
was attended by about twenty-five members. It was held 
behind closed doors for the reason that trade secrets were 
discussed. The morning session was devoted to hearing 
the individual reports, the outlook and the conditions of 
trade generally in the different parts of the country. 
During the afternoon there was a discussion of freight 
rates and classification of fruit trees and other general 
matters concerning which there is a lively interest felt by 
wholesalers. 
