THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
43 
were hunted up this spring. The only surplus was in 
cherry. They were sold low, and a good many three years 
blocks will find the brush fire this spring. Two-year-old 
cherry blocks have been generally sold, and good one-year 
blocks are much scarcer than for some years, thus war¬ 
ranting a fair price for cherry the coming fall. Plums 
have been hunted up closely, even to the best one year. 
Buds generally look well, and the outlook for a good 
summer’s growth is splendid.” 
Bridgeport, Ind., April 15.—Albertson & Hobbs: 
“ We are exceedingly busy this season, having put up 
the heaviest packing we have ever made and though the 
season is advancing with us rapidly, we have yet on hand a 
large amount of packing to do and all that we will possi¬ 
bly be able to get through with before the season advances 
so much as to stop the packing. Have not had oppor¬ 
tunity to leave home for some weeks and do not know 
much about how it has been with others, but we believe 
that the trade generally has been much heavier than was 
expected and that stock has been used up pretty closely, 
and we certainly think the indications for fall trade have 
not been better in years. 
“ What the plant is for spring we cannot report. We 
think stock has wintered in good shape and anticipate 
about the usual supply for the coming year’s demand.” 
Normal, III., April 20.—W. A. Watson & Co., McLean 
County Nurseries: “Spring opened early with us, and 
the season was favorable for shipping up to the middle 
of the month, but the unusually hot days of the past 
week pushed the growth amazingly and stock not held 
in cold storage is generally in full leaf. Sales in this 
vicinity have been larger than was anticipated. The 
wholesale trade has equaled last spring’s sales, and there 
has been an increase of from one-fourth to one-third in 
retail sales. More stock has been handled this spring than 
last, but prices have ruled very low and returns will not 
exceed last spring’s. There is a surplus of pears and cher¬ 
ries that will have to be carried over to another season ; 
other stock is pretty well cleaned up. Prospects for fruit 
were never better, everything loaded with buds or blooms. 
“ Planting this spring, despite the low prices, will be 
heavy ; especially so in pears, cherries, plums and peaches, 
but lighter on apples. Planting nearly completed, and a 
fine rain last night improved the already flattering pros¬ 
pects. 
“ With better prices for farmers’ produce, we look for 
improved conditions in the nursery trade.” 
Des Moines, la., April 25.—C. L. Watrous, Capital 
City Nurseries : “ Whatever is said descriptive of this 
spring’s business must be said in the superlative degree. 
During the winter the work of taking orders for spring 
delivery was the most difficult that I have ever known 
salesmen to experience. The weather was cool and dry 
until about April 1st, when we had heavy rains, and after 
that hot weather day and night. I never saw unexpected 
orders come in so rapidly, nor the trees leaf out as quickly. 
“All the nurserymen that I know .have been, for the 
last three weeks, in a state of either mild or violent 
insanity according as they were fat and sleek-headed and 
slept well o’ nights or were nervous like the writer. I 
think we all were never sold out so closely, and never 
scraped the bottom of the platter so hard trying to fill 
the orders. The whole state is now soaked. In twenty- 
five years I have not known nursery stock of all sorts to 
be in a better state of growth at this season. Stock 
delivered in fair condition is going to grow, which will 
help trade.” 
IN THE WEST. 
Beulah, Col., April 22.—C. S. Harrison: “Our trade 
is entirely with Rocky Mountain evergreens and shrubs. 
Trade is twice as large as last year. We have quite a 
large government order to fill. There is a growing de¬ 
mand for the beautiful and hardy productions of the 
Rockies.” 
Richmond, Mo., April 16.—J. F. Pierce : “The pros¬ 
pects for fruit of all kinds were never better in this part of 
the country. If no late frost or sleet comes we will have 
a heavy crop of fruit. Your paper is a good paper; no 
one that is a lover of fruit can afford to be without it. 
Nursery trade has been good here this season. My trade 
is retail.” 
Ottawa, Kan., April 13.—A. Willis: “ We are pretty 
busy just now. Times are a little close and sales have 
been pretty near in proportion to the work done. I think 
with us our trade for fall of 1895 was a little larger than 
for fall of 1894 and for spring of 1896 a little larger than 
for spring of 1895 ; think stock in the nurseries of this 
city will be cleaned up about as close as usual. Prices 
low, too low for a reasonable margin of profit at whole¬ 
sale.” 
Canby, Ore., April 14.—J. A. Cox & Son: Sales in 
this vicinity were : Settlemeir & Son, Woodburn, 60,000 ; 
Robbins Brothers, Needy, 30,000; Walling & Jarish, 
Oswego, 35,000; Brownell & Co., Albany, 22,000; Pacific 
Nursery Co., Tangent, 18,000; Hillsdale Nursery Co., 
5,000; Mount Taber Nursery Co., 8,000 ; Newburgh 
Nursery Co., 4,000; Vancouver Nursery Co., 30,000. My 
own sales have been about 15,000. Sales generally were 
some better than they were last spring though they are 
not of the best yet.” • 
Topeka, Kan., April 18 —F. W. Watson & Co.: “ Sales 
this spring have been about the average of the past two 
years. Apple trees sold a little higher than last year, 
especially the commercial sorts. Northern sorts went 
slowly, at buyers’ prices. Cherry trees a drug; prices low, 
yet a fair quantity to burn. In plum trees the demand 
exceeded the supply; prices good. Peach were at about 
average prices, no surplus left. The plant here is about 
the same as last year. 
“ The season for packing has been very favorable. We 
consider the outlook brighter.” 
OTTAWA, Kans., April 20.— Brewer & Stannard, Ot¬ 
tawa Star Nurseries: “Our tiade has been much larger 
this spring than it was a year ago, and it is our under¬ 
standing that nearly everything in the West has been sold 
