46 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
The National Nurseryman. 
C L. YATES, Proprietor. RALPH T. OLCOTT. Editor. 
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY 
The National Nurseryman Publishing Co., 
305 Cox Building, Rochester, N. Y. 
The only trade journal issued for Growers and Dealers in Nursery Stock%f 
all kinds. It circulates throughout the United States and Canada 
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSERYMEN. 
SUBSCRIPTION RATES. 
One Year, in advance, - $1.00 
Six Months, ------- .75 
Foreign Subscriptions, in advance, - - - 1.50 
Six Months, “ “ 1.00 
Advertising rates will be sent upon application. Advertisements 
should reach this office by the 20th of the month previous to the date of 
issue. 
Payment in advance required for foreign advertisements, 
pg"Drafts on New York or postal orders, instead of checks,are 
requested. 
Correspondence from all points and articles of interest to nursery 
men and horticulturists are cordially solicited. 
Entered in the Post Office at Rochester, N. Y., as second-class matter. 
Rochester, N. Y., May, 1896. 
THE SEASON’S TRADE. 
Reports from the packing grounds throughout the 
country, prepared especially for The National NUR¬ 
SERYMAN, indicate more than usually lively times in 
shipping stock, because of the sudden and prolonged 
change in the weather, following a period of cold which 
delayed somewhat the usual preparations. The official 
weather report for the ten days ended April 20th, states 
that all records for that period were broken. Within two 
days there was a variation of temperature of yo degrees, 
when the thermometer registered 6 degrees at Havre, 
Mont., and 96 degrees at Norfolk, Va. The result was 
that nursery stock started growth rapidly and herculean 
efforts were necessary to prevent blooming before its 
destination was reached. 
Many nurserymen were surprised to receive a large 
increase in orders at the last, thus increasing sales much 
beyond anticipation; but the ver,' low prices held down 
the returns, so that the total will not amount to more 
than the usual figure. There is still grievous complaint 
regarding the cutting of prices. Experienced nurserymen 
state that there is little good salable stock left and that 
the sales were conducted at so little profit as to cause 
regret that there could not have been a general under¬ 
standing to sell at fair and remunerative prices. With 
apples at a ridiculously low figure there is little disposi¬ 
tion to plant stock for another season. The only consola¬ 
tion left is the hope that this fact may contract the 
supply hereafter. 
But there are the usual hopeful signs which the nursery¬ 
man has learned to expect along with the discouragement. 
These signs vary. This time they are formulated on one 
hand by a tendency among farmers to turn from ordinary 
farm products to fruit growing because of unre munerative 
returns of the former. One nurseryman who has noted 
this fact says that he has sold this season 450,000 trees 
and yet has not met half the demand. Another says 
there is a better feeling in the West and a disposition to 
plant. And another states that his packing this season 
was the heaviest he ever made and that the indications 
for fall trade have not been better in years. “ Everything 
in the West is sold and collections in a retail way are 
better than during the last two years,” says another. 
And it is generally agreed that the prospects for fruit are 
good. 
A prominent nurseryman says there is no reason why 
the demand for nursery products should lessen, and sug¬ 
gests that the question of chief import is how to grow 
nursery stock at low enough cost to meet the market 
price. It is probable that in this last observation he has 
sounded the keynote of the practical solution of the 
present problem. In every line of trade there have been 
revolutions owing to remarkable reduction in the cost of 
production. It is the inevitable result of competition. 
If the selling of nursery stock at retail at wholesale prices 
cannot be prevented, methods for producing first-class 
stock at greatly reduced cost must be devised and the 
market price first met and then increased gradually by 
the creation of a demand for the highest class of stock. 
Special inducements may have to be offered. This has 
been found necessary in other trades. The nurseryman 
may find it expedient to issue strong guarantees as to the 
freedom of his stock from insects and disease, and as to 
its being absolutely true to name. At all events the 
nursery business is not peculiar in that it has suffered 
from the effects of low prices, and there is every reason 
to believe that the outlook for the nurseryman will change 
for the better, as it is confidently believed that it will for 
the farmer and merchants generally. 
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION. 
The annual meeting of the American Association of 
Nurserymen will be held in Chicago on June 10th and 
nth. At the last annual meeting it was voted to hold 
the meeting this year on board a steamer chartered for 
a trip up the lake from Chicago. But this plan was 
found too expensive. The requirement would be to 
guarantee 300 passengers at $1 5 each. As the attendance 
at the annual meetings averages only 100 the deficiency 
would be too great. 
The executive committee has decided to hold the ses¬ 
sions at the Sherman house. Secretary Seager will pre¬ 
pare a programme which will form a basis of discussion. 
It has been suggested as a compromise on the plan 
prepared and the one now adopted, that the members 
enjoy a steamboat excursion along the lake front on the 
second day of the session, taking dinner on the boat. 
The expense would be moderate. 
