THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
'23 
WHOLESALE TRADE 
Special Reports on Fall Sales From 
Various Parts of the Country 
—Prospects for Spring. 
Following are reports from special correspondents regarding 
the sales among wholesalers during the present season, 
together with opinions regarding the outlook for spring trade : 
MASSACHUSETTS. 
Reading, Mass., Oct. 15.—Jacob W. Manning, heading 
Nursery : “ Fall sales are opening very satisfactorily, but are 
seriously retarded just at present owing to the continuance of 
bad weather conditions. We expect an average fall and hope 
for even better.” 
NEW YORK. 
Rochester, N. Y., Oct. 13.—Irving Rouse, Lakeview 
Nurseries : “ Fall business has been very light with us so far, 
lighter even than we expected, earlier in the season Prices 
also have been away down, in many cases below the cost of 
production. There is, however, a bright outlook for good 
spring trade, especially if the election goes the right way.” 
Rochester, N. Y., Oct. 17.—Brown Brothers Company, 
Continental Nurseries : “ We find that business is very good, 
owing, we believe, to the fact that there is a general opinion 
that McKinley will be elected. It is a little slow in the West, 
but we have hopes that it will soon brighten up there. 
“ We anticipate a very good spring business. We have on 
hand more spring orders than we had for the same time last 
year. Our fall sales now in course of delivery are very satis¬ 
factory and are about 25 per cent, ahead of those of last fall.” 
Rochester, N. Y., Oct. 3.—Chase Brothers Co., New Eng¬ 
land Nurseries : “Our fall delivery of this year will amount 
to about the same figures as fall of 1895 Spring sales are also 
about up to last year’s figures at this time, and present indica¬ 
tions are that we shall sell more goods for spring during the 
winter than we did a year ago, and that the spring shipments 
for 1897 will run ahead of 1896.” 
Rochester, N. Y., Oct. 22.—The H. E. Hooker Company : 
“ Fall trade has not been equal to last year’s. Very few deal¬ 
ers from abroad have been seen in Rochester, and the large 
retail firms here seem to have more stock to sell than they wish 
to buy. Our business is exclusively wholesale and we have not 
been among the number who, in their anxiety to unload have 
sacrificed their stock at panic prices. 
“ We look 'or a more healthy state of business in the spring. 
We know that certain lines of stock are already nearly ex¬ 
hausted and there will be a considerable shortage for spring, 
and we look for a large demand at advanced rates.” 
Portland, N. Y., Oct. 10.—C. S. Curtis Co.: “Our sales 
for fall 1896 aggregate about the same amount as 1895 and 
1894. We look forward for a good business for 1897.” 
Geneva, N. Y., Oct. 13 —The Geneva Nursery, W. & T. 
Smith Company : “ Sales this fall thus far have been lighter 
than last season, but prices for most stock have ruled about 
as last year. We think the stock generally is less than a year 
ago, with probably the exception of standard pears. There 
are many less good apples in this market than a year ago, and 
no large blocks of dwarf pears.” 
Dansville, N. Y., Oct. 17.—James M. Kennedy: “The 
trade here this fall from what I can learn is unusually light 
and with the nurserymen in general the trade is lighter than 
they anticipated earlier in the spring. The early fall ship¬ 
ments, both wholesale and retail, were at least fifty per cent, 
less than last fall. The late fall shipments look more favora¬ 
ble. I judge at this writing that all the plum stock will be sold 
before the end of the season. Of standard and dwarf pears, 
cherry and apple there is still a good supply on hand, as there 
seems to be little demand for them. Unless times change 
soon I do not know what will become of the nursery business. 
We thought last year we had struck bottom. But it looks 
now as if there were no bottom. I consider the present prices 
too low for the grower or planter. Unless the times change 
by next spring there will be a good many trees carried over or 
put on the brush pile. But we are all in hopes of better times 
after election. 
“ As to the planting next spring, I anticipate that the 
nurserymen in general will cut off their plantings at least one- 
half as it will be for the interest of the business. Most of the 
smaller firms will not plant at all.” 
Rochester, N. Y., Oct. 24.—Allen L. Wood, Woodlawn 
Nursery : “ I had a very heavy trade this fall. Majority of 
orders were smaller than last fall, but more of them. Within 
the last week I have booked several large orders for spring. 
I expect a heavy trade for spring ; but I think it all depends 
on election. Prices are lower than last spring. Most every 
nurseryman has tried to sell what he could for fall at a cut 
rate. Most buyers only bought for fall. There is less stock 
in the country than last fall at this time, and I can not see why 
prices should not go up a little.” 
NEW JERSEY. 
Springfield, N. J., Oct. 12.—Flemer & Felmly : “This 
has been for us one of the best growing seasons we ever had 
and we had in everything our usual supply. Our wholesale 
specialty is peach, shade trees and California privet princi- 
pallv. If prices were only a little better there would be noth¬ 
ing to complain of.” 
DELAWARE. 
Bridgeville, Del., Oct. 13.—Myer & Son, Bridgeville 
Nurseries : “Our fall sales ire far better than we expected, 
owing to the dull times, and up to date we have booked more 
orders than in years previous, especially on peach, and we 
think the spring trade will be better than last season which was 
a good one. We shall carry a good assortment of peach for 
spring trade as we expect a greater demand with prospects of 
better prices. We have had a fine growing season and all stock 
looks well and healthy.” 
PENNSYLVANIA. 
West Chester, Pa., Oct. 13.—Hoopes, Brother & Thomas, 
Maple Avenue Nurseries : “ Up to the present time our fall 
sales are very much behind those of last season and previous 
years, and at present the prospect is not a very auspicious one, 
but as we have still some six or seven weeks to ship in, we 
may yet be able to make a much better report. We have no 
means of estimating what they may amount to for spring, but 
we believe that in case McKinley is elected, of which we have 
no doubt, they will be as good as usual, though until the 
nurserymen stop cutting each other’s throats, by endeavoring 
to underbid each other on every list submitted to them, the 
