140 
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 of 
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. 
t3§TDrafts 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 , as second-class matter. 
Rochester, N. Y., December, 1896. 
IMPROVED CONDITIONS. 
While all over the country come reports of improved busi- 
nes conditions, it is encouraging to note that the return of 
confidence since election, has extended to the nursery busi¬ 
ness promptly. 
President Silas Wilson of the American Association writes 
from his home at Atlantic, la., under date of November 18th. 
“ Since the election of Major McKinley the improvement in 
business has been so marked that everybody can see it. I be¬ 
lieve this will not only apply to business generally but will es¬ 
pecially apply to the nursery business. We have had more 
orders for immediate shipment and for spring delivery since 
the election than we have had in double the time before. I 
confidently believe there will be a great improvement in the 
nursery business the coming winter and spring and that all 
the nursery stock now grown can be disposed of at fairly good 
prices.” 
A NOTED BOTANIST. 
For nearly half a century Baron Sir Ferdinand Von Mueller, 
K. C. M. G., F. R. S., who died October 9th, was intimately 
associated with the progress of science and exploration in 
Australia and especially with the development of its vegetable 
resources From 1848 to 1853 he traveled over four thousand 
mi’es mainly for botanical purposes. In 1852 he was appointed 
government botanist to the colony of Victoria. In 1855-56 he 
accompanied, as botanist, the expedition under the command 
of A. C. Gregory for the exploration of North and Central 
Australia, and was one of the four to reach Termination Lake 
in Central Australia. Some six thousand miles of previously 
unknown land was traversed, and abundant collections made 
of the various forms of vegetation. On Mueller’s return to 
Melbourne he was appointed director of the Botanical Garden 
of that city. In this office he rendered immense services, not 
only to Australia, but to many other countries. Into the 
former he was the means of introducing many useful plants 
from other regions, in exchange sending abroad plants native 
to Australia of more or less economic value. He had a lead¬ 
ing hand in introducing that most useful of Australian trees, 
the eucalyptus, into Algeria and elsewhere. He was the first 
to raise the great Victoria Regia water lily. - Indeed, his 
immense knowledge as a botanist had almost always a practical 
end in view, and not a few Australian industries are largely 
indebted to him for their development. It was also partly due 
to his suggestion that the camel was introduced into Australia 
and first used for exploring purposes in 1860. His own travels 
in Australia for botanical purposes, on foot and on horseback, 
covered some 25,000 miles. 
ENGLISH ORCHARDS. 
According to the returns issued by the board of agriculture, 
orchards in Great Britain continue steadily to increase. In 
June last, when the returns were collected, there were in Eng¬ 
land 215,642 acres under orchards, against 212,963 acres in 
1895. In Great Britain there are 221,253 acres, as compared 
with 218,248 acres last year. Kent, Worcester, Gloucester, all 
show considerable increases, especially the former, but there 
are a great many advances in the eastern, northeastern, north¬ 
western, and Welsh counties also. The counties having largest 
acres under orchard fruits are Devon, 26,924 acres ; Hereford, 
26,347 acres ; Somerset, 24,389 acres ; Kent, 24,093 acres ; 
Worcester, 20,165 acres ; Gloucester, 18,724 acres ; Cornwall, 
5,096 acres ; Middlesex, Dorset and Salop rather over 4,500 
acres each. 
RAISING STANDARDS. 
The attention of nurserymen cannot too often be called to 
the importance of aiming high in every detail of the business. 
An encouraging sign of the disposition to attain to the best is 
noted in numerous recent developments. Catalogues have 
been greatly improved during the last few years. There is a 
growing interest in literature devoted to the trade and a cor¬ 
responding increase in the amount of such literature. As the 
result of competition and improved methods of growing stock, 
there is on the market a higher grade in all lines. Experience 
with novelties which have not been fully tested before pre¬ 
senting to the public has made growers and dealers cautious, 
and almost invariably now nurserymen are zealously guarding 
their reputation against any charge of advocating a doubtful 
variety. 
All this is appreciated by the fruit grower, and notwith¬ 
standing the low prices and hard times, there is a disposition to 
grow fruit which is increasing annually and when better times 
come, as in the nature of things they must, the high standard 
to which nurserymen are working will prepare them to meet 
the increased demand of a large and intelligent class of 
orchardists. 
Professor Van Deman gave good advice at the Chicago con¬ 
vention in his remarks upon the duty of the nurseryman to 
the fruit grower. He emphasized the far-reaching effects of 
