THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
the business, the importance of a knowledge of botany, pomo¬ 
logy, entomology, mycology and correct nomenclature. The 
endorsement of these principles by leading successful nursery¬ 
men will surely lead to their adoption generally. 
CAUSE OF MARYLAND LAW. 
Berlin, Md., Nov. 25.—We notice some nurserymen making 
objections to the Maryland nursery law. They seem to think 
the nurseryman of this state are the ones who started the 
restriction. I can say candidly I do not think there was a nursery¬ 
man in the state who had anything to do with it, and the party 
who, as I understand, drew up the bill, had just cause to do so. 
He had from ten to twenty thousand pear trees in the finest 
condition. He needed a few to replant, or some new variety, 
as it may be, and purchased about one dozen trees which he 
trenched near his orchard. Before they were planted this 
wonderful scale was found on the trees. 
Where did it come from? Well, ask at Washington, D. C. 
Who is the loser now, the man that has sixteen thousand pear 
trees, to spray four times each season or more, or the one that 
grew the dozen trees? 
We think the law when fully understood is the best thing 
that was ever adopted for the nursery trade and growers of 
fruit and it will soon be thatr the other states will have to go 
down the line just as close as we do now. One principle of 
this will be the selection of soil for nursery; then carefully 
selected seed and then the stock, followed until it is dug for 
shipment. 
Professor W. G. Johnson our state entomologist has been 
with us several times and reports he has not found the scale 
or peach yellows in our county, Worcester, nor is it south of 
the Delaware line. We are glad to have our stock thoroughly 
examined as Professor Johnson does. He is a thorough 
worker when in the nursery. Any nurseryman can ship into 
this state in welcome but his stock has to stand the same ex¬ 
amination as ours. If it is all correct, all right ; if not, he will 
have to keep it out of Maryland. Our strawberry plants, peach 
trees, plum and apple trees have all been thoroughly examined, 
and we hold a certificate. A copy of this goes with each ship¬ 
ment. J. G. Harrison & Sons. 
FACTS ABOUT THE APPLE CROP. 
The American Fruit Growers’ Union has issued a bulletin 
on the prospective supplies and prices of apples. The bulletin 
says : 
By a recent report we find that the supposed claim of the 
apple buyer that our crop is the greatest ever known, has 
proven wrong. We are free to confess that in Michigan, New 
York State and parts of New England, they have an immense 
crop, but we also find that in the central and western states, 
which had an immense crop last year, the crop is small, and in 
some prominent producing localities, not sufficient for home 
consumption. The abundant crop of the East and Michigan 
must be called upon to supply the markets which have been 
taken care of by these western and central states, besides 
taking care of their own section. Furthermore, the export 
demand alone will take away a large share of the surplus. Just 
think of it; so far this year America has exported six times as 
much as up to this time last year, and three times as much as 
141 
during the entire season last year. Furthermore, this demand 
is increasing, for since the first shock, owing to the immtnse 
arrivals in Liverpool and London, and the subsequent slump 
in prices, these markets, under still heavier shipments, are 
reported to the American Fruit Growers’ Union as advancing 
rapidly. On the continent the demand is just commencing, 
and as we can deliver them there at present prices at which 
growers are holding, for 25 per cent, less than their fruit is 
bringing, any one can see that they will rapidly take hold of 
our apples. 
The report mentioned above stales that the entire crop of 
1896 is in round numbers 59,000,006 barrels as against 
60,500,000 in 1895 and 57,000,000 in 1894; that the greater 
part of this crop is in New York, New England and Michigan. 
It also says that the report from the Central West shows that 
the crop in many instances is sufficient to supply home require¬ 
ments, reports the exports to be in excess o' 1,000,000 barrels 
to date, and that the United States consul reports that the 
foreign markets have a capacity for absorbing further vast 
quantities before spring, all of which only confirms the inform¬ 
ation that has been supplied the American Fruit Growers’ 
Union by its agents, and has been given to the growers from 
time to time in the bulletins issued by that association. 
The crop report of the Department of Agriculture says : 
The November returns give comparative yields of apples, 
pears, and grapes, and in the main reflect the returns as to con¬ 
dition made in the preceding months. In the case of apples 
the standard of comparison has been exceeded in no less than 
eight of the northern tier of states, which comprises the most 
important winter-apple section of the country. Other states 
in this region also report excellent yields. In other sections, 
as the figures show, the crop is at best only mediocre. The 
returns for pears are nowhere as high as for apples, but are 
generally better in those sections where apples gave the best 
returns. The grape is one of the most constant of the fruits, 
and, as usual, the returns show a product more uniform the 
country over than for either apples or pears. As compared 
with last year the present season has given generally larger 
products. 
ORANGES AND PINES IN FLORIDA. 
Winter Haven, Fla., Nov. 10.—We are slowly recovering 
from the great loss of our orange groves and nursery stock 
by the great cold of 1893 and 1894. Any one that has not 
been here to see, cannot realize what a great loss it was in our 
state. 
Some little planting of new groves was done last winter, and 
there was much call for bud wood to rebud the frozen down 
trees as they sprouted up again from the roots, and often up 
along the partially killed trunk of the tree. When this new 
budding is properly done and proper care is given the tree 
afterward, it is surprising how quickly the tree has recovered. 
In two years it will be making oranges again. 
Sales are slow in starting this fall, but we are hoping for a 
fairly good trade this winter. 
The pine apple is rapidly coming to the front as our best 
paying industry in sections of not too much cold. The demand 
has been up to the supply of the finer varieties of plants at 
good prices, and without question the average of planting will 
keep on increasing rapidly. 
James Mott. 
