2 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
Hit Common Council. 
Editor National Nurseryman : 
The January number of National Nurseryman just 
received, and federal bill notes are interesting. We want to 
know, however, about one or two things, which we hope you 
can tell us. Supposing the law goes into effect any time 
before June ist, can all the nurseries be inspected so that 
certificates can be had to help in spring shipments ? Wdl 
certificates issued by state entomologists be ot use for next 
spring, if federal law is passed, until proper certificates can be 
procured ? Will the cost of inspection of nursery stock be 
paid by government or be charged to nursenmen. 
Norwood, Mass., Jan. 12, 1900. Rea Brothers. 
[The federal inspection bill will not become effective in 
time to affect the spring shipments ; therefore the certificates 
of state entomologists may be used. The cost of inspection, 
under the federal bill, is to be paid by the government.—E d.] 
NO PRICES IN ADVERTISEMENTS. 
Editor National Nurseryman : 
We have just read your article in December issue regarding 
the non-pricing of goods in your advertisements. We sent 
you an advertisement some days ago offering Norway maples 
and with the prices named. 
You might please omit the prices, and fix up advertisement 
to read “ prices on application,” and oblige. 
John Palmer & Son, Ltd. 
Annan, Scotland, Dec. 18, 1899. 
HORTICULTURE RECOVERING. 
Editor National Nurseryman : 
It was feared that after the set-back caused by the cold 
winter of ’98-’99, farmers and orchardists would not do any 
more tree planting for years. But we find that the commer¬ 
cial orchardists and the farmers are again in line with renewed 
effort. At the first of this year our sales, then booked, were 
rather in excess of last spring at the close of the season. It is 
an established fact that men lose interest in any branch of 
commerce when prices go below a normal standard. Nursery¬ 
men have realized this from 1892 to 1898. During these six 
years nursery stock was sold for less than it cost to grow it, 
to say nothing of additional cost of digging, packing and 
delivering the stock. In fact nursery stock was too cheap to 
be any longer appreciated, and many persons lost interest in 
planting. Others became frightened by the San Jose scale 
and some of the diseases of fruit trees. These conditions 
have been replaced by a steady and sure advance in prices 
of nursery stock. 
In closing a deal with a customer, a few days since, for a 
carload of peach trees to go to Texas, he said : “ I am aware 
that prices have advanced somewhat, but this fact is encourag¬ 
ing to the orchardist, as an advance in the price of trees con¬ 
firms the interest and profit of fruit growing.” The mani¬ 
festations are found in our local trade. Most of the state 
horticultural societies have had their winter meetings and we 
find all of the members have manifested renewed interest, 
d hough great loss of trees and plants was reported in the past 
severe winter, we do not hear of even a single grower who 
has become discouraged and will quit fruit growing, but we 
hear the old veteran horticulturist urging on the best systems 
and advising old and young, the commercial orchardist and 
those who grow for family supply to plant more, give better 
attention and more thorough culture. 
Missouri is again in line and is expected to go beyond her 
recent reco r d. It should be remembered that fruit growing, 
as a money making business, is comparatively in its infancy ; 
hence reverses in fruit culture are noticed and recorded in 
the minds of the inexperienced, and will be referred to with 
criticism and condemnation for years to come, while a failure 
in a corn or wheat crop will be forgotten with the first good 
harvest. Yet one good crop of apples, or other fruit, wdl pay 
better prices per acre than eight or ten crops of wheat. 
Horticulturists are not weakening. 
Marceline, Mo., Jan. 15 , 1900 . S. H. Linton. 
TREE.DRIED CHERRY. 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
We herewith enclose a package containing a sample lot of 
the tree-dried cherry, something new, which we consider very 
fine. These cherries were picked from a choice seedling 
growing in Bedford Co., Pa., in July 1898. The cherries 
ripen nicely on the tree after which they dry in a few days, 
just like the sample inclosed. After maturing and drying on 
the tree the cherries were picked and placed in paper sacks 
and allowed to remain so until now, over one and one-half 
years, and we presume they would keep nicely for a number 
of years longer. 
The tree is extremely hardy, and in the habit of growth 
more dwarfish than most Heart and Bigarreau cherries ; its 
fruit never rots on the tree ; it is a. regular annual bearer, and 
enormously productive. We now control all the wood of this 
new cherry. Notice its bright raisin-like appearance. 
The Blair Co. Nursery Co. 
East Freedom, Pa., Jan. 19, 1900. 
[ The samples sent were bright-colored dried cherries, not 
dried to brittleness, but like a raisin ; of a pleasant tart flavor. 
As for the rest, the letter tells the story.—Ed.] 
PLUMS, JAPANESE OR HYBRIDS? 
Editor National Nurseryman : 
I am just in receipt of a neat catalogue from a good nur¬ 
sery firm which gives a nice collection of so-called Japan 
plums Among the. varieties listed as Japan plums, ar.e 
America, Apple, Chaleo, and Wickson. Prunus simonii is 
also placed among the Japan plums. Other catalogues which 
I see make the same mistake. Prunus simonii is frequently 
put with the Japanese plums, though it is entirely distinct; 
and Wickson is almost universally classified with the Japs. It 
seems to me that this is a serious mistake on the part of the 
nurserymen. As long as an attempt is made to classify the 
plums in a nursery catalogue the classification ought to be 
carried out conscientiously to the best of the cataloguer’s 
ability. Wickson, which is the best known of these varieties, 
was sent out first as a pure Japanese seedling, a cross of two 
pure Japanese varieties ; and this was what began the trouble 
so far as that variety is concerned. But Wickson is certainly 
a hybrid. I feel sure of it; so does Professor Bailey ; and so 
does Mr. Burbank. Other varieties like Stark’s Golden, Tuicy, 
