The National Nurseryman. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK. 
Copyright, 1900, by the National Nurseryman Publishing Co. 
“American pomology is the admiration of the world”-- Prof. Thomas Meehan. 
Vol. VIII. ROCHESTER, N. Y., MAY, 1900. No. 4 
THE SPRING SALES. 
Season Late and Comparisons Difficult Because of Variation in 
Prices—Apples, Cherries and Keiffer Pears Sold Very 
Close, Some Varieties Exhausted—Wholesale Trade 
Considerably In Advance of Last Year’s— 
Still Higher Prices Predicted. 
Reports from points in the Central states regarding the 
spring trade are as follows : 
Bridgeport, Ind., Apr. 12 —Albertson & Hobbs: “Orders 
are continuing to come in and it is hard even to estimate 
accurately how the trade is going to turn out. It is very dif¬ 
ferent from what it has been for many years, as prices of some 
lines of stock are so different from what they have been ; and 
especially apples, cherries and Keiffer pears have been sold 
very close, with many varieties of apples and cherries entirely 
exhausted. 
“ Pears and plums are yet in pretty good supply, though de¬ 
mand for them is keeping up pretty well. Peaches are also in 
good supply, but demand continues good. Agents’ trade this 
season is a little in advance of that of last year, and secured 
with less number of men and less pushing. 
“ Wholesale trade considerable in advance of last year and 
has been held back very much by shortage in supply of so 
many varieties of stock. We think the outlook was never 
better for the nurseryman than it is right now and that still 
higher prices will prevail in the future and surplus lists will 
grow shorter ; though there will probably be some surplus this 
spring. 
“ Season with us has been rather favorable, cool, and at this 
time a light skiff of snow covers the ground and more or less 
ice covers the trees so that it will be some time yet before it 
warms up sufficient to start the buds and end packing season. 
We look for trade to continue good while the season lasts but 
believe most of the surplus lines will be used up pretty well.” 
Painesville, O., April 13 .— The Storrs & Harrison Co.: 
“ We can give you no information as to how our sales compare 
with last year. It has been a very cold backward spring, and 
commenced later than usual. Think, however, that our orna¬ 
mental trade is far ahead of last year. The fruit tree trade in 
most things, probably fully equal to last year, if not better, at 
this time of the year. We are so rushed that we have made no 
comparison and can tell but little about it now, only that we 
have all that we can handle.” 
New Carlisle, O., April 13 .— W. N. Scarff : “We have 
handled to date about the same amount of stock as last spring. 
However, prices have ranged at least 40 per cent, higher on 
all our goods, making our profits on sales the best in many 
years. All stock is closely bought up and demand still good.” 
Phoneton, O., April 13 .— N. H. Albaugh : “Trade this 
spring has been exceptionaliy good ; far in advance of last 
spring on apples and cherries, and Keiffer pears. All of these 
are used up to a low size, and at high prices ; very few apples 
and cherries to offer in bulk for next fall. Plums will also be 
scarce ; peaches in usual supply. No damage was done by 
the winter. Spring unusually late. No leaves nor blossoms 
of anything to date.” 
IN CANADA. 
Toronto, April 12 th.—Stone & Wellington : “The season 
as a whole, has been a good one. There has been a very 
heavy demand for apples, as there was the previous season, 
owing no doubt, to light crops, and big prices. 
“ Pears, however, have been planted more freely, and cherries 
and plums have sold well. 
“ Small fruits sell light, compared with what they did a few 
years ago. 
“ Taking it as a whole, the business the past year has been 
most encouraging, and our plantings at the nursery for this 
spring will be the largest in years.” 
AMERICAN ROSE SOCIETY. 
The first exhibition of the new American Rose Society held 
at the Eden Musee, New York City, March 27 - 30 , was a great 
success. Over 15,000 of the highest grade exhibition blooms 
were shown in 127 separate entries. Liberal prizes, in the way 
of costly memorial cups, etc., were awarded. Many costly and 
elaborate decorative pieces were shown, among them a liberty 
cap made up of 1,000 blooms of the new red rose Liberty. 
An old Japanese rose, representing the progenitors of our 
modern Tea roses, said to be 400 years old, attracted much 
attention. 
NURSERY TRADE IN MEXICO. 
Editor National Nurseryman : 
I have had several inquiries from the trade regarding the 
outlook for business in Mexico, and in reply will say : The 
conditions for selling trees to the natives of this country are 
peculiar, and I believe can be handled more profitably if stock 
is grown here and the business established in the country in 
connection with seed business and fruit growing. It is 
astonishing that a country as large as this, some fifteen million 
inhabitants, has no house of this kind. I have parties here 
who are willing to put in all the land necessary and I believe 
a large stock of shares could be sold here ; therefore if any of 
your readers would like to invest in a company to the extent 
of furnishing a large supply of stuff, I would be glad to corres¬ 
pond with them. 
William Brockway. 
Plantation Dos Rios, 
Santa Lucrecia—Vera Cruz, Mexico. 
