THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
S3 
Un IRursen? IRowe- 
Standard Crimson Rambler. —In the April issue of Meehan’s 
Monthly was an illustration of a Crimson Rambler rose trained to a 
single stem and allowed to make a head. The form resembles the 
Kilmarnock willow but is much less formal and has the added attrac 
tion of brilliant flowers. 
Colorado Blue Spruce.— M. J. Wragg, referring to Rocky Moun¬ 
tain evergreens in Iowa, says in Gardening : “ The first of importance 
is the Picea pungens, or Colorado Blue Spruce. This is undoubtedly 
the king of spruces. We have not the command of language to 
express the admiration we have for this tree, which is one of the gems 
of the Rockies; and while it is found in the deep gorges on very dry, 
but exposed points on the range, one would naturally suppose that it, 
would not endure the great changes of transplanting to the genial soils 
we have here. Yet, the facts are that there is no tree that so adapts 
itself to the prairie conditions as this one does, and it is certainly 
designated to be the coming ornamental evergreen tree ; the person 
encouraging its planting will be rearing a living monument that will 
jast for ages. 
Tiie Catalpa Tree. —At my age says Judge Samuel Miller, 
Bluffton, Mo., there is no use in commencing forestry here. I have 
plenty of forest yet, but for younger men there is a vast field open. 
Plenty of land in these parts can be bought for a few dollars per acre, 
the timber on which will pay for the clearing, which if it were planted 
in catalpa trees would be worth $1,000 an acre in twenty years. In 
that time each tree may make two or three railroad ties, which are 
worth fifty cents per tie. No insects injure the trees, they are fast 
growers and the timber is almost indestructible. Had I known the 
value of this tree thirty years ago and planted twenty-five or thirty 
acres in catalpas, I might now rest on my oars the rest of my life. 
The black locust that I helped to plant seed of about seventy years 
ago, I saw tiees of, when visiting my early home, that would make 
three to five posts each, that were then selliug at $1 per post. When our 
forests are all cut down it will be too late to begin. For every five 
acres of forest cut down, one acre should be planted with some useful, 
fast-growing tree. Catalpa seeds are for sale by most seedmen and 
are as easily grown as corn. 
SOUTHERN NURSERIES. 
Quite a large number of fruit trees planted in the northern 
states at the present time are grown in some of the southern 
nurseries, says S. H. Fulton in the Allegan, Mich., Gazette. 
These nurseries do a jobbing trade mostly, selling to nursery¬ 
men throughout the United States. One of the largest nur¬ 
sery centers of the south is Huntsville, Alabama. Here are 
located the Huntsville Wholesale nurseries ; Chase Brothers’ 
nurseries, a branch of Chase Brothers’ nurseries of Rochester, 
N. Y., the Fraser nurseries, and a number of others. 
American and Chickasaw plums, sour cherries, peaches, and 
pears are the leading kinds of fruit trees grown. The cherries 
propagated are mostly of the hardier varieties, and are shipped 
largely to Iowa and other states of the Northwest, as are also 
the American and Chickasaw plums. Japan varieties of plum 
are grown to a rather limited extent, but no European kinds 
are propagated. The latter do not hold their foliage well 
throughout the summer, and the wood does not mature 
properly. The plums are all grown on Mariana stocks pro¬ 
pagated by means of cuttings. These cuttings are taken in 
the fall from stocks containing dormant buds. In late fall or 
early winter they are put out in nursery rows and the following 
summer are ready for budding. 
Very little trouble is experienced in this section from attacks 
of insect pests and fungus diseases. This may be in a 
measure due to the fact that there are but very few orchards 
in the vicinity to attract insects and disseminate diseases. 
Although many kinds of nursery stock grow to perfection 
here, conditions do not seem favorable for fruitgrowing. Mr. 
Heikes, manager of the Huntsville nurseries, has experimented 
largely with different kinds of fruit upon trial grounds, but 
with very unsatisfactory results. Late spring frosts are one 
cause of failure, and it is Mr. Heikes’ opinion that an almost 
entire lack of lime in the soil also has much to do with trees 
not fruiting well. In the neighboring mountains there is an 
abundance of limestone rock, but the land under cultivation 
seems to be almost entirely lacking in lime. 
The Huntsville nurseries are twelve miles distant from 
Huntsville, while most of the others are within three or four 
miles of the city. The former covers an area of 1,000 acres 
upon a sort of tableland 500 feet above Huntsville and 1,600 
above sea level. Of the 1,000 acres in the nursery grounds, 
600 are now actually planted with trees and cuttings, while 
the remaining 400 are in process of renovation preparatory to 
planting again with trees. Two crops of trees are raised On 
on the ground, then about two years are devoted to bringing 
the land back into condition for replanting, by use of cow 
peas, rye, and commercial fertilizers. The soil is a red clay 
with a slight admixture of sand. 
An immense brick storage and packing cellar is located near 
the center of the plantation, and adjoining is a large shop 
where lumber is stored and tree-boxes built as needed. Near 
by is a store owned and run by Jesse S. Moss, proprietor of 
the nurseries. This store supplies the employes and their 
families with provisions and clothing. A short distance from 
this group of buildings stands the foreman’s house surrounded 
by ornamental shrubs and trees, both deciduous and evergreen. 
Among the deciduous trees is a fine specimen of the very rare 
shittim tree, which is indigenous to this section. About the 
borders of this immense plantation are scattered the cabins 
wherein live the negroes employed in the nurseries. 
About fifty negroes and sixteen teams of mules are kept on 
the grounds throughout the entire year, and during the busiest 
times the number, both of men and mules, is considerably 
increased. A few white men are employed as foremen, and 
under these the negroes work much more willingly than under 
foremen of their own race. 
The digging and shipping season commences the latter part 
of September and continues without interruption until March, 
with the exception perhaps of four or five weeks in the middle 
of winter when it is likely to become too cold for safe exposure 
of the roots of the trees in digging. 
OUTDOOR ART ASSOCIATION. 
The annual convention of the American Park and Outdoor 
Art Association will be held at the Hotel Auditorium Annex, 
Chicago, June 5 and 7. There will be papers by Dr. Albert Shaw, 
editor of the American Review of Reviews; William R. Smith, 
director of the Botanic Gardens at Washington, D. C.; J. Frank 
Foster, superintendent of the South Park system, Chicago; 
and reports by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr, Brookline, Mass., 
and superintendent Calvin C. Laney, of the Rochester, N. Y., 
park department. 
A. Miller & Son, Milton, Oregon.—“Of course we want the 
National Nurseryman and would feel lost in our business without 
it. We enclose you a draft on New York for $2, for which please give 
us credit for a two years’ subscription.” 
