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THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
Stoddard (Americana) made the strongest growth and did best in 
every particular on Americana roots. It was second best on Wayland 
roots and decidedly unsatisfactory on peach. 
Green Gage (Domestica) is a poor grower at best. The best trees 
seemed to be those on Wayland, with Americana second best. 
Chabot (Japanese) is a rank grower. It did best on Marianna and 
Wayland. whereas it was decidedly poor on peach, one tree out of three 
having died besides. 
Milton (Wildgoose group) made a splendid growth on all stocks but 
peach. Every tree on peach died. Out of the thirty propagated, not 
one remains at the end of the second year. This result is remarkable. 
Wayland and Marianna gave about equal results. 
Newman (Chicasaw) is a vigorous grower, though not comely. It 
did best on Wayland roots, second best on Americana roots. The 
peach stocks which gave best results last year in Mr. Kerr’s sandy 
Maryland nursery, gave distinctly poorest results during this first year 
in the Vermont orchard. 
All the trees did fairly well, excepting Green Gage, and making due 
allowance for the unfavorable growing season, they did uncommonly 
well. A further exception, however, should be made for those on 
peach roots. The peach stocks have made a very poor showing in the 
orchard. Every lot on peach is inferior to the same variety on any 
other stock whatever. 
THE ADVANCE IN PRICES. 
Hearing that Western nurserymen contemplated an advance 
of 50 or 75 per cent, in the prices of nursery stock, the Rural 
New Yorker obtained the following expressions: 
Storrs & Harrison Co.—There is no question but what there will be 
an advance in prices of nursery stock for coming fall and spring deliv¬ 
ery, but we do not anticipate that it will be anything like 50 or 75 per 
cent. There are one or two articles like cherry, and perhaps apple, 
that are exceedingly scarce on the market, and the advance in whole¬ 
sale rates may be in the neighborhood of 50 per cent., but that would 
not mean an advance of 50 per cent, on retail prices. We do not think 
that this increase in prices is due so much to the increased demand for 
stock, although that is a factor, especially on ornamental stocks in the 
East, as to the scarcity of stock. Previous to last year, for several 
years nursery stock has been in large surplus, and in very many in. 
stances, selling below the cost of production. Plantings were curtailed, 
a good many of the smaller planters pulling out entirely. This, in 
connection with the hard winter of a year ago, which killed thousands 
of trees in the nursery, accounts for the advance in prices, We doubt 
whether prices will advance to retail buyers, on the average, more than 
15 to 25 per cent. 
Iowa State Nursery Co.—There has been an advance in the price of 
nursery stock, both wholesale and retail. The advance in cherries has 
been nearly 50 per cent., but I think 25 per cent, would cover the ad¬ 
vance for this year in other stock. The winter of 1898-9 destroyed a 
large number of apple trees and grapevines, consequently there is a 
good demand for stock in these. The advance in cherry trees seems to 
be a kind of reaction from the extremely low prices of a few years ago; 
owing to this low price and also to the great advance in the price of 
budding stock, the propagation of the cherry has been greatly 
restricted the last two or three years. Finally, the great prosperity of 
the Western farmer makes it easy to sell at good prices. 
E. A. Riehl—Prices of nursery stock were higher last spring than in 
late years, and no doubt they will remain up at a fair figure, but I do 
not believe that an advance of 50 to 75 per cent, is contemplated by the 
trade. I am constantly receiving letters, circulars and price lists offer¬ 
ing stock at fair prices. Profits of fruit growers are not such that they 
would buy stock at any large advance over prices in the past 
Stark Rro 3 . Nurseries & Orchards Co.—The nurserymen generally 
throughout the country appreciate that good stock of apples and cherry 
also Keiffer pear, etc., is scarce, and the price will be a little higher. 
Most other things will range in price about the same as last year. We 
have heard of no such talk as advancing prices 50 to 75 per cent., and 
we think you may safely say that there is no truth in such a statement* 
It. is a question of supply and demand* 
AMERICAN PLUMS FOR AMERICA. 
The Americana plum is hardy, both in tree and flower-bud 
throughout the U. S. and far northward into Canada, says 
Prof. E. S. Goff of Wisconsin. The past winter its flower-buds 
endured 52 degrees below zero in Manitoba, where the Olden- 
burgh (Duchess) apple in the same locality had its last year’s 
growth frozen back three-fourths. Other species of the native 
plums succeeded in the far south and south-west. It may be 
safely said that no other tree fruit of equal value has so wide a 
climatic in North America as the native plums, and through¬ 
out the northern Mississippi valley, no other tree fruit can be 
depended upon to yield more dollars per acre, in 10-year 
periods than the native plums. 
The native plums, especially of the Americana species, are 
exceedingly variable, but I make the unqualified statement 
that the richest and most delicious quality that I have ever 
tasted in plums have been found in native specimens. It is 
true that the average Americana has a thick and often acerb 
(sour, bitter, astringent) skin, which is objectionable, but there 
are exceptions to this rule. A few of the choicer varieties 
when fully ripe have a skin nearly or quite as thin as that of 
the average European or Japanese plum. We sometimes find 
varieties that are perfect freestones. I would not prejudice 
any against the European or Japanese plums. Let all grow 
them who can. But I would remove the prejudice that exists 
in the minds of some, that the best natives are unworthy of 
culture where the foreign plums can be grown. 
BURBANK’S LATEST. 
That Luther Burbank has been busy at his California head¬ 
quarters is indicated by his statement in Rural New Yorker 
from which the following is extracted: 
“July 4 ” is without any exception admitted to be the most perfect 
plum in existence for quality. It stands with Seckel pear and the 
Garden Royal apple as the very standard of excellence. There is no 
difference of opinion in that respect. It is a second-generation seedling 
from a French-prune, Japan-plum, American-plum cross. The com¬ 
bination of flavors, like one of my White nectarine Wager peach 
crosses, is something never to be forgotten when once tasted. 
My “ Plumcots ” produced by combination of the apricot and various 
plums, are the latest wonder among pomologists and fruit-growers. 
These have the form of an apricot, the same general outside appearance, 
but more highly colored than either plum or apricot with a skin unique 
—soft, slightly silky, downy with a shadow bloom, the flesh generally 
yellow, often deep crimson; either freestone or clingstone; seed more 
generally like a plum-stone, but often vice versa. The rich flavors of 
these fruits are a revelation of new fruit possibilities, and are not dupli¬ 
cated in any other earthly fruit. 
The “stoneless” prunes and plums are gradually improving in size 
and quality and promise unexpected usefulness. The hardy Minnesota 
combinations with large Japanese and Domestica plums are now fruit¬ 
ing; about 8,000 of these ripening this month for the first time; and the 
wonderful combination of size, form, color, growth, foliage, etc., make 
them an absorbing study. The size and quality have in almost every 
case been improved from one to 500 or 600 per cent., and often the 
growth of tree also The hardy little beach plum (Prunus maritima) 
has also been induced to form a combination with some of the giant 
ones, and from their never-failing productiveness, small seed and other 
superior qualities will make themselves felt later on in potnological em 
terprises and investments all around the world. 
E. F. Stephens, Crete, Neb., November 17 , 1900 .—“We always 
read the National Nurseryman with pleasure* We enclose herewith 
$1 to renew subscription, 
