The National Nurseryman. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK. 
t 
Copyright, 1898, by the National Nurseryman Publishing Co. 
VOL. VI. ROCHESTER, N. Y., MAY, 1898. No. 4. 
HEAVY WESTERN TRADE. 
Sales Active Since Early Winter— Prices Are^ Ruling Considerably 
Higher—Surplus Stock Used Up—Prospects Bright for Fall 
and Spring—Collections Have Improved Greatly. 
Topeka, Kan., April 6.—F. W. Watson & Co.: “Trade 
has been unusually good this spring. All the cherry, peach, 
plum, pear, and commercial sorts of apple were sold out 
clean ; there are a few northern sorts of apple unsold yet. 
Prices rule higher than last spring. Taking everything into 
consideration, trade has been the best we have had for the last 
five years. 
“We anticipate better prices for the coming fall and spring, 
owing to the light plant of nursery stock which is general over 
the West ; to the splendid crop of wheat the past summer, and 
the prospect of another record breaker this season. The 
farmers through the West have money and are liberal.” 
North Topeka, Kan., April 6.—A. L. Brooke: “Trade 
has been excellent here this spring, prices on some branches 
of trade advancing almost ioo per cent. Surplus stock in the 
West is all used up, with the trade asking for more. This is 
just the opposite of one year ago.” 
Geneva, Neb, April ci.—Youngers & Co.: “Our ship¬ 
ping season opened up this spring, about two weeks earlier 
than ordinarily, and has been heavier throughout than for the 
past four years. Prices are ruling better and, up to date, col¬ 
lections are very much better. Our bu iness this year will 
probably run thirty per cent, ahead of last, and stock will be 
well closed out, except, perhaps, some heavy shade trees and 
a few light and medium plums. 
“ From our information at present, all the merchantable 
stock in the West will be closed out, and we will be ready to 
commence anew. We believe that prices are bound to 
advance for the fall business. The outlook is very much 
brighter than it has been for some time past. There is not 
the usual amount of young stock coming on, owing to nursery¬ 
men reducing their plants materially in the last two years.” 
Salt Lake City, Utah, April ir.—Pioneer Nurseries 
Company : “ Spring sales have been fully as good as last 
year. The principal trouble is low prices. The people are 
willing enough to buy, but they want the stock at about cost 
of production. We are sold out clean on everything except a 
few apples, and think the other nurseries here have done the 
same. We do not think the outlook is any better. Stocks are 
costing nearly double what they did last year, and indications 
are that it will be impossible to get a better price for the trees 
when grown. All the money in the country seems to be in the 
banks, where, of course, it does nobody any good. This is 
the result of the gold standard. We cannot expect anything 
different until there is a change of some kind ” 
Ottawa, Kan., April 15.—A. Willis : “We have sent out 
the largest amount of stock we have done any year since we 
began business. It is yet too early to report our success or 
failure in making collections, but at the present the outlook is 
hopeful. The prices we have obtained have been low, but 
somewhat better than last year on wholesale, and about the 
same on retail stock. The season has been one of the most 
difficult to do pny work in we have had since I have been in 
business, owing to the great amount of rain, and to two heavy 
freezing spells that came when we were in the busiest part of 
the season. The great amount of rainfall has also retarded 
our planting seriously. 
“All round, we will say, if our present hopes are realized 
in the matter of collections, this will be one of the best years 
in our experience. It is our earnest hope that the severe 
financial depression that has brought so many difficulties to 
our business is passing away.” 
Lawrence, Kan , April 15 . —A. H. Griesa : “The nursery 
business has been very good this spring; sales have been 
active since in early winter ; the demand has been for the 
leading winter kinds of apples, and peach trees ; the other 
kinds could not be sold at paying prices ; pear, plum and 
cherry trees were not in such demand ; pay has been good in 
most deliveries. Where people have the money, they pay 
freely, and as crop prespects are good, a hopeful feeling pre¬ 
vails for the future. 
“The future supply in nurseries is not large, yet no dearth 
will likely prevail in trees for some time to come ; unless all 
the nurserymen should turn out to give freedom to Cuba.” 
MISSOURI HORTICULTURE. 
Secretary L. A. Goodman, of the Missouri State Horticul¬ 
tural Society sends out another bulletin regarding the condi¬ 
tion of the fruit crop. This one is dated April 15, 1898. It 
summarizes reports from eighty counties. It is declared that 
the injury from the late freeze in March was not so great as 
was supposed. There is a prospect for a good crop of apples 
all over the state. The peach crop in the southern part of the 
state was damaged by frost. 
The drouth of r87 affected the fruit trees so that the injury 
will be noticeable throughout this year. “ The apple and 
peach trees,” says Secretary Goodman, “ so heavily loaded 
last year with fruit, were badly injured by the drouth, and I 
fear that the effect will be shown in the dying trees for the 
next few years. The enormous crop on some of our orchaids 
so sapped the vitality of the trees that it cannot help but 
injure them.” 
Dr. Bernard E. Fernow, chief of the United States Division 
of Forestry, the newly appointed director of the new College 
of Forestry of Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y., is at work 
arranging the curriculum of the college for announcement 
next summer. 
