THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
43 
GOOD TRADE IIS THE EAST. 
All the Wholesalers Busy During a Long Packing Season — Belief 
That Low Prices Will he Followed by an Increase in the Fall 
— Canada’s Restriction Act Affected Same Unfavorably. 
Geneva, N. Y., April 8—W. & T. Smith Company: “It 
is our opinion that shipments from Geneva this spring have 
been fully as large as in other seasons. The earliness of the 
season has helped us greatly in making our shipments, and we 
think most stock will be pretty closely bought up with the ex¬ 
ception perhaps of some standard pears, quinces and European 
plums. The surplus of apples, peaches and cherries seems to 
have been entirely disposed of.” 
Wesley, Md., April 9.—Wm. M. Peters’ Sons: “This 
spring sales far in advance of last spring. One reason was 
that we had much more to offer, but am certain that the gen¬ 
eral demand was an increase over last year. We have no 
complaint to make and feel much encouraged to increase our 
plant this spring on a general line, peach trees and strawberry 
plants being a specialty, and our plant of apple more than 
three times that of last season. 
“Orders are still coming in. It is an unusual thing for us 
to receive many orders after April 1st. Sold more peach this 
spring than we ever did in one season. If we were to tell you 
how many, you would naturally say that sounds loud. 
“ Retail trade with us increased 50 per cent, and our opinion 
is that the coming season will be an improvement for all lines 
of nursery stock.” 
Baltimore, April ir.—Franklin Davis Nursery Co.: “We 
have had this spring the bes season for many years, both in 
wholesale and retail trade. It has crowded us to keep up with 
our orders, and at this writing we are still very busy. As far 
as we can learn, the indications for fall are favorable to satis¬ 
factory trade.” 
New York, April n.—Andre L. Causse : “I do not carry 
nursery stock in this city, but simply take importation orders 
in the summer and fall for winter and early spring delivery. 
All I can say is, that the demand has been more active for the 
importation of nursery stocks than it has been in the last two 
years ; and owing to short supplies abroad, prices made late 
in the winter were higher than those at which sales were 
effected last May and June for winter delivery. 
“ I anticipate a good trade next year and unless political 
events interfere with business, we should see better prices in 
the season of I898-99.” 
Bridgeville, Del., April n.—Myer & Son : “In spite of 
the fact that the Canadian law was passed just at the begin¬ 
ning of the packing season, causing orders to be cancelled, 
and the extremely early spring stopping the sale of peach, our 
spring sales thus far have been unusually large. The price of 
peach has been low. Other stock has kept at about the same 
price as last year. The cold snap of the past tew days has in¬ 
jured the peach buds in this locality, but there is still a pros¬ 
pect of a pretty fair crop.” 
Germantown, Pa., April 15.—Thomas Meehan & Sons ; 
“We commenced business fully two or three weeks earlier 
than usual, and we have done an immense amount of trade 
since the shipping season started. If it continues as late as 
usual, we feel certain that the amount of stock shipped will be 
considerably in excess of former years. At the present writ¬ 
ing it is quite cold and though the foliage has started to some 
extent, yet it appears as though the season would remain open 
as long as usual. In this case, the results of spring business 
will be very gratifying. 
“We think the amount of ornamental stock offered by nurs¬ 
erymen this spring is about equal to what it has been in the 
last few seasons, and far too much to make the business as 
profitable as it would otherwise be. The trade in ornamental 
stock is being over done, just as it was with the fruit trade 
business.” 
Syracuse, N Y.. April 15 . —Smiths and Powell Co.: “We 
have had a short, busy season and had prices been anything 
like what they should have been we would sav we have had a 
good season. Prices are so low that it is discouraging and 
while there seems to be an upward tendency, it is so gradual 
and slow as to be almost provoking It will be a matter of pure 
conjecture, as to what the future of the business will be, with 
the “jingo” talk in our national legislature and elsewhere, 
and the prospects of a war ahead. Unquestionably there are 
fewer trees in the nurseries of the United States, than there 
were a few years back, but we doubt if the “cut” in planting 
has been sufficient to overcome the glut there has been in the 
market. 
“Just at this time we are giving our lime and labor to the 
preparation of a catalogue and making arrangements for our 
dispersion sale, of all of our horses and cattle, which will take 
place on the fair grounds, near this city on May 3 and 4.” 
Reading, Mass., April n. —Jacob W. Manning: “Indi¬ 
cations are favorable for a good spring business.” 
Richmond, Va., April 8.—W. T. Hood & Co.: “Our spring 
retail trade has been fairly good, though not as large as our 
trade of ’97. Collections have been satisfactory. The out¬ 
look for the fall retail trade is not as good as a year ago. The 
trade demand for stock is very light, and prices are so low that 
there is very little encouragement to the grower. The buyer 
now has every advantage.” 
Cayuga, N. Y., April 7.—Wiley & Co.: “Our spring of 
’98 sales to date are nearly double last spring’s sales. Too 
early to anticipate what they will approach, as many orders 
are coming in now and will continue for two weeks or more. 
“ As was feared by some, the recent prohibitory legislation 
by the Canadian people will leave a surplus of stock at some 
of our nursery centers, which is already being offered at prices 
which tend only to demoralize the business. Growers are 
largely responsible for prevailing prices—better burn our sur¬ 
plus trees than to sell below cost of making them.” 
Wfst Chester, Pa., April 8.—Hoopes, Bro. & Thomas : 
“ Spring with us opened unusually early and we have therefore 
been more busy than is customary up to this time, and con¬ 
sequently have been able to get more stock away. The prices, 
however, are so unsatisfactory and so low that there is not 
much encouragement. We think the nurserymen have only 
themselves to blame, and we believe at the end of the season 
there will be very little merchantable stock left over.” 
Baikd, N. J., April 9.—David Baird & Son : “Our spring 
shipping opened very much earlier than usual, and our busi¬ 
ness up to date has been much heavier than last year. With 
an average of considerably lower prices, we are alarmed at this 
reduction, as it not only points to no profit but actual loss. 
This state of affairs, however, must correct itself.” 
