THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
9i 
and many of them might have been prevented from entering 
our ports, had there been at least a national system of quaran¬ 
tine and inspection such as is now carried on successfully by 
the State of California at the port of San Francisco.” 
We agree fully with Dr. Howard on this subject. Keep the 
insect pests out of this country and reduce the labor of the nur¬ 
seryman who is obliged as a matter of business policy to use 
every precaution to keep his stock free from anything which 
would make it unsalable. 
There is much of truth and wholesome advice in the com¬ 
munication of Frederick W. Kelsey of New York in the July 
issue of the National Nurseryman. “ Every effort to im 
prove existing conditions by artificial barriers to the natural 
laws of trade is inevitably disappointing and doomed to even¬ 
tual failure,” he says. “The reaction is worse than the action. 
The ink is yet fresh on the various scale laws of the different 
states, when it is found that the intended remedy is worse than 
the disease, that kind nature and self-interest are the best pre¬ 
ventives against insect pest encroachment.” 
THE BUSINESS SITUATION. 
In the May issue of the National Nurseryman reports 
from all quarters indicated a marked improvement in the con¬ 
dition of the nursery business and particularly in the middle 
and western states. In the June issue ex-President J. H. 
Hale of the American Association expressed surprise that 
there should be such unanimity of expression on the improved 
conditions and stated what he believed to be the facts. He 
cited some undesirable features in the conduct of the nursery 
business as tending to demoralize it, especially the sending of 
wholesale lists to retail buyers. While upon all sides such 
practices are deprecated, there is not a single open advocacy 
of them and it is therefore generally admitted that they are 
against the interests of the trade. 
But while there is this internal difficulty to meet, there are 
and have been changes in external conditions which have a 
most important bearing upon the trade situation. These 
changes were noted in our May reports and upon them was 
based the assertion that the nursery business was improving. 
When there is a combination of wholesale lists to retail buyers 
and lack of money among those buyers, certainly the removal 
of either or both of these barriers to successful business should 
result in an improvement. It was stated by our correspon¬ 
dents that the farmers, realizing well on their crops, had money 
for nursery stock ; that sales had increased from 25 to 50 per 
cent., and that collections were much easier. Especially was 
this the case in the West where sales and collections had pre¬ 
viously been slow. 
Fully corroborating our reports are those of the American 
Agriculturist for the week ended July 23d. That journal 
says : 
We have obtained reports from a majority of the leading firms in all 
branches of the agricultural trade, particularly in the western and 
middle states. Most of these returns go into considerable detail, and 
give a very full insight, into the real state of farmers’ finances. These 
letters were in most cases written to us in confidence, and we are there¬ 
fore able to print only a few of them. Altogether these reports make 
a most remarkable exhibit. They show that trade with the farmers 
has increased this year from 10 to 300 per cent, over the corresponding 
seven months of last year. Only in one or two cases is business re¬ 
ported ns less than last year, and these were for special causes. The 
universal report is more business. In a few cases, manufacturers of 
popular specialties for farmers are making three and four times as 
many sales as in recent years. 
We regard as even more important evidence the increases of 25 to 50 
per cent, in sales reported by many of the largest manufacturers of 
staple implements and agricultural supplies. These concerns do such 
a large volume of business, some of them covering the whole United 
States and Canada, that their general unanimity in reporting an in¬ 
crease of trade is proof conclusive of the accuracy of all other evidences 
of larger purchasing power among farmers. 
All returns agree that collections are easier among the farmers than 
for years. 
The prospects for agricultural trade are believed to be the best in 
years. No exceptions to this opinion are expressed in the more than 
500 returns at hand. Many concerns were forced to run their factories 
overtime the past winter and spring, and even then some could not 
keep up with their orders. In several cases, goods for next spring’s 
trade, which usually are not manufactured until winter, are now being 
made up during the otherwise usually dull period in such factories. 
This confidence in the future is expressed by all branches of agricul¬ 
tural trade—implements, vehicles, dairy and poultry goods, fencing, 
etc. ^t is strongest in the middle and western states, but appears to be 
growing in the South and in New England. 
The restoration of more satisfactory conditions outside of 
the trade should be encouragement to all to adopt only such 
methods as are sanctioned by sound business practice. 
WHAT IS A FIRST CLASS TREE. 
“We conceive a first class nursery tree,” says Professor 
Bailey, “to be one which grows straight and smooth, tall and 
stocky, while we know that very many, perhaps half, the varie¬ 
ties of apples and pears and plums will not grow that way. 
In order to make our conception true we grow those varieties 
which will satisfy the definition, and, as a result, there is a 
constant tendency to eliminate from our lists some of the best 
and most profitable varieties. All this could be remedied if 
people were to be taught that varieties of fruit trees may be 
just as different and distinct in habit of growth as they are in 
kind of fruit, and that a first class tree is a well-grown speci¬ 
men which has the characteristics of the variety. Why may 
not a catalogue explain that a tree may be first class and yet 
be crooked and gnarly ? Why not place the emphasis upon 
health and vigor, and not upon mere shape and comeliness ? 
And why may not a nurseryman give a list of those varieties 
which are comely growers and another list of those which are 
wayward growers ? ” 
The use of photo-engravings in nursery catalogues which is 
becoming more widespread each year, gives a more accurate 
view of the stock offered, and it is quite probable that in the 
near future the tendency, already marked, to let nature have 
its course to a great degree in the growth of ornamental trees 
will extend to fruit trees ; always with due regard, of course, 
to the value of the pruning knife for the production of fruit. 
The education o£the grower that he may select the varie¬ 
ties which are best for his purposes and conditions is the first 
step in the improvement of fruit growing generally. Professor 
Bailey suggests that this education should at least be fostered 
by the nurseryman inasmuch as his ultimate success is deter¬ 
mined by the profitableness of fruit growing. 
M. J. Henrv, Vancouver, B. C., June 2 .—“ I enclose on'e dollar in 
payment of my subscription to National Nurseryman another year. 
A good publication, growing better every year, and it is a pleasure to 
receive and read it.” 
