THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
and the opportunity to become acquainted with your cus¬ 
tomers is worth many times the cost of the trip. 
It will give you many pleasant memories after the 
meeting and you will have new zest and interest in your 
work. 
When you sit down to write anyone whom you have 
met at the Convention, it is like talking to a friend. Or¬ 
ders will he easier to secure and when you want to buy, 
you will get more consideration. 
Come to Detroit this year June 23rd to 25th and I know 
you will enjoy every minute of your stay. 
Yours truly, 
11. 1). Simpson. 
Paul C. Lindley writes:—I will state that the South At¬ 
lantic and adjoining Southern States are coming to De¬ 
troit strong and will boost Asheville, N. C., “the Land of 
■the Sky,” as the next place of meeting. 
Asheville is accessible from all points and has plenty 
of hotels. The Grove Park Inn, located there, being tin* 
finest resort hotel in the world. 
T1IE BADGE BOOK 
The last day for receiving memberships so as to be 
sure of insertion in the Badge Book is May 20th. How ¬ 
ever, memberships, without any advertisements that are 
received up to May 25th, can be included in the Badge 
Book. But all tardy ones received after May 25th can¬ 
not be inserted in the Badge Book proper, but should 
there be a sufficient number, they can be printed on a 
sheet and inserted in the Badge Book, after it comes from 
the bindery. 
Would suggest that all memberships, you receive up to 
May 20th, be sent on that date to Secretary John Hall, 
Rochester, N. Y. Then all tardy ones, coming in after 
that date, be sent in as soon as received. Extreme tardy 
ones may only be able to get a receipt and Badge. 
EXHIBITS 
It is the wish, of the Exhibition Committee, to make the 
“exhibits” at the annual convention this year as interest¬ 
ing as possible, and hope all members who have stock or 
implements to exhibit will take advantage of this oppor¬ 
tunity to display them before the convention. 
Tasteful and attractive arrangement contributes mat¬ 
erially to the success of the exhibition from a pictur¬ 
esque, as well as from a valuable advertising standpoint, 
and it is hoped exhibitors will keep this in mind, and ar¬ 
range their exhibits to the best advantage. 
While the space is fairly large, it is also limited, so I 
hope all who wish to exhibit will advise me ol the tact at 
once, also the amount of space required, and whether 
such space be on wall, table or floor. 
There will be no charge for exhibition space this year, 
but exhibitors will be expected to place their exhibitions 
in space assigned them, and pay all freight and cartage 
charges, and make all necessary arrngements lor their 
removal, after the close of the convention. 
Albert F. Meehan, Chairman . 
HUMUS 
I he old time gardener seldom made up a potting com¬ 
post without the addition ot leal mold, he had been taught 
by generations of experience, it w as a valuable substance 
*lo add to his polling soil. While he may have been ig¬ 
norant of its chemical effects, he knew the physical ef¬ 
fects of keeping the soil open by keeping the particles of 
sand and clay asunder, thus improving its aeration and 
porosity. 
Experience also taught him, that it is “hungry stuff” 
and that with the exception of some plants, such as ferns; 
few plants would do their best in it. 
Among the laymen, the common error was and is still 
prevalent that humus or leaf soil is rich in plant foods, 
but the practitioner knows better. It does however, 
perform important functions in the soil in addition to the 
physical ones of keeping it open, retaining heat, and hold¬ 
ing moisture. 
The decaying leaves are a medium for the existence of 
certain fungi which are very beneficial to the grow th of 
certain plants, notably the Heaths, Conifers, Beaches, 
Chestnuts, etc. The fungal threads or filaments can 
readily be seen investing the roots of these plants, and 
are only present when they are in good healthy condition. 
It has been suggested, that the true cause of the Chestnut 
Blight is really due to the loss of humus and the attendant 
beneficial fungi. When one stops to consider how en¬ 
tirely changed are the conditions now r from what they 
were when the chestnut forests were in their prime, the 
suggestion does not appear so unreasonable, perhaps in 
time the scientists will prove it to be actually the case 
That the blight could never have made headway, if the 
humus could have been conserved. 
The forest lire, and the baring of the whole country of 
growth not immediately useful to man, has undoubtedly 
upset the balance of nature, results of which are sure to 
be far reaching and not altogether to our profit. 
Topeka, Kansas, April 16th, 1915. 
National Nurseryman, 
Flourtown, Pa. 
Dear Sir:— 
We grow apple and pear seedlings exclusively. There 
was only a light crop this season, yet they were not all 
used, some little surplus left for the trash pile. Prices 
ruled fair early in the season but dropped to nearly zero 
at the close, owing to the attempt of the dealers and grow ¬ 
ers to close out their surplus, but it would not move. The 
plant this spring of apple stocks for budding and of apple 
grafts is considerable below the average. We expect a 
very much better demand this fall, ow ing to two years of 
light planting, the surplus of apple trees w ill be cleaned 
up with this springs business. The seedling growers 
have lost money the past two years. 
Yours truly, 
F. W. Watson & Co. 
