362 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
would be very remiss were I not to emphasize my appre¬ 
ciation of the able and generous sendees of our devoted 
Secretary, more especially as his services have been gra¬ 
tuitous and he could ill afford to give the time. In this 
connection I would suggest that in future a salary be 
allowed for this most important office of the Association. 
I hope every member in attendance will feel well re¬ 
paid for his journey to Hendersonville, that he will 
gather much of value and carry away the most pleasant 
memories. 
The Association will certainly prosper and bear good 
fruit. 
SHOULD WE DISPOSE OF OUR SURPLUS STOCK 
TO DEPARTMENT STORES, AND OTHERS, AT 
OR RELOW COST OF PRODUCTION? 
Read at the Southern Nurserymen s Convention 
By J. F. Donaldson, Sparta, Kentucky. 
I have been requested to prepare a paper, to be read at 
the annual meeting of the Southern Nurserymen’s Asso¬ 
ciation. After giving this much thought, I decided upon 
the aforesaid topic, as the discussion of this question at 
this time, more than ever before presents to each and 
every nurseryman a vital proposition, for at the present 
time, the grower of good goods is more firmly assailed by 
the “cut throat grower,” and his assaults are becoming 
harder to bear with the advent of each succeeding sea¬ 
son. This necessarily follows, as the cost of labor and 
all other costs entering into the production of nursery 
stock, advances with each year. 
I recall last spring a very prominent department store 
in one of Ohio’s principal cities gave away an immense 
quantity of peach trees, and I have heard upon good 
authority, that these trees were sold at least, for one and 
one-half to two cents each, below the cost of production. 
Who profited by this transaction? Surely not the 
grower; possibly the department store in question, con¬ 
sidered it an excellent advertisement. The consumer 
could be the only one in question to derive any profit, 
from any such philanthropic methods. 
The same methods are being practiced by some seed 
stores, and others, who derive no actual profit by such 
transactions, and the growers are suffering. For in¬ 
stance, we sold an order last spring to a retail customer 
in this same city of, thirty-six trees, consisting of as fol¬ 
lows :— 
12 Apple trees, first-class, at 25 cents each, 
12 Peach trees, first-class, at 25 cents each, 
6 Pear trees, first-class, at 50 cents each, 
6 Cherry trees, first-class, at 50 cents each. 
Just before the time to ship this order arrived, the 
party wrote us to cancel the order, saying, that he could 
purchase the same goods, at less than half the price, we 
were to charge him, from a well known seed store in his 
city. He afterwards showed me the trees that he pur¬ 
chased, at the following prices, Viz. 
12 Apple trees, first-class, at 8 cents each. 
12 Peach trees, first-class, at 6 cents each. 
6 Pear trees, first-class, at 15 cents each, 
6 Cherry trees, first-class, at 20 cents each. 
All of these trees were % inches and up, and seem¬ 
ingly nice, healthy, clean stock. The seedsman who 
sold the trees, must have made a small profit on the 
transaction, freight and packing charges cost something, 
so what did the grower get, for growing the trees two to 
three years? The same methods are being practiced on 
the other side of the world, growers claiming, the pres¬ 
ent war in Europe has caused a trade depression, 
and are consigning stock to the auction houses, depart¬ 
ment stores, ten cent stores, seedsmen and other dealers, 
to be sold at prices, that often will not pay packing, 
freight and duty charges. 
The public or consumer secures his wants, the nursery¬ 
man or dealer loses the opportunity of supplying same 
later at a profit, with the result that our business is de¬ 
moralized, and if some means or methods are not adopted, 
for the suppression of the “cut throat,’ the nursery busi¬ 
ness I think, will surely be very seriously effected. Is 
there any other line of business in the country, in dis¬ 
posing of its manufactured goods, that would not count 
the cost of production, plus a fair profit before making a 
sale? 
I am opposed to any “Rargain Day Sales.” I believe 
in growing first-class stock, and demanding a fair profit 
for same. When I have to dispose of any stock other¬ 
wise, I will do so, by burning on the brush pile. 
Low prices do not make more sales in our business, but 
have a tendency to drive away trade, as the average 
planter, usually thinks very low priced trees and plants 
are inferior in quality, and if you sell low, the quality 
will also be reduced. 
I hope Gentlemen, you will discuss this feature of our 
business and try and devise some means to remedy this 
evil. We are solely responsible for the conditions exist¬ 
ing to-day. 
The most important thing done by the 
■Southern Association in its meeting this year, 
was the forming of a committee to pro¬ 
mote and advertise the fruit interests in the South, by 
collecting and putting together in tangible form definite 
information relative to orchard planting in the Southern 
States, This information is to cover every kind of fruit 
raised by southern nurserymen and fruit growers, and 
is to be used primarily by the southern nurserymen, both 
wholesale and retail, in advancing their sales. 
The committee to do this very important work is com¬ 
posed of Henry R. Chase, Chase, Ala., 0. W. Fraser. 
Huntsville, Ala.; R. C. Rerckmans, Augusta, Ga.; 0. Joe 
Howard, Pomona, N. C.; and R. C. Simpson, Monticello, 
Fla. 
We note with interest that Conard and Jones Com¬ 
pany. West Grove, Penna., who make a specialty of 
roses, are strongly urging the retail trade to plant roses 
in the fall and are offering pot-grown stock for this pur¬ 
pose. It is a wise move as the season is very short in 
the spring when roses can be moved successfully and if 
stock can be supplied to the retail trade in better shape 
there is no reason why the planting season could not be 
much extended and an increased business in roses would 
result. 
