The National Nurseryman. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK. 
Copyright, 1897, by the National Nurseryman Publishing Co. 
VoL. V. ROCHESTER, N. Y., MAY. 1897. No. 4. 
SPRING SALES 
Volume of Business Compares Favorably— 
Prices Lower Than Ever —Scarcity of 
Money—Little Prospective Planting. 
Following are reports of spring sales from all sections : 
Brown Brothers’ Co., Rochester, N. Y.:—“Our spring 
’97 season was a very satisfactory one and slightly in advance 
of the preceding year. We believe the outlook for fall busi¬ 
ness is fairly bright, and have hopes that it will be very much 
better than even anticipated.” 
Irving Rouse, Rochester, N. Y.:—“Speaking for my own 
business, I can say that the amount of trees handled this spring 
compares favorably with the amount of business done last 
year. This is partly owing to the fine weather we have had. 
The prices unfortunately are still lower than last year, and are 
in all lines at or below the cost of production. 
“ The amount of two-year stock coming on for next fall’s 
business is, however, largely diminished, and with a normal 
trade, we look to see a sharp advance all along the line, on 
next season’s business.” 
Chase Brothers Co., Rochester, N. Y.:—“ Our business of 
this spring compares quite favorably with that of one year ago. 
Retail sales will figure about the same in dollars. Cannot 
say at this time as to the figures on wholesale business, as we 
have had no time to figure up and make comparison ; but 
wholesale trade has been coming in in very fair shape. We of 
course hope for a better business another year,” 
IN THE WEST. 
Geneva, Neb., April 19.—Youngers & Co.: “We are un¬ 
able at this date to give anything more than an approximate 
idea of our business for the spring of ’97. This much we 
know, that the volume is much larger than it has been for four 
years. We have been running under high pressure since the 
middle of March, and sales are still good. Prices are, how¬ 
ever, far from satisfactory. Still we have not sold at the low 
prices that some of our neighbors have. 
“ We find a tendency toward strengthening on certain lines 
of stock. With us cherry trees have been much stronger than 
in the early part of the season. Our trade has also been very 
heavy on peaches, and from present indications will close the 
spring business with not enough stock on hand to load an 
ordinary hay rack. So far collections are exceptionally good. 
We hope to be able to report later that business has been very 
satisfactory,” 
Ottawa, Kan., April 17.—A. Willis : “Our trade this past 
year was very good from the time our salesmen began work 
until the first of August; after that it was light all fall and 
winter, making our last fall trade light and trade again light 
for this spring ; making trade for the fall of 1896 and spring of 
1897 about one-third less than it was for the fall of 1895 and 
spring of 1896. So much for the retail trade, 
“Collections fall of 1896, poor all round. In spring of 
1897 full reports not yet in, but apparently fully as good as the 
average in wholesale trade. In the fall it has always been 
light. The present spring we have had the largest trade we 
have ever had, but at very low prices. We hope the future 
will bring us a better show for prosperity than has been our 
lot this year.” 
Lawrence, Kan., April 17,—A. H. Griesa : “The season 
has not been as favorable to nursery work as one could wish 
for. It was too wet most all the time either to dig, pack or 
set trees. The amount of trees sold was less than last year, 
at a rather less price. 
“ The prospects are not flattering for the future. When the 
price of farm produce rules as the past years, there is not much 
profit left in the farmer’s pocket wherewith he can buy the 
material to keep up or improve the farm. An improvement in 
the price of farm products will do more to establish business 
than any political confidence. Until the people and politicians 
unite in providing more money to circulate for the product of 
labor whether trees, farm produce or other product, it will not 
get there, and the decline will continue. 
“ In this state according to official reports gathered by 
assessors there was 450 acres less in nurseries in the state in 
1896 than in 1895. Yet I believe there are more trees burned 
in 1897 than any year before. And yet there were lots of trees 
sold.” 
Lawrence, Kan., April 21.—There is at least one nursery 
firm not discouraged by the “universal depression.” Last 
spring A. C. Griesa & Bro., of this place, with C. W. Carman 
invested in the Lawrence Nursery Company. That venture 
has been of sufficient success to encourage them to push a 
little harder in their home office, the old Mount Hope, and 
they have lately arranged with G. L. Knight, formerly of 
Rochester, N. Y., to take charge of their retail correspondence. 
Instead of having large quantities of stock to burn this 
spring, as was expected early in the season, they report every¬ 
thing sold except a few varieties of apples grown for the 
northern trade. 
CENTRAL STATES. 
Waukee, Ia., April 17.—John Wragg & Sons Co.: “We 
are glad to report that we are getting most through with our 
spring delivery. It has been the wettest and most disagreeable 
spring that we have experienced since we commenced business 
in 1876. 
“ Our wholesale trade has been much poorer than the past 
three years. Our retail trade is very poor. It appears that we 
are just reaping our harvest of our four years of democracy. 
“ In some of our special lines we have sold our stock out 
very close. The evergreen trade is the only thing that we can 
report up to an average. Take it as a whole our business will 
not average 20 per cent, of what it was even last year, and 
