]20 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Leucothoe Catesbaei 
T ilt] subject of our illustration is perhaps the most 
beautiful of all the native evergreen shrubs. 
There are some that are more showy, such as the 
kalmia and Rhododendron, especially when in flower, 
but an arching spray of the Leucothce Catesbaei in flower 
is perfection itself. 
When the florists use the foliage of a plant for making 
their floral designs, it can be depended upon to be good, 
and this plant has been a favorite with them for this pur¬ 
pose for a long time. 
Nurserymen are not so much interested in the value 
of a plant for cut purposes, as its usefulness as a decora¬ 
tive subject when growing. The Leucothoe is every¬ 
thing that could be desired except its adaptability. It is 
not a quick and easy grower, except under conditions 
that suit it. 
Reing an ericaecous plant, it wants about the same 
treatment as the Rhododendron and Azalea. If it were 
as easy to propagate and grow as say the Spiraea Van 
Ilouttei, we should be planting it by the millions in¬ 
stead of hundreds as at present. 
There is no finer plant for massing at the base of 
Rhododendron beds or as a cover plant along walks and 
drives in semi-shaded places, without any consideration 
of the flowers, the long arching sprays are exquisitely 
beautiful in themselves, the leaves take on supeih colors 
when growing in full sunshine, brilliant bronze and wine 
color. 
Although belonging to the heath family, it is much 
freer growing than the majority of plants belonging to 
this group and transplants very readily. 
It is propagated by division, cuttings of the under¬ 
ground runners and from seed. The seeds germinate 
readily when sown in spaghnum moss or peat under 
glass. 
It would be well worth w^hile for some nurseryman t(y 
specialize on this beautiful plant, there is little doubt 
that much could be done with it, if better demonstrated 
to the public. 
Most of the stock procurable now is collected stock, 
which has pei-haps been transplanted in the nursery and 
this is never uniform and good as stock that is nursery 
raised. 
The Hollanders offer it in their lists and find a ready 
sale in this country, which is not to the credit of the 
nurserymen here, with a plant that is so common to the 
woods in our Southern States and so readily propagated. 
Shall the Consumer Buy His Nursery Stock at 
Wholesale Prices? 
A. C. Hanson, Sales Manager, The Hawks Nursery Co. 
The return of Spring brings with it in ever increasing 
numbers that well know n “pest” known to retail nursery¬ 
men as the Wholesale price-list in places where it does 
not properly belong. 
It w as indeed very unfortunate that the stinger in the 
Cashman resolution concerning the curtailment of the 
issuance of wholesale price-lists was removed before pas¬ 
sage at the Milwaukee convention last June. Without 
a penalty a ruling or ordinance is null and void so far as 
a salutary effect is concerned. About all you get from 
the violator of the agreement or ruling is an apology 
whereas one might reasonably expect a cessation of in¬ 
fringement of rules if a fine or expulsion from the So¬ 
ciety were a part of the by-laws. So far as any actual 
good having been accomplished is concerned, wm all might 
just as well have saved our breath; saved a lot of time, 
discussion and energy in the passage of the Cashman 
resolution. We have not produced the Nurseryman’s 
Directory and the wdiolesaler goes merrily on, sending 
out his price-lists wherever he thinks the fishing is good 
and business will result. 
It has been said by some wdiolesale nurserymen that 
retail nurserymen have been know n to sell below what 
might be termed retail prices. In answ er to that, if the 
wholesale nurserymen, individually or collectively, are 
in accord with the Cashman resolution, the sum and sub¬ 
stance of which is that wholesale price-lists shall only 
go to men actually engaged in the nursery business who 
buy trees to sell again, what possible interest can the 
wholesale nurseryman have in the prices the retail nur¬ 
seryman makes? What business is it of his any how? 
It is only reasonable to credit the retailer with sense 
enough not to quote losing prices and in any event, he is 
never on level terms with the wholesaler when it comes 
to quoting prices. In the last issue of the Trade Jour¬ 
nals, there appeared some very fine articles writ¬ 
ten in the best of faith. They have been carefully 
thought out along the lines of harmony within the organ¬ 
ization and no doubt with a view of placating the wrath 
of the retail nurseryman. This mantle of charity has 
been thrown about the shoulders of the retail nursery¬ 
man for a good many years, but each year the pill be¬ 
comes a little more bitter and requires a little more of a 
wash to down it. If you were a retail nurseryman, how 
would you feel about the following? The city of West 
Allis, one-half mile south of Wauwatosa, now having a 
Socialist administration, conceived the idea of buying 
twm thousand elms wdiich they are going to plant on city 
streets and charge back to the property owners. Invi¬ 
tation bids were extended. ' Ten firms responded, bid¬ 
ding as follows: 70c, 75c, 55c, $1.15, 59c, 75c, 80c, 75c, 
50c, 65c. 
Our correspondent gave the names of the firms bidding 
