368 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
RAFFIA REQUISITI0NE:D 
September 29th, 1917. 
National Nurseryman: 
The U. S. Army officials have taken every hale of 
raffia we had here. It is used for eamouflagre work— 
for the protection of our troops in France. The French 
authorities had formerly taken all shipments in transit 
for the same purj)ose. It looks as if there will he no raffia 
available for trade purposes for some time—though we 
are now negotiating for the lease or purchase of a steam¬ 
er to bring the shipments awaiting steamer space. 
Owing to there being no regular sailings from Holland, 
arrangements have been made whereby the fall Holland 
nursery stock shipments will come on special steamers 
sailing middle of October and November. It is likely that 
the same arrangements will he made for spring ship¬ 
ments unless there are regular sailings then. 
Lilium giganteum shipments will he very late this sea¬ 
son in arriving from Japan—owing to the lack of ship¬ 
ping space. All available steamers and space is being 
used for carrying war supplies. Formosums are already 
here. 
Manetti stocks ^re practically unprocurable in England 
or France. There was only 30% of a crop in England 
and 15% in France—due to abnormally unfavorable 
spring weather condutions in Europe. 
Pear and apple stocks in large sizes will be very 
scarce in France, small plantings were in general made, 
' but a cold, wet spring and summer made most of them 
run to small sizes. Women and old men are now doing 
the office work in French nurseries. Shipping service 
from France will be equally as good as last season. 
McHutchison & Go. 
PUBLICITY COMMITTEE 
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSERYMEN 
F. L. Atkins, Chairman 
September 20, 1917. 
Gentlemen:— 
You are doubtless familiar with the steps taken at the 
meeting of the American Association of Nurserymen in 
Philadelphia, in June, for the promotion of a Publicity 
Campaign. The one definite thing accomplished the un¬ 
animous endorsement of the report of the Publicity Com¬ 
mittee, suggesting the publication of an educational book¬ 
let, entitled “Planning the Grounds for American Homes.’’ 
A dummy was shown, indicating tlie contents of the book¬ 
let, covering the planting problems, both ornamental and 
fruit, that confront most prospective buyers. The aim 
would be, not the specific selling of any individual plant 
or tree, but to create a desire for more jilantings on the 
part of those who have grounds available for planting. 
The proposed book would be 32 ])ages and cover, with 
many one-color pictures and four pages in full color. The 
inside text would be the same in every case, and a large 
edition would be printed so as to reduce the unit cost. The 
books would be offered in lots as small as 1000 copies to 
nurserymen who desire to circulate them among their 
trade. The covers would be made separately for each or¬ 
der, so that (‘ach nurseryman could have his o-wn individ¬ 
ual cover, with text matter ap])earing on the four i)ages, 
as desired. 
The cost, including the special cover, will he approxi¬ 
mately as follows: 
1000 copies ....8c each 3000 copies ....Gy^c each 
2000 copies ....7c (‘ach 4000 copies ....6c each 
5000 to 10,000 copies.5c each 
Before incurring any ex])ense in the preparation of the 
copy or the manufacturing of the inside of the book, it is 
necessary that the committee know how many copies can 
be sold, and has authorized the undersigned to secure 
this information. We are enclosing herewith a self-ad¬ 
dressed card for your convenience, asking that you report 
by return mail how many copies, if any, your firm can 
use, providing, of course, the pioofs of the book that will 
be shown you later })rove to be tbe kind of book useful in 
your business. This preliminary canvass, therefore, is 
simply to give the Committee an idea as to the quantity of 
books to be ])rovided. 
Please sign and return the enclosed card not later than 
October 1, so that the ])reliminary woj’k may proceed 
without delay. It is desired to have the books ready for 
circulation during early winter and for next spring’s 
business. 
Yours very truly, 
Publicity Committee 
Box 655, Harrisburg, Pa. 0. P. Reckley„ Editor. 
Norristown, Pa., September 21, 1917. 
Mr. F. L. Atkins, 
Chairman Publicity Committee, 
Rutherford, N. J. 
Dear Sir:— 
Replying to your circular letter of September 20th, 
signed by Mr. 0. P. Berkley, Editor. 
I beg to say that your scheme of a booklet such as you 
speak of seems to me entirely worthless, and this method 
of beginning a publicity campaign will never be 
worth even the time it takes to talk about it. I will not 
only not suport it, but I wish to be recorded as opposing 
it. And I am surprised, yes exceedingly surprised, that 
the house that Mr. Reckley represents, is fathering and 
siqiporting, so small and the next door to nothing kind 
of a scheme. 
In the first place, this veiy scheme of yours has been 
worn out by the lithograhing houses years ago, and at 
the present time, booklets of this nature can be bought 
from any and all of them, and are being bougbt and 
distributed by the agents of the most of the Retail Nur¬ 
sery concerns. 
And hasn’t our distinguished friend Mr. McFarland de¬ 
clared in some of his speeches and in some of his full 
page advertisements against the littleness of “stock 
goods.” However enough of this. 
If the Publicity Committee of the A. A. N. wants to do 
something that is worth while, that is reaching the pub¬ 
lic, then let them join in the [mblicity work of the Amer¬ 
ican Florists, such as was organized in their Convention 
in New York city. 
I think it would b(' well for your Committee to confer 
with Mr. Therkildson and get all the facts and plans. 
