THE NATIONAL NLRSERY.ArAN 
great l)ody of knowledge. There are too many who 
are selfishly serving their own ])nr])oses, and do not 
attend conventions and give to the world the benefits 
of their ex])eriinents and obsei-vations. It pof/s, aud 
/>a?/.s KcU, to carrii on ea-prrinients ri</fit on yonr own 
nnrscrif <jronmh. These create an interest and often 
tiines lead to valuable discoveries, and at meetings 
like this give wholesome topics for open discussion. 
Think of Dr. Kna])]) and what he has done for onr 
southern farms by advocating fewer acres and larger 
yields and diversification written over all his efforts. 
Tie found the older mind not receptive so he directs 
his attention to the boy and girl, who are teaching to 
the parents lessons of the greatest value. The boy 
who produces five times as much corn to the acre as 
his father, and at less cost per bushel, is the better 
farmer and his father must recognize the truth. The 
proof is corn at less cost; other proofs are cotton at 
less cost per pound. Such proofs appeal to both head 
and pocket. 
The men who will not learn are finding losses for 
their want of progressive ideas. Competition will 
force others to learn, or to go into occupations re¬ 
quiring less intelligence and less training than is re¬ 
quired in the modern nursery business. 
The practical nnrscrjimari tcitli a vision and a- de¬ 
termination to attain if wiU prosper'. The men of re¬ 
sources and intelligence will always be the better 
nurserymen as he would be better in any other field 
of endeavor. 
The nnrserp business is progressing, and when 
horticulture becomes a part of the curricula of the 
schools, when it is taught as other sciences are 
taught, and when the need for the best intelligence is 
met, the progress will be more rapid. The time is 
here and we will see great changes soon. 
What Science Has Done To Help the 
Nurseryman 
There are nurserymen who do not consider the 
work done by science for them, and do not even know 
of the many investigations which bring no results 
other than to know that the thing investigated is 
worth nothing of practical value. If an investigation 
results in failure it may be as useful as if it had been 
a success. Individual losses are saved. 
Science is continually contributing something for 
the benefit of the nurseryman. Science is nothing 
more or less than knowing how to do things correct¬ 
ly. AVhen the scientist is compelled to work against 
the combative spirit or the mental blindness of those 
whom he seeks to serve, he is kept at his task only 
through his intense love for his work, and his optim¬ 
istic hope that sometime the results of his work will 
be accepted for their full value. 
I believe that nnr.scri/ worlc regnires more science 
than the other lines of hortienltnre. Too many nur- 
111 
serynien study things that are off in distant lands 
and ])ay too little attention to things that are close 
by. It is the things that are the closest by that pos¬ 
sess the greatest secrets. I have never yet seen the 
man who could explain the anatomy of the smallest 
plant. AVe often hear men say, “I don’t believe any¬ 
thing for sure, that I do not see.” The fact is that no 
man ever saw the cause of anything—he only sees 
the effects. 
Two trees grow side by side one blights the other 
does not; again on certain soil woolly aphis is ex¬ 
tremely destructive on other little if any injury re¬ 
sults. San Jose scale appears suddenly in your nur¬ 
sery. Die-back hits your peaches this year which 
heretofore has been unknown to you. These ar'e se- 
erets that ar'e u'or'th thinl'ing and studying about. It 
is nature’s way of doing things, of course, and what 
the nurseryman needs is to learn more of nature’s 
ways and assist nature in every way that is possible. 
Burbank says his work is in direct line with nature. 
We are shortening our lives because we are breaking 
nature’s laws. We are spending millions of dollars 
to fight the insect kingdom, because we have broken 
nature’s laws. We are spending fortunes for fertili¬ 
zer because we have failed to regard the laws of na¬ 
ture. We have weakened the vitality of many plants 
and trees because we ignored the laws of nature. 
So the scientific way to conduct a nursery is to as¬ 
sist nature. One may fail to find a connecting link 
that will hitch this suggestion to the practical every¬ 
day affairs of the nursery, but if his work is con¬ 
scientiously done, he is accumulating facts which 
later someone will be able to use and apply to the 
everlasting benefit of the tree growing profession. 
JAMES M. IRVINE 
James Af. Irvine, former Editor of the Fruit Grow¬ 
er Journal, St. Louis, Alissouri, severed his connec¬ 
tion with that pauer last summer. He is now with 
the Curtis Publishing Co., located in their Chicago 
office and is in charge of certain work on the Coun¬ 
try Gentleman. 
The nurserymen among whom Air. Irvine has 
many friends will miss him from the annual conven¬ 
tions, but all unite in wishing him every success in 
the new field in which he is now engaged. 
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSERYMEN 
The 39th annual meeting of the American Associa¬ 
tion of Nurservmen will be held June 24—26,1914, at 
the Hollenden Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio. 
