THP] NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
17cS 
diseases and insect ])ests. How to mix and apply 
fungicides, insecticides, etc., to cure diseases and ex¬ 
terminate i)ests. 
lie mnst learn to protect them in summer and win¬ 
ter, to develop them into healthy and shapely plants, 
nnderstand the cnltivation of the soil and its ef¬ 
fects on the plants. 
lie mnst learn how to dig and handle all kinds of 
stock quickly and carefnlly, how to ]nick stock to 
carry safely by any route, railroad, steamship, ex¬ 
press, mail to any ])art of the world, also local deliv¬ 
ery. He will learn to make the cases or bales in 
which they are packed for he must be a handy man, 
teamster, carpenter, machinist, plumber, steam fitter, 
l)ainter, glazer, mason, cement worker, fireman, coal 
heaver and various other trades combined. 
llis constant com])anion is a nine ])ound spade. 
iV knowledge of nursery work is not gained in a 
day, there is always plenty to learn, none know it all 
and not one ever will, life is too short. Methusaleli 
did not live long enough to study the various 
branches of nursery work. 
If a lad of sixteen be a hustler and proves to like 
the work, his wages are raised slowly, half a dollar 
or a dollar per year, usually too slow to hold him 
from a more lucrative job, for very few bright, 
thrifty lads stick until they are men. 
At the age of twenty-one they are making from 
nine to ten-fifty per week. Any laborer can com¬ 
mand the same pay or more. At a trade the lad 
Avould receive from $3 to $‘5 per day. At the age of 
25 or 30 a nurseryman will average $14.50 to $15 per 
week, almost equal to a motorman or conductor on 
the street cars. It recinires three whole days to 
learn either. 
On everv nurserv will be fonnd a few real stickers, 
that are loyal and like the work, who have put in 
years and do not feel like graduating as motormen, 
or better paid men such as policemen, firemen, or civ¬ 
il service, which any of these men could pass. 
In the busy season they will work in the rain or the 
snoAV until soaked through to the skin or stay over¬ 
time to get necessary work done. They are on the 
job every day and do not complain no matter what 
the task may be. They know what is to be done and 
do it, without urging, usually directing several other 
men. 
You can readily pick them out from among the 
bum, hoboes and newly arrived foreigners hired ex¬ 
tra for the busy season, but their compensation is sel¬ 
dom equal to other lines where less brains are requir¬ 
ed. 
Ten years ago, $15 per week, steady the year round 
would have been good wages. At the present time 
it is s])ending money for the single man, while the 
straggler with a family can manage to exist, provid¬ 
ed he has a ])oor memory Avhen bills become dne. 
AVith his abundant knowledge of horticulture, were 
his abilities known there are many fields open to him, 
such as large inivate estates, parks, foresters, etc., 
but he sticks to tlie nursery. He is essentially a grow¬ 
er without capital to go into the Nursery or Land¬ 
scape business for himself and very slim chances of 
acquiring it. 
He may look forward to becoming superintendent 
at some remote time if the present one dies, about the 
same chance as a common sailor has of becoming ad¬ 
miral of the fleet. 
The lad that enters the nursery business from the 
office end has more opportunity for advancement. He 
can get experience from both sides. He is thought 
more of generally and is not thrown continuously in 
contact with the lowest element of foreign labor, like 
his outdoor brother, which does not inii)rove the use 
of good English language or thought. 
His surroundings are better at all times; those 
above him help to direct his tliouglits, his general 
conversation is imi)roved, there is no hard labor or 
drudgery, hours of labor are less and he has more op¬ 
portunity for study. 
Everything considered tlie indncements for a 
young man of good calibre to stick to the nursery 
business are very few. It is curious emploj^ers do 
not realize this to a greater extent and plan to in¬ 
crease them, because the graduate by way of the 
spade i)roduces the employee that is really worth 
while. 
AN ACT TO AMEND THE AGRICULTURAL LAW 
OF NEW YORK. 
National Nurserymen Publishing Co., 
(irentlemen:— 
I am able to make a report on the status of the Bill 
introduced into the New York State Assembly by Mr. 
Gillette, February 24th, 1914, and also, at the same 
time, ill the Senate by Senator AYilson. 
This Bill was an amendment to the Agricultural 
Law in relation to the sale of fruit-bearing trees. The 
Bill was formulated by the Legislative Committee of 
the New Y^ork State Emit Growers’ Association, af¬ 
ter consultation with the Legislative Committee of 
the New York State Nurserymen’s Association, and 
after its introduction some errors were discovered, 
and after several conferences it was possible to liar- 
nionize the views of the two Committees, and several 
amendments were made to the Bill, and it is my infor¬ 
mation today that these amendments have been 
agreed to by the introducers in the Assembly and 
Senate and that all differences have been smoothed 
out. 
The Bill as amended is on the calendar of both 
Houses, but whether it Avill be reached at this late 
date I am unable to say. 
