THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
18;5 
sible ])urcliasers ai'e tlioso already di8i)osed to buy. 
Su])i)()8e tills waste could be converted into clian- 
uels to educate the ludilic to tbeir need of nursery 
stock. AVould not every individual nurseryman in 
• the conntry be better off. All it really amounts to 
is for nnited nurserymen to advertise and demon- 
strate jilants rather than tbeir individual business. 
It is a safe statement that if the fruit growers of 
the Hood River ^bdley bad each advertised Ids own 
a])])les Hood River Ap])les would be still unknown 
outside the limited few, by combining they have dem¬ 
onstrated tbeir goods to the world. 
Few nurserymen but that will admit these condi¬ 
tions and fewer still that it is possible to change 
them. 
xVs a theoretical scheme we will sipiiiose that all 
nurserymen doing a retail business in an isothermal 
district of the United States agreed to issue only a 
bare price list such as the trade uses and then have 
the American Association distribute a descriptive 
catalogue without tirin name to every name sent to 
them, one and one only. 
This catalogue could be such a one that no in¬ 
dividual firm could possibly turn ont at its own ex¬ 
pense. 
iMany objections arise in the mind of the imprac¬ 
ticability of the scheme, yet it is worth thinking 
al)out. 
The dreams of today are the realities of tomorrow. 
The idea of enlisting the interest 
TREES AND THE of the boy scouts on behalf of the 
BOY SCOUTS trees by making them guardians 
of the city trees as has been done 
in Philadelphia, is a splendid one and should be 
emulated by every city, town and village in the 
United States. 
The average boy seems to be instinctively destruc¬ 
tive to trees, he seems to take mischievous delight in 
bending or breaking the young ones, peeling off their 
bark, or in other ways mutilating them as only a boy 
can. To make a numl)er of them tree wardens with 
authority to enforce the law will do more than could 
be done by any other means. 
It will not only instil in their minds the value of 
trees, but it will direct the courage of their brave, 
young hearts towards tree ])rotection. Trees will 
surely have friends with the boys on their side. 
The plan is to appoint only those who have shown 
their fitness by writing an essay on trees and bow 
they will go about their duties. 
THE VALUE OF MAGNESIUM IN THE GROWING 
OF ROSES. 
The j\lissouri Botanical Garden Bulletin says— 
Altbongh it is generally believed that magnesium is 
])oisonous to all plants, Toid\, as early as 1881), re¬ 
commended a manure for roses containing sulphate 
of inagnesium with, liowiwe)', an excess of lime. ller(? 
the matter rested foi* twenty years. In 11)01), Truf¬ 
faut noted the lai'ge proportion of magnesium found 
[in the analysis of roses, and stated that soils de¬ 
ficient in this element ])roduced but a weak growth of 
roses, but that the addition of magnesium salts 
brought about a marked increase of vigor and 
growth. The following year at the International 
Rose (Vmference, in Paris, the ])articular vidue of 
magnesium for roses was one of the subjects foi- dis¬ 
cussion. It was declared to be indis])ensable and it 
was stated that it should always be given in the form 
of sulphate in doses of about live ounces to the s(piare 
yard. 
As the result of recent ex])eriments at the Garden, 
and the ex])erience of at least one practical rose 
grower of national reputation, it is believed that the 
following practice is correct: Attention should be 
called to the fact that all roses do not react alike, and 
some varieties not yet tested may not respond satis¬ 
factorily or may even be slightly injured by the mag¬ 
nesium. One should, therefore, proceed cautiously. 
If plants are to be watered with a solution, use ni¬ 
trate of magnesium at the rate of one ounce to the 
gallon. This may be used once a week through the 
peason, but if any ill effects are noted, the a])])lica- 
tion should be discontinued. If the magnesium is to 
be applied dry, it is better to use finely powdered car¬ 
bonate of magnesium which contains a certain 
amount of lime. This should be ai)plied at the rate 
of one-third of a pound to the scpiare yard. No im¬ 
mediate effect will be noticed from the a])plication, 
but later, increased sturdiness and consequent rich¬ 
ness of foliage and blossom should result. 
CANADA BARS NURSERY STOCK AND SEEDS 
FROM GOVERNNENT MAILS. 
Notice has been served on the United 8tat(‘s Ih'st 
Office l)ei)artment that from now on all im])ortation 
into Canada of nursery stock, trees, shrubs, ])lants, 
vines, grafts, cuttings or buds through the mails will 
be prohibited. 
The excejition to the ruling is floiasts’ stock, such 
as cut flowers, herbaceous 'tierennials andl bedding 
plants. These will be admitted if they are ])roi)erly 
flagged and the contents noted on the outside of the 
package. 
The catalogue of G. AY. Ahin Gelderen, Boskoo]), 
Holland, for fall 1914 and spring 1915 is being dis¬ 
tributed in good time. 
It contains a fine list of Rhododendrons and Roses. 
Among their novelties is the new Polyantha Hose, 
“Betsy Van Nes” and Alevrouw G. AY. Ahin Gelderen 
a hybrid between Gloire de Dijon and Captain 
Christy. 
