THE NATIONAL NURSEUY.MAN 
255 
Dormant and Not Dormant Nursera" Stocks 
Complaints (‘ontinue to come in that railroad coni- 
|)anies charge not dormant rate on dormant stock and, 
while the question is iij) with some of the Glassitication 
Committees, no delinite conclusion has been reached. 
Your (h)mmiltee on Transportation believes, and is hack¬ 
ed by the Chairman of the Ofiicial Classification, that the 
nurseryman should, as far as possible, thrash out the 
dormant and not dormant ({uestion, and pass a resolution 
on what should be classified as dormant and not dormant, 
and let the Transportation Committee })resent the resolu¬ 
tions to the Committee on Uniform Classification for ac¬ 
tion. 
New Express Rates: 
Presume all nurserymen are now in a position to 
realize the benefit of the new express rates, which went 
into effect February 1st; the general average reduction 
being between 20 and 25 per cent. 
Heduction in Rates to North and South Carolina. 
Effective June 20, a new tariff goes into effect, gov¬ 
erning rates to North and South Carolina, and some other 
Southeastern points, which shows reduction in class 
lates, from the Ohio River, ranging from 5 to 14 per cent, 
and as nurserymen’s commodities are all handled under 
class rates, this will prove beneficial. 
Prepay Clause: 
Quite a number of nurserymen made complaint 
against the railroads, which Avere compelling them to pre¬ 
pay freight on nursery shipments as required by the new 
classification. Your Committee referred them to the rule 
in the classification w here nursery stock shipments could 
lie accejited by (he railroads without prepaying of freight 
charges as formerly, also wrote the railroads and other- 
w ise handled the matter in a satisfactory manner to all 
concerned. 
Shippers Liable For Mis-marking Packages: 
Under a recent ruling of the Interstate Commerce 
Commission, shippers are held responsible for the mis- 
marking of shipments. A bill of lading delivered to the 
railroad company, which is properly made out, and the 
box marked wrong, wdll result in loss to the shipper, if, 
by the wrong marking, the shipment goes astray, there¬ 
fore, nurserymen should be very particular to see that 
their bills of lading and shipments are the same. 
Delayed Shipments^ Tracings: 
Complaints continue to come in regarding delays to 
nursery stock and about tracing, etc. A letter on the 
subject from F. W. Kelsey Nursery Co., 150 Rroadway, 
New York, reproduced below is for any action or consid¬ 
eration the Association may see fit to take. 
“June 4th, 1914. 
Chairman on Transportation, 
American Association of Nurserymen. 
Dear Sir:—After another year of trying and 
costly experience from the delays incident to the 
tracing system, or lack of system by the railroads of 
the country in foixvarding nursery material, permit 
me to renew' the suggestion made last year to your 
Committee as to the advisability of taking up this 
subject w illi tlie head oflicials of the trunk lines with 
the view" of obtaining an executive order to all the 
freight, station and transfer agents of tlie dilferent 
lines which, if carried out, would, in a measure at 
least obviate the delays hotli by car load lot sliip- 
ments and consignments less than car loads. 
These delays every season are tlie bane of the 
nursery business, causing untold losses, needless an¬ 
noyance and exasperating inconvenience at a time of 
year when everyone in the business is under great 
pressure for time; a large part of which annoying 
delays could be and should be eliminated if taken up 
along the right lines with the head executive ollicers 
of the dilferent lines, as mentioned. 
As I am just leaving for a three months trip 
abroad, I regret that I shall he unable to attend the 
Cleveland Association meeting, but one would think 
the trade had sulfeied and is sulfering sulliciently 
from the cause mentioned to take prompt and com- 
jirehensive action toward an adequate remedy. 
We have, in many instances, found little trouble 
in jironqit tracings and fairly prompt deliveries, but 
unless sjiecial attention is given to the matter of trac¬ 
ing from headquarters, troublesome and costly de¬ 
lays with which everyone is familiar, are more or 
less likely to occur at any time and on any shipment. 
Hoping that this subject may receive at the As¬ 
sociation meeting the attention it w'ould seem to de¬ 
serve, I remain 
Yery truly yours, 
(Signed) Fred’k W. Kelsey, Pres. 
Rriefly, the above constitutes the work of the Trans¬ 
portation Committee for the past year. As staled in the 
beginning. Uniform Classification should be watched 
closely and if the nurserymen can secure seventh class all 
over the country in car load lots and third class local, it 
w ill save them many thousands of dollars during the 
year. 
REPORT OF TARIFF COMMITTEE 
Pago Pago, Samoa Islands, 
April 20th, 1914. 
Mr. President and Members of the 
xYmerican Association of Nurserymen:— 
It is a source of gi'cat regret to me that I am unable 
to be w ilh you this year and jiresent my report in person, 
this being the first Convention 1 have missed attending for 
seventeen years, but my trip to Australia, my old home 
and birthplace, prevents my joining w ith you in your an¬ 
nual gathering. 
While ready for action at all times, your committee 
has had practically nothing to do the past year. The 
present law is definite and specific in its terms and op¬ 
erates w ithout any of the uncertainty and friction w hich 
marked former tariffs. 
With this goes my best w ishes for a successful Con¬ 
vention. 
Respectfully submitted, 
James McIIutchison, Chairman. 
I wish to state that I am very much pleased w ith the 
National Nurseryman, w hich I consider a great help. 
J. R. Jones. 
