THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
25 
Rural New Yorker suggested that a demand for apples might 
be caused by the simple plan, on the part of all interested, of 
calling for apples in preference to any other fruit at the dining 
tables in the hotels. The idea was adopted by some of the 
best known of New York fruit growers and it is believed that 
their action has already been the cause of an increased demand 
for the king of fruits. This is a good idea to push along. 
Let us try it at Detroit. 
ANOTHER IDEA BY PROF. BAILEY. 
Prof. Bailey has spoken again and as usual he has presented 
food for thought. At the annual meeting of the Western New 
York Horticultural Society, in Rochester, the noted horti¬ 
culturist, in the course of a discussion of the Ben Davis and 
Baldwin apples, said that there is urgent need of newer and 
better varieties of winter apples. Culture and spraying have 
been well developed, but there has been little advance in the 
matter of varieties. Professor Bailey suggested the plan of 
establishing a large number of small volunteer orchards all 
over the state of New York where new and promising varieties 
may be tested—the nurserymen to furnish the trees. Work 
along these lines is being done in some of the states with very 
good results. It is probable that New York fruit growers and 
nurserymen could profitably co-operate in this direction. 
RESPONSIBILITY OF NURSERYMEN. 
Some time ago a California fruit grower bought a lot of 
prune trees from a local nurseryman, planted them and gave 
them exceptionally good care for three years, says the Ameri¬ 
can Agriculturist. All the trees died and suit was brought 
against the nurseryman for damages. A decision and judg¬ 
ment was recently rendered uperior court, whichhsbee ty 
makes it obligatory on a nuaseryman to sell fruit trees that 
will grow and bear fruit. In fact they must approach a gen¬ 
eral standard. The judgment rendered was for $1,500. That 
some nurserymen, as in all other business enterprises, make 
mistakes will be admitted, but there are thousands of fruit 
growers who by careless, indifferent methods do infinitely 
more harm to the fruit trade. There is room for improve¬ 
ment all around. Both nurseryman and producer could do 
much to enhance the value of American orchards. 
GOVERNMENT SEEDS. 
« 
A committee appointed by the Wholesale Seedmen’s League 
called upon Secretary Wilson in Washington, January 14th, 
and suggested that if the purchase of seed supplies for distri¬ 
bution be made direct from the merchants after the crops are 
harvested, surpluses found to be on hand at that time could 
be used and relieve the holders of stocks which might other¬ 
wise depress values and demoralize trade. 
To this Secretary Wilson responded as follows by letter to 
the president of the league : 
I have before me the statement of the seed trade committee signed 
by you and other gentlemen interested with regard to the seed pur¬ 
chases of this department. I am pleased with the reasonableness of 
your propositions and will consult with Dr. Galloway with regard to 
them. I think there will be no difficulty in meeting most of your 
requirements. There is no disposition on our part to embarrass the 
seed trade. 
With regard to a modification of the law on the subject, it is doubt¬ 
ful, in my opinion, if anything can be done along that line. We obey 
the law to the best of our ability in such a way as to do as little harm 
as possible to the seed trade. 
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
Dr. N. L. Britton, director-general of the New York Botan¬ 
ical Garden, reported that during the year 67,000 specimens 
have been received for the museums and herbarium, and 
about 90,000 specimens have been incorporated with the vari¬ 
ous permanent collections ; showing that at least 23,000 speci¬ 
mens previously received have been brought into use for study. 
Forty-three students, including graduates of thirty-one differ¬ 
ent colleges and universities, have received the privileges of 
the laboratories, herbarium, and library in the course of the 
year, and these students have pursued investigations in practi¬ 
cally all lines of botanical research. The library of the 
Garden now contains about 13,000 bound volumes, of which 
1,962 were added in the last year. 
-VARIETIES FOR THE OZARKS. 
J. B. Wild, Sarcoxie, Mo., discussed varieties of apples for 
the Ozark country at the annual meeting of the Missouri Hor¬ 
ticultural Society. He said that Ben Davis has seen its days 
numbered for 25 years, and is still the great dividend producer, 
and stands first as the pioneer of commercial orcharding. It 
is pre-eminent as the big red apple of America, having better 
form and fewer off years than any variety, being hardy, an 
early bearer, productive, and finding its way into all the 
markets of the world. 
“ We are looking for a better variety,” said Mr. Wild, “but 
as yet would plant it first; Gano is a close second. Payne’s 
Keeper is newer, a good tree and good fruit. Grimes’ Golden 
and Jonathan are of finest quality, both fine and attractive. 
Winesap is good where soil is suitable ; York Imperial on 
deep soil. Ingram has been raised many years and is a good, 
regular and heavy bearer ; gives good results. Wealthy is a 
good fall sort, tree hardy, prolific bearer, and of good color.” 
FRUIT GROWING IN NEBRASKA. 
Most of the fruit trees in Nebraska are grown in the south¬ 
eastern portion of the state below the Platte river. In the 
last decade there has been a gain of 4,699,414 in the total 
number of fruit trees, which increased from 1,840,704 to 
6,240,111 in that time. About three-fifths of this gain repre¬ 
sents the increase in apple trees, the number of which in 1900 
was more than three times as great as that of ten years before. 
Otoe, Richardson and Cass counties reported the largest num¬ 
ber of these trees. 
The number of peach trees has increased more than six¬ 
fold during the decade, farming 7.9 per cent, of the tota 
number of orchard trees in 1890 and 16.9 per cent, in 1900. 
The largest numbers were grown in Gage and Nemaha coun¬ 
ties. Since 1890 cherry trees have increased in number nearly 
two and a half times, plum and prune trees have more than 
doubled, and pear and apricot trees each have gained approx¬ 
imately eightfold. 
