THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
59 
serymen cannot afford to miss the conventions. There is 
every prospect that the proceedings of the Detroit convention, 
under the direction of President Ilgenfritz, will be of this 
nature. The members are so scattered during the year that it 
seems an opportunity lost when, upon the occasion of the an¬ 
nual reunion, there is not much of practical value as the result 
of business discussion as well as a renewal of acquaintance. 
And this discussion should be in open convention for the ben¬ 
efit of all. Upon the program committee, the president of the 
Association and the support of the members depends the suc¬ 
cess of the annual gatherings. If those who are asked to aid 
in the discussions would respond with the enthusiasm that the 
officers and committee are expected to display, the work of 
preparation for and conduct of the conventions would be ma¬ 
terially lightened. Let us all have pride in the National Asso¬ 
ciation and in the work that it does and may do. 
THE QUESTION BOX. 
Four years ago, in the March, 1899, issue of the National 
Nurseryman we said editorially : 
It is suggested that, in the preparation of the program for the June 
convention, the papers to be read deal with topics of paramount inter¬ 
est to the trade generally ; that they be not confined to conditions 
which can interest but a few of the members, and that they be as brief 
as possible, so that as many topics as the length of the sessions will 
permit may be touched upon ; that the members discussing the papers 
be limited as to time of speaking and that a question box be provided 
and freely used. It was upon such lines that the recent annual meet¬ 
ing of the Western New York Horticultural Society was conducted, 
and it was unanimously agreed by the 600 in attendance that the meet¬ 
ing teemed with valuable information. Pencils flew over note books 
throughout the hall in efforts to jot down what overtaxed minds were 
endeavoring to retain. 
There are veterans of wide experience and young men with new 
ideas among the members of the American Association of Nurserymen 
who can exchange thoughts to the great advantage of all, under skill¬ 
ful direction. There are topics which are usually discussed in the ho¬ 
tel lobbies at the nurserymen’s conventions that would make the ses¬ 
sions spicy if they were reserved for or repeated there. The chances 
are ten to one that you will get more than you will give away. Many 
questions occur to members long in advance of the convention which 
might be written now and gathered later in the question box—ques¬ 
tions relating to the practical work of the nurseryman and likely to be 
answered by experts in such a gathering. 
Our suggestion of the value of a question box was heartily 
endorsed by President A. L. Brooke at that time, and in the 
succeeding issue of this journal we published a set of ques¬ 
tions upon practical topics. At the convention in Chicago 
that year the question box caused the first and only discus¬ 
sion recorded in the proceedings. At the convention of 1900, 
under President Wilson J. Peters, the question box was opened 
several times with lively results. At the Milwaukee converf- 
tion last year a number of questions were submitted, but ow¬ 
ing to lack of time it was decided to have the questions and 
answers published in the National Nurseryman. This 
was done ; but, of course, the effect of valuable discussion 
during the convention was lost. 
It is hoped that at Detroit this month the members of the 
Association will feel free to ask questions. This is an oppor¬ 
tunity for all to take part in the proceedings. The timid ones 
may at least ask questions by writing them out and handing 
them to the secretary. Experts in various lines will be there 
to answer when the questions are read. 
Hmono (Browers anb IDealers. 
A pecan nursery lias been established at Hollandale, Miss. 
Four acres of roses, 50,000 plants, have been set out at the St. Louis 
Exposition grounds. 
McKay Brothers have purchased the interests of Riley & McKay at 
Waterloo, Wis. 
F. T. Rann y, Austin, Texas, reports: “Finest season on nursery 
stock we have had in many years.” 
Prof. 0 . S. Sargent, of the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, will start this 
month for Siberia to study tree life there. 
The Missoula Nursery Co., Missoula, Mont., furnished 35,000 trees 
for planting in Yellowstone Park this spring. 
The Minnesota legislature has increased its annual appropriation to 
the Minnesota Horticultural Society to $ 2 , 000 . 
The Peach Grower, published at Atlanta, Ga., says that the Georgia 
crop of peaches will not be less than 1,000 carloads. 
The shipping quarters of the Grand View Nursery Co., Des Moines, 
la., were destroyed by fire May 7 th. Loss $ 1 , 000 . 
P. J. Berckmans, Augusta, Ga., was in New York last month. 
Edgar Sanders, Chicago, is recovering from a severe illness. 
The California Nursery Co., displayed a fine collection of shrubs at 
the spring exhibition of the Pacific Coast Horticultural Society. 
At the sixteenth annual meeting of the Florida Horticultural Society 
at Miami, May 5 - 7 , George L. Taber, Glen St. Mary, was elected 
president. 
C. M. Stark and family sailed on May 8th for an extended European 
trip. The leading nurseries and horticultural establishments of Europe 
will be visited. 
The Knoxville Nursery Co., Knoxville, Tenn., of which N. W. Hale 
is president, has a branch office at Richmond, Va , under the manage¬ 
ment of K. Morton. 
On the nursery grounds of the Lightfoot Nursery Co., near Cleve¬ 
land, Tenn., is a spring from which 30 acres of plants and trees are 
being irrigated this summer. 
The Raton Greenhouse and Nursery Co., at Raton, N. M., has been 
incorporated by Charles Sandusky, James S. Bowdry and Thomas D. 
Leib, with a capital stock of $ 50 , 000 . 
The summer meeting of the Missouri State Horticultural Society will 
be held at Pertle Springs, Mo., June 3 5 . The forty-sixth annual meet¬ 
ing will be held at Columbia, Dec. 1 - 3 . 
Domoto Brothers, proprietors of the Japanese Nursery, Oakland, 
Cal., have purchased 40 acres adjoining their nursery and intend to 
construct greenhouses to the extent of 60,000 feet, for roses. 
Leon Barbier, of the firm of Barbier & Co., Orleans, France, is a vis¬ 
itor in this country, making his headquarters with the firm’s represen¬ 
tatives here, Knauth, Nachod & Kuhne, 13 William St., New York. 
Orlando Harrison, Berlin, Md., and Howard Davis, Baltimore, have 
been appointed on a committee of the Maryland State Horticultural 
Society to consider a revision of the state laws regarding horticulture. 
Ell wood Cooper, of Santa Barbara, Cal., has been appointed by 
Governor Pardee state horticultural commissioner for California, under 
the new law. Mr. Cooper has appointed Alexander Craw assistant 
commissioner. 
The committee appointed by the Eastern Nurserymen’s Association 
to co-operate with the committee of the American Association on the 
subject of freight rates is as follows : W. C. Barry, C. II. Hawks, 
William Pitkin. 
The value of nursery stock imported into the United states during 
1901 was $ 1 , 098 , 932 ; during 1902 , $ 1 , 172,570 The exports of nursery 
stock from the United States during 1901 amounted in value to $ 134 ,- 
961 ; during 1902 to $ 132,027 
The Miami Fruit Company has purchased a farm of 1,114 acres near 
Fort Valley, Ga., for $ 33 , 412 , and has applied for a Georgia charter 
with a paid-up capital of $ 60 , 000 . It expects to have within the next 
two years a growing orchard or 200,000 trees. 
