The National Nurseryman. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK. 
Copyrighted 1903 by The National Nurseryman Publishing Co., Incorporated. 
“ In the realm of horticulture we have wonderful opportunities for the development of character."— Hon. Charles W. Garfield. 
Vol. XI. ROCHESTER, N. Y 
SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION. 
Fifth Annual Convention Held at Winchester Under the Most 
Delightful Conditions — The Entire Party Received as 
Guests of the Local Nurserymen on the Whole 
Round — Two Days’ Excursion to 
i 
Huntsville, Alabama. 
The following summary of the fifth annual convention of 
the Southern Nurserymen’s Association has been received 
from Charles T. Smith, of Concord, Ga. A full report of the 
convention will be published in our next issue : 
The fifth annual meeting of the Southern -Nurserymen’s 
Association will live long in the memories of the seventy-five 
members who were so fortunate as to be in attendance at the 
recent convention in Winchester, Tenn. It was unanimously, 
individually and collectively voted by the members to be a 
model convention, entertained in a model town, by a people 
who were past masters in the fine old art of Southern hospi¬ 
tality. It will go down into history as the most business-like 
meeting of this already celebrated organization of the Southern 
nurserymen. The sessions were well attended by an interested 
and enthusiastic audience, who were glad to impart information 
and entertainment to each other. The best of order prevailed 
throughout the four days that were devoted to the meeting and 
to the nursery excursions. A number of charming ladies, the 
nurserymen’s wives and sweethearts, were in attendance and 
formed an attractive part of the assemblage, which lent an 
additional charm to the meeting. 
True to Southern traditions, the entire party were received 
as the guests of the local nurserymen on the whole round, and 
the entire entertainment, including all carriage drives, the 
Huntsville excursion and every other courtesy were furnished 
free to the visitors by the local nurserymen. A handsomer 
schedule of entertainment could hardly have been conceived 
and the visitors will never forget the genial, whole-souled hos¬ 
pitality of the Winchester and Huntsville people. They were 
not met at the gates of the city by delegations from the king,^ 
with jeweled keys, as was the custom in some eastern country! 
of olden times ; but instead they were presented with the# 
golden keys to the hearts of the good people of those two 
famous nursery centers. ? V 
On arrival at the depot in Winchester, the visiting nursery¬ 
men were met by carriages and escorted to the Mont Miller 
hotel, which was made headquarters for the visitors and where 
they were made to feel thoroughly at home by the proprietress, 
Mrs. Fuller, assisted by the local nursery people. The meet¬ 
ing was called to order by President Miller at io o’clock on 
the morning of August 19 th and the morning, afternoon and 
evening sessions were replete with entertaining and instructive 
addresses, papers and discussions. The entire proceedings 
, SEPTEMBER, 1903. No. 9. 
might well be set up as a model of what every nurserymen’s 
convention should be. 
d he second day was devoted to visiting the several nurseries 
of Winchester, and though the entire day was consumed, the 
rou n was not completed. Among the large plants visited 
were those of the Tennessee Wholesale Nurseries, the South¬ 
ern Nursery Company and the Cedar Hill Nursery Company. 
They all showed evidences of close attention and careful cul¬ 
tivation and the millions of trees were much admired. 
The next day, August 21 st, the entire party, consisting of 
nearly one hundred of the nurserymen and their families, were 
carried to Huntsville on a special train furnished by the Hunts¬ 
ville nurserymen for the purpose. They were met at the depot 
by carriages and were carried out to the splendid plant of the 
Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries. 
Arriving about noon all were directed to a beautiful grove 
where an old-fashioned barbecue, an institution peculiar to the 
South, was served. The large number of guests were seated 
at a long table, and the attentive force of waiters under com¬ 
mand of Mr. Bell, the superintendent, served the tempting 
viands in a manner that would suit a party of oriental kings. 
The dinner was presided over by Mr. Heikes, assisted by Mr. 
Moss, and was followed by eloquent and effective speeches by 
several members of the party. Following this came a drive 
over the nurseries, with occasional stops at shady spots where 
refreshing drinks were served. This plant consists of about 
700 acres closely set to fruit trees and ornamental stock which 
was in splendid condition. The Pear, Cherry and June-budded 
Peach were unusually handsome and deserve special mention. 
After a drive of several hours over this immense plant, the 
drivers were directed back to Huntsville and the nurserymen 
were registered at the Huntsville Hotel as the guests of the 
Huntsville nurserymen. 
The following morning at 8:30 a long line of carriages were 
drawn up in front of the hotel for the last day’s drive. The 
forenoon was taken up with a trip over the magnificent plant of 
the Alabama Nursery Company, where the perfection of 
“ Chases’ Alabama Grown ” was given occular demonstration. 
Here was found upwards of 500 acres of as fine nursery stock 
as ever grew. The broad fields of Pear, Cherry, Peach, Roses 
and other stock were a sight never to be forgotten by a genuine 
nurseryman. The whole place is laid out in handsome style 
and every detail of the entire establishment shows the careful 
attention of the master minds of this trio of young but famous 
Chases. 
Everything on the place, from the elegant homes of the pro¬ 
prietors which rest in a beautiful park on an elevation, to the 
most distant point exhibits the good taste and fine business 
judgment by which the place is managed. It is a model plant 
and one that all progressive nurserymen should visit and study. 
At noon an elegant luncheon was served under the shade of 
some of the magnificent oaks that help to beautify the place. 
