THE NATIONAJ, NURSERYMAN 
5 
PLANT TOO HEAVY. 
Note of Warning Sounded By Prominent Maryland Nurserymen — 
Apple Seedling Craze May Make Cheap Trees — 
M'estern Nurserymen Pushing Fast 
— In the East. 
Among recent callers at the offices of the National Nurs¬ 
eryman was Orlando Harrison, of J. G. Harrison & Sons 
Berlin, Md., vice-president for Maryland of the American 
Association of Nurserymen. He had spent three weeks call¬ 
ing upon nurserymen in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 
Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and New York. 
“I found many improvements at places that I visited 
seven years ago/’ said Mr. Harrison. “One cannot realize 
the increase in the planting of nursery stock during that time 
unless figures are made comparing the acreage. Whoever 
imagined the nurserymen would take such chances? 
“While many of the firms say that they have had large 
sales the past year, few will say that it was a successful year 
financially. Why? Because there were too many trees to 
go upon the market. There was more business than the 
nurserymen could economically handle. The increase in 
wages has been from 15 to 30 per cent. 
“The nurserymen of the West seem to have a determina¬ 
tion to advance and they are pushing fast. They have a 
wide scope for their energies in the treeless region and the 
prospect for selling many trees there is very good indeed. 
“In spite of all the prospect for trade, the tendency is to 
plant about ten times the amount really needed. If I am 
correctly informed, one-tenth of the Apple seed ordered, if 
sown, will be too much. This Apple seedling craze may 
make cheap trees yet, because there will be a large quantity 
of piece root grafts that will be made short enough. While 
Plums ar high, there have been quantities planted; the same 
is true of Cherries. The stock of Apple, Peach and Cherry 
that will come on the market for Fall of 1904 will be used by 
the trade without suffering, but the only safe way to get in 
that I can see is to plant about one-tenth the amount of last 
season’s planting. If that is done, I think we will come 
nearer the mark. 
“For our own selves we shall take our own medicine tnd 
plant less. We shall use the best grade of seedlings, culti¬ 
vate better and try to grow more first-class stock, and less 
light grade and keep ourselves in reach of the situation. 
Then we can better protect ourselves in the handling of labor. 
It has been almost a certainty that for the last seven years 
we could make a profit growing trees; will it not require 
clever mangement to make expenses during the next seven 
years? 
“In the East there seems to be more of an uncertainty 
than in the West, because the Western farmer has made 
money fast for a few years and "has not spent it yet. If we 
get back of a basis of planting where we were seven years 
ago, we should be safe. As the nursery business does not 
stand still, but is either going right or wrong—selling at a 
big profit or burning the whole—if we plant less we may be 
able to keep'right yet.” 
BLACK*BEN DAVIS AND GANG. 
A committee of the Missouri State Horticultural Society, 
composed of J. C. Whitten, J. C. Evans, and W. T. Flournoy, 
has done good service for that society in presenting a report 
of careful investigation of the origin of Black Ben Davis and 
Gano Apples in an endeavor to ascertain whether they are 
distinct varieties. Lack of space prevents our publishing the 
report ; but we suggest that those directly interested may ob¬ 
tain it in the proceedings of the Missouri society upon paying 
the membership fee for one year. The committee arrives at 
this conclusion: 
“After finding no differences, either in the fruit or in the 
trees, by which they can be separated, your committee is 
forced to conclude that the Black Ben Davis and Gano are one 
and the same variety; and that their having been regarded 
locally as being different sorts is only another case where 
isolated trees of a variety, having been brought to notice in 
somewhat widely separated neighborhoods, have each for 
this time been given different names and each been hon¬ 
estly regarded as being of distinct seedling origin.” 
BUFFALO BILL RECLAIMING LAND. 
Colonel W. F. Cody, better known as “ Buffalo Bill,” is 
preparing to pu through a big reclamation project in Wyo¬ 
ming, which involves the segregation of 110,000 acres of land 
on the north bank of the Shoshone River, near Cody. This 
will be reclaimed by irrigation, an enterprise that will 
involve the expenditure of not less than $1,000,000. Colonel 
Cody has completed one canal for the irrigation of a conces¬ 
sion of 40,000 acres, and is anxious to get the larger project 
under way. 
Recent publications. 
Country Life in America for January is a large number of this most 
beautiful magazine devoted to all the work and play of the outdoor 
world. Among the leading features “Country Homes of Famous 
Americans” deals with John Greenleaf Whittier’s home life in New 
England; “How to Make a Living from the Soil” is a second article in a 
vitally interesting series bv L. H. Bailey. “A Hundred-doll ar Green¬ 
house,” maintained at a cost of $25 a year, “A $4,500 Suburban Home.” 
made without an architect and beautiful grounds, “ \ iolet-growing as a 
Business” made successful from small beginnings without capital, and 
“How to Build a Rural Telephone,” by the farmers themselves in an 
organized company—all are truthful accounts of actual experience", 
with many photographs that in themselves tell the stories. 
The World’s Work begins the new year with a number that inter¬ 
prets significant phases of contemporary activity. A first, hand view 
of “Colombia, the Government, the Country and the People” is ob¬ 
tained in an article by Thomas S. Alexander, who has just returned 
after four years of exciting adventure in that revolution ridden land. 
The true inwardness of the Panama secession is revealed by John M. 
Williams. “The Main Plan of the Fair” by Edward Hale Brush, 
shows, with many pictures, how the sculptors the artist and the land¬ 
scape engineer will unite at St. Louis. “Two Directors of Monopoly,” 
shows that monopoly of natural products and of franchises for public 
service is fast becoming complete. The Department of the March of 
Events, the Work of the Book World, Books for young Children, and 
Among the World’s Workers complete s notable issue. 
