12 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
WORSE THAN THE TREE AGENT. 
“I know of an instance," says W. F. Allen, of Maryland, 
in Rural New Yorker, “where a western grower furnished a 
large order of plants. The purchaser after receiving the 
plants, made complaint that they were in poor order, and 
would not grow. Being late in the season, and the nursery¬ 
man having plenty of the varieties first ordered, he refilled 
the order entire. Some time during the following Summer, 
the nurseryman had occasion to be in that part of the country 
and visited the customer under a nom de plume. He found 
there were two complete settings of the varieties he had filled 
for the party, and asked why the varieties were not all planted 
together? He stated that, after setting out the plants he 
had first ordered, he wished to plant more, and sent back and 
had his order refilled. As a matter of fact, the plants were 
all growing vigorously. 
“ The nurseryman brought in a bill for the first plants which 
were condemned, his railroad expenses, and $10 per day for 
his time; and collected same. It is hard to tell how often we 
are imposed on in this way, as it is not always convenient to 
look into the matter. I do not think that a large portion of 
the customers would do this; and yet there are a few who 
Would practice it in order to get extra plants free." 
SPITZENBURGS AND BEN DAVIS. 
The Ben Davis, according to the American Apple Growers 
Association, constitutes one-half of the reported crop of the 
country. But not all the crop was reported. 
“The entire apple crop of the famous Hood River valley, 
in Oregon," says J. G. Curtis.in Rural New Yarker, “was 
sold early in September to the local dealer at the following- 
prices per bushel box, f. o. b., cars at Hood River: Spitzen- 
burg, $2; Newtown Pippin, $1.85; Ben Davis, 85 cents. The 
buyer only contracts to take 3,000 boxes of Ben Davis, while 
of the other two varieties he takes the entire product of the 
valley that is of shipping quality. Of course there is a reason 
why the Hood River grower gets $6 per barrel while the 
Western New York grower only gets $2 per barrel, and it is 
chiefly because he grows good apples, keeps them good by 
thorough spraying, and then has them packed uniformly so 
that a box of Hood River apples is a staple article in any 
market to which it may be sent. 
“Most of this fruit goes to Asiatic ports, since it can be 
carried across thePacific at a cost of 20 cents per box as com¬ 
pared with 50 cents per box to New York and $1.06 to either 
London or Liverpool via New Y r ork. It is interesting to note 
that there are practically no Ben Davis being planted now in 
that section, although the orchard acreage is increasing rap¬ 
idly, and I believe I have learned some of the reasons why 
Oregon Spitzenburgs retail on Broadway at “two for a quar¬ 
ter’ each year at holiday time." 
TO STOP USELESS EXPENSE. 
Representative Shephard, of Texas, has introduced in 
Congress a bill providing: 
That the present indiscriminate and inequitable distribution of veg¬ 
etable seeds by the Department of Agriculture be discontinued, and 
that the Secretary of Agriculture be requested to submit to Congress 
plans restoring the original purpose of the seed distribution, which con¬ 
templated the introduction of new varieties in various localities and the 
determination of their adaptability to the soil, but which have degen¬ 
erated into an expensive and farcical allotment throughout' the entire 
country, regardless of the character of the soils and industries of the 
respective communities and the occupations and pursuits of the people 
thereof. 
Secretary John Watson, of the Pioneer Nurseries Co., Salt 
Lake City, Utah, writes under date of November 3: 
Fall sales have been good, better than last Fall. We find Sweet 
Cherries, European Plums and Peaches in good demand. They appear 
to be scarce and prices are not what they should be considering the 
demand. Apples and Pears are slow, as the market seems to be uncer¬ 
tain. Indications are that Spring sales will be brisk at better prices. 
Salzer’s 
National Oats 
Greatest oat of tbe century. 
Yielded in 1903 in Ohio 187, 
in Mich. 231, in Mo. 255, and in 
N. Dakota 310 bus. per acre. You 
can beat that record in 1904 1 
For 10c and this notice 
we mail you free lota of farm seed 
samples and our big catalog, tell¬ 
ing all about this oat wonder and 
thousands of other seeds. J 
JOHN A. SALZER SEED CO .Milk 
La Crosse, 
F. Wis. 
Michigai 
c 
Grown Ap 
pie, Pear, Peach ar 
id Plum. 
Catalpes 
Carolina Poplars 
Mountain Ash En. 
Hydrangeas P. G. 
Barberry Pur. 
Am. Arbor Vitae 
Norway Spruce 
Arkansas Black 
Baldwin 
Ben Davis 
Hubbard son 
Grimes’ Golden | 
Longfield 
Northern Spy 
Rome Beauty 
Talman Sweet 
York Imperial 
Stark 
Bartlett 
Anjou 
Clairgeau 
Clapps Fav. 
Flemish Beauty 
Idaho 
Kiefer 
Lawrence 
L. Bonne 
Seckle 
Sheldon 
Vt. Beanty 
Elberta 
Kalamazoo and St. John 
Lewis S and Fitzgerald 
B. Smock and Champion 
Salway and Crosby 
Early and Late Crawford 
Chair's Choice and Triumph 
Wickson 
Climax 
Abundance 
Red June 
WEST MICHIGAN NURSERIES, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
