THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
41 
cases we find the roots entirely dead up to the point of union, 
while any roots which have been emitted above this are 
sound and healthy. This naturally suggests that the roots 
from the scion and stock are of an unequal degree of hard ¬ 
iness, or in other words, that the root of American origin 
is hardier than the French upon which our trees are com¬ 
monly grafted. For those living in severe sections, the 
American grown apple seed is very much superior to use for 
stocks, and the other should never be used if it can be avoided. 
NURSERY INSURANCE. 
E. Albertson, Bridgeport, Ind., of the American Associa¬ 
tion committee on insurance, is anxious to receive returns on 
the circular he sent out, so that he may make a report for the 
Atlanta convention. 
A sample reply to Mr. Albertson’s request is from George 
Peters & Co., Troy, O., who say: 
Enclosed herewith we hand you the statement concerning insurance, 
filled out as requested. This has been delayed somewhat and trust 
you will pardon same. We would recommend the forming of a com¬ 
pany such as your committee proposes. This statement will show you 
what we would be willing to do in case you organize a company or 
arrange for some trust company to take hold of the matter and secure 
for us such protection as would be required. We hope this arrange¬ 
ment will be successful and that we may be released from the old-line 
companies. 
AS TO COUNTERMANDS. 
C. S. Harrison discusses in the Twentieth Century Farmer 
the case of a Nebraska planter who complains that after he 
had bought apple trees at 20 to 25 cents each and cherry 
trees as 40 to 60 cents each, he received circulars from another 
nursery firm offering apple trees at 5^ cents, peaches at 5 
cents and cherries at 25 cents, and ash at SI.50 per 1,000 
when he paid $5 per 1,000. He asks if he should not throw 
up the contract in view of this apparent “fraud.” 
Mr. Harrison says he has gone through the lists of the 
leading nurseries East and West and finds that the prices 
the Nebraska planter paid are no higher and not as high as 
some. He quotes E. F. Stephens, Crete, Neb., as follows: 
“Many a man who would be ashamed to drive a $10 horse 
buys poor nursery stock advertised at cheap price because he 
does not understand that there are as many grades in nursery 
stock as in horses. An inferior tree is a poor investment at any 
price. The too cheap catalogue in any business is a give-away. 
Gold dollars are not sold for 50 cents. If you wish to achieve 
results buy the best trees and you will have them.” 
On the subject of countermands Mr. Harrison says: 
“ One man this winter sent in a countermand order on quite 
a bill. He said he had sold his farm. He had not, but simply 
had seen an advertisement where he could get cheap trees for 
a good deal less and so lied out of his contract. It is a sad 
and mortifying spectacle to go over the state in the fall and 
spring and see thousands of trees that have been ordered in 
good faith at the delivery grounds and the purchaser pays 
no attention and does not go after them. The nurseryman 
has been to great expense, has paid the freight and there 
is the result. The countermand order is' on and it takes two 
to make a bargain and it takes two to unmake it. I irst, 
get the consent of the nursery before you countermand and 
pay for the loss involved.” 
THE ATLANTA CONVENTION. 
The annual convention of the American Association of 
Nurserymen will be held at Atlanta, June 22d-24th. The 
secretary, George C. Seager, has prepared announcements 
to the members, the executive committee has arranged for 
headquarters at the Piedmont hotel, and the programme 
committee is preparing a schedule of business. 
Southern nurserymen are especially active in behalf of 
the convention, and it is hoped by all that there will be a 
large attendance. 
The following announcement has been mailed to the south¬ 
ern nurserymen by the, Alabama Nursery Company, Hunts¬ 
ville, Ala.: 
While yet early in the year we want to urge on all our nursery 
friends, especially in the South, to make their plans to attend the 
meeting of the American Association of Nurserymen to be held at the 
Piedmont Hotel, Atlanta, Ga., June 29th and 30th and July 1st, 1904. 
It is to the interest of the Southern nurserymen to turn out a big 
attendance at this meeting, and if any nurseryman receiving this 
circular is not a member of the American Association of Nurserymen, 
he should by all means send his application, accompanied with member¬ 
ship fee of $2.00, to George C. Seager, Secretary, Rochester, N. Y., 
and have his name enrolled on the membership list in time to secure 
a badge book. 
Not only should he become a member of this Association, but lie 
should attend this meeting, which is probably the only one that will 
be held in the South for many years to come. The Southern delegates 
at Detroit meeting last June had a stiff fight to secure this meeting 
for Atlanta. We all want to see it arousing success and your member¬ 
ship and attendance will assist the cause wonderfully. At this meet¬ 
ing you will have the opportunity of meeting and making the 
acquaintance of the leading nurserymen of the United States. 
Special rates will be granted at the Piedmont hotel, which is one of 
the finest hotels in the country, and a round trip rate of one and one- 
third fares will be granted by the railroads on the certificate plan. 
Now is the time to get your name enrolled as a member of the Ameri¬ 
can Association of Nurserymen. 
VALUE OF BUD SELECTION. 
C. M. Peters in a communication to the Rural New Yorker, 
says: 
We certainly think, and have proved to our satisfaction, that to pro¬ 
pagate from a bearing tree that shows health and superior fruit over 
other trees of the same variety is an advantage to be gained in no 
other way. Our mode is to propagate from the bearing tree first and 
then from the nursery row from trees budded from the selected bearing 
tree. Our theory, from practical experience, is that from the nursery 
row, we get much healthier buds. A tree at one or two years old stand¬ 
ing in nursery row, where it must have all the attention possible to 
make it grow and present the best of appearance, should be preferable 
to the tree standing in the orchard. My opinion is that the younger 
the tree that we select our buds or grafts from the better. I* this we 
are renewing vigor from those that have not had their vigor exhausted 
by bearing fruit or otherwise. There is but one thing in favor of 
selecting from the bearing tree over the nursery row that I see as of 
importance, which is a good one. That is, it insures variety beyond a 
doubt, for the fruit on it shows beyond question what you are pro¬ 
pagating. If it were not for this I would not favor selecting from the 
bearing tree at any time. But we must for self-protection of our cus¬ 
tomer go back to the fruiting tree, at times when we are convinced 
that we can improve the variety by so doing, or we think we can. 
J J Hess writing to American Florist, says: “On my trip through 
Southern Germany, I visited W. Rail’s nursery at Elmingen, Wuert- 
temberg. It is one of the cleanest nurseries I have ever seen. He has 
130 acres of fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs, conifers and hardy 
roses and does an extensive business, wholesale only, employing 
eighty men. He also handles seeds and has an extra large building 
for that department. 
