THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
US THE WEST. 
Season a Good One and Well Sold Out-Trade Conditions as a 
Whole Satisfactory— Stark Brothers Making Their 
Usual Planting—At Other Points. 
Ottawa, Ivans., April 12.—F. H. Stannard & Co.: “The 
season has been a good one with us and we are sold out closer 
than we have been before in several years. The weather 
has been extremely favorable for handling and shipping and 
the recent rains have put the country in splendid condition; 
the young stock has wintered well and the conditions are 
favorable for the early planting. We have been too busy 
to know what our neighbors are doing, but our plant will be 
about the same as usual.” 
Lawrence, Ivan., April 4.—A. C. Griesa: “Deliveries pretty 
much over and planting will be done in ten days more if 
weather is favorable. Apricots in bloom.” 
New Haven, Mo., April 11.—New Haven Nurseries: “The 
season has been late here and very little planting done except 
what was done early in March. Too much rain the last few 
weeks. 
“There has been some shortage on some varieties of apple, 
cherry, pear and plum. In fact, the larger grades of plum, 
cherry and pear are sold close. The surplus in apple is largely 
in Ben Davis and a few other winter sorts. In peach the sur¬ 
plus seems to be mostly in lighter grades. 
“We believe that the planting throughout this section 
will probably be less than last year. The prospects for a 
good fall trade at present seem bright, as we shall have a 
fair peach crop in some sections of the state and so far as 
we can learn prospects for full crop in other tree fruits was 
never better.” 
Louisiana, Mo., April 15.—Stark Bros. Nurseries and 
Orchards Co.: “We beg to report one of the smoothest and 
most satisfactory packing and shipping seasons in our history. 
Trade considerably above the average, this perhaps from the 
fact that we have made a stronger drive, increased selling 
force, etc. Season has been most favorable. We have 
been up to date with our shipping for some days and on the 
windup believe all marketable stock will be sold close enough. 
“A few have reported trade not up to the average, and 
some wholesalers are complaining that a great many of the 
retailers, formerly their customers, are now their competitors 
in the way of offering considerable surplus stock. Nursery¬ 
men should make it their business to eliminate from their 
vocabulary that word “surplus.” Too many have learned 
to await surplus lists as the average shopper awaits the 
bargain day of the department store. 
“We have found trade conditions throughout the country 
as a whole to be normal and satisfactory. Some localities 
have suffered from too much winter, others too much mois¬ 
ture, others again too little. Some of these misfortunes, 
however, may prove to be blessings in disguise. 
“We are making our usual plants here at Louisiana and 
Starkdale, Mo., increasing largely on apple seedlings from 
Vermont seed at our branch at Atlantic, la.; grape vines, 
gooseberry, currant, Norway maple, small fruit plants etc. 
at Portland, N. Y.; about our usual plant of fruit trees at 
55 
Dansville, N. Y.; considerable increase at Fayetteville, Ark., 
branch, grafts, seedlings, etc., planted every month during 
the winter. Stock there already cultivated several times 
and making a promising start. Our aim and plan being to 
take advantage of favorable soils, climate, etc., thereby 
dividing the.risk rather than carrying all eggs in one basket. 
“We believe the prospects generally are favorable and 
anticipate a splendid fall trade. In short, regard the future 
as encouraging to those working along reasonable, sensible 
and legitimate nursery lines.” 
North Topeka, Kan., April 13.—Peters & Skinner: “Trade 
this season has with us been fairly good. It started out a 
little slow, but the spring has been favorable for a late trade. 
We find no more surplus at this time of the year than usual. 
Orders are probably smaller than usual this year, but there 
are more of them. 
“As to the amount of stock to be planted this spring, we 
think there will be less apple seed and fewer apple grafts and 
Mahaleb stocks planted than for several years. Have had 
a cool spring, but weather has been good most of the time 
and planting is well along.” 
Beatrice, Neb., April 13.—J. A. Gage: “Our principal 
spring business is the retail catalogue trade. This was cut 
short quite a little on our early orders by the unusual drought 
in Western Kansas and Oklahoma. The later northern 
trade has been beyond our expectation, much better than 
last season. The continued cold weather has been a very 
material help to nurserymen, by extending the season of 
delivery.- 
“We believe stock generally will be closed out much 
closer than last season.. Quite a surplus of apple and the 
price low. We believe, however, the trade generally has 
been very satisfactory this season. 
“Planting will be quite a little lighter than usual owing 
to the advanced price of labor and scarcity of fruit stocks, 
and nurserymen feel that they must sell out close and get 
a good price for what they grow and believe this will have 
a good effect on future business. Owing to the shortness of 
the crop of apple seed, there will not be over one-half the 
amount planted that there would otherwise have been; 
probably will be better for all concerned. Orders still com¬ 
ing in freely.” 
Yankton, S. D., April 20.—George H. Whiting: “Trade 
prospects with me this season are fully up to the average, 
if not a little ahead, although our season is quite cold and 
backward, and the number of orders to this date I think is 
a little behind that of last year; but considering the season, 
I think our business will be much better than last year. The 
weather is unusually cold for this season of the year. A little 
snow fell last night. There is a decided shortage in forest 
seedlings and currants this season, with about the usual 
supply of fruit trees, plums, apples, cherries, etc. My plant¬ 
ing for this season will be in excess of any past season. Per¬ 
haps one-fourth more than any previous season. 
E. F. Edmonson, Perry, la., has opened a branch office at Cleveland, 
Okla., under the charge of W. C. Dugan. 
Irving Ingels of the Home Nursery, Lafayette, Ill., married recently 
Miss Rose Garner, at the home of the bride’s sister in Stillwater, Okla. 
Dr. L. Wittmack, editor of Gartenflora, Germany, and secretary- 
general of the Royal Horticultural Society ol Prussia, is in St. Louis, 
arranging for the German agricultural section at the World’s Fair. 
