8G 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
REPORT ON INSURANCE. 
Submitted to American Association by E. Albertson, Bridge. 
port, Ind _ Statistics and a Plan Resulting from Much 
Labor and Correspondence — Based on Actual 
Experience — Important Topic for Dis - 
cussion. 
One of the most carefully prepared reports that has ever 
been presented to the American Association is that of E. Al¬ 
bertson on the subject of insurance for nursery property, 
which was referred to his committee. ^ Unfortunately there 
was not time to discuss it, but a committee was appointed to 
consider the matter further. The report is as follows : 
Unfortunately for the Association, I find that the task 
assigned me of getting together full statistics of Insurance 
and Losses on Nursery buildings, and stock in storage, and 
the preparation of a proposition for Nurserymen’s Mutual, or 
Co-operative Insurance Company, is a bigger one than I 
have been able to accomplish as 1 would like, and that this 
report is not by any means as complete as I had hoped to 
be able to submit, though have given it much of my time. 
A list of questions was prepared, and, together with letter 
explaining same, was mailed to over three hundred of the lead¬ 
ing nurserymen who we thought had (or might be interested 
in) storage buildings and insurance. Possibly some to whom 
it should have been sent were overlooked. 
In reply to these we received about ninety reports, failing 
to hear from a number of those whom we know to be inter¬ 
ested in, or having large storage buildings. We sent out a 
personal special letter from which we finally received about 
twelve reports, making a total of 102 reports. A few of our 
largest nurserymen either declining or neglecting to make 
report, yet by most of our leading nurserymen we are glad to 
report much interest taken and many good suggestions given. 
Summary of Reports. 
From these 102 reports we find the following: 
Thirteen give no report of insurance carried on buildings 
or contents. 
Twenty-three give no report of insurance carried on con¬ 
tents. 
Eighty-nine report insurance on buildings, $332,845. This 
doubtless includes some residences, barns, or other buildings 
than those included in the term “ nursery buildings.” 
Seventy-nine report insurance on contents, $459,600, 
making the total insurance reported, $792,445. 
Seventy-two report would carry in approved company, 
$641,050. This also probably covers some other risks than 
nursery buildings. 
Limiting risk to 20,000 this would be $585,050. 
Limiting risk to 10,000 this would be $438,050. 
Losses by fire in last 20 years as reported, $39,500. (Of 
this, $10,000 F. H. Stannard.) 
Losses bv fire in last 10 years as reported, 27,500. Nichols 
& burton, $8,000; Ilgenfritz, $5,000; Green’s Nursery Co., 
$5,000; W. and T. Smith, $3,000. 
Losses by fire in last five years,$6,400. The losses of the 
last five years being those of: C. M. Hurlburt, $2,400; 
Rogers Nursery Co., $3,000; W. H. Wyman, $1,000. 
This makes the losses of the last five years but 1.3% on 
$100,000, or about 3-10% on $438,000, the amount those 
reporting state would carry, or less than 2-10% on amount 
of insurance reported carried last year. 
Some reported losses of barns, etc., but we have not inten¬ 
tionally included these in above figures. 
In the preceding five years were several heavy losses, 
especially that of Nichols & Lorton, $8,000, reported as 
carelessness, and on a building such as no company would 
insure. $5,000 by Ilgenfritz, $5,000, Green’s Nursery Com¬ 
pany; $3,000, W. & T. Smith. 
In the preceding ten years was lost $10,000—F. H. Stannard 
& Co. 
You will notice from above that although the building of 
storage houses has increased very much in the past four or 
five years (we should think being more than double that of 
all hose in use previous to 1899), the losses have been much 
less. 
This, we think, is largely due to better plans of construc¬ 
tion, doing away with necessity of fires, or more care in their 
use, and the separating of storage buildings from others. 
Sixteen report watchman during winter. Three report 
watchman’s clock. 
Condition of Risk. 
Fifty per cent, report buildings one story—balance 14 
and two story. 
Ten per cent, report brick and stone buildings—90% 
mostly frame. 
Twenty-five per cent, report gravel, iron, or tin roofs—85% 
of reports shingle, wood or paper, though think these are the 
smaller buildings. 
Ten per cent, report floors wood, 50% earth, 40% wood 
and earth. 
Ninety per cent, report buildings isolated—10% exposed 
to other buildings. 
Forty per cent, have advantage of city water—most of 
others private. 
Forty per cent, report no fires over wood floors—others 
report fires mostly in offices or grafting rooms. 
Twenty-five per cent, have hand extinguishers. 
Fifty-two are willing to pay premium of one per cent, 
while necessary to build up guarantee fund. 
Twenty-three agree to payment of $250 cash to make 
guarantee fund available at once. Among those are such 
firms as A. L. Wood, Irving Rouse, Oregon Nursery Oa., 
Alabama Nursery Co., Geo. Peters & Co., W. & T. Smith, 
Starks & Co., E. S. Welch, Youngers & Co., Jackson & Perkins, 
R. G. Chase Co., Albaugh Nursery & Orchard Co., Storrs & 
Harrison Co. 
Some Objectionable Features. 
Now in regard to plan as outlined in circular letter, while 
it is certainly practical and safe, yet after more careful con¬ 
sideration and investigation it has some objectionable features. 
The accumulation of large cash fund on which we could hope 
to realize only three or three and one-half per cent., and 
on which we would have to pay taxes (owdng to location of 
office) of one and one-half to two and one-half per cent., 
making a heavy expense account. Also this would hardly 
be paying in proportion to insurance carried. 
Quite a number were willing to make cash payments of 
