188 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
THE GENESEE VALLEY. ACROSS THE BORDER. 
Wholesale Demand Large and Prices Generally Good—Apple 
Growers Inquiring for More Trees—Retail Sales for Spring 
Considerably Ahead of Last Year—Sharp Demand for 
First-Class Trees—In Dansville and Rochester. 
Rochester, N. Y., April 15 — Brown Brothers Co: “The 
nursery business at the present time seems to be in very satis¬ 
factory condition. The wholesale demand has been large and 
prices generally good. We believe we may look for an im¬ 
provement in prices on plum and pear the coming year, and 
we believe cherries will hold their own and possibly make ad¬ 
vances. So much money has been made on the apple crop 
the past year that it is being already felt in the demand for 
apple trees, so that we think apple trees will be good property 
again next year. 
“ Our retail sales for spring are considerably ahead of last 
year. The prospects for the next few years appear to be ex¬ 
cellent.’’ 
Dansville, N. Y., April 13 — Morey & Son : “The weather 
thus far has made it almost impossible to handle trees. The 
general shipping this spring is about as usual. Every first- 
class tree in Dansville will be sold at fair prices. The plant 
will be about the same as last year. We all anticipate a good 
season’s business.” 
Dansville, N. Y., April 15 —James M. Kennedy : “ Whole¬ 
sale shipments from this point were unusually small this spring 
owing to the fact that about all the stock here was shipped 
last fall. All the wholesale shippers have completed their 
spring shipments at good prices. Very little if any surplus 
stock will be carried over. Some kinds of stock were so 
scarce that one year stock was used to fill the orders in place 
of two year stock, which indicates that good prices will prevail 
another year. 
“The retailers have commenced billing out. The retail 
and catalogue trade have more than doubled that of last spring. 
I consider the outlook in the nursery business is continuing to 
grow better from year to year. I think this is largely due to the 
fact that over production has ceased and that we will be rid 
of it for a few years at least. Nursery 'stock has never 
wintered better ; not one tree injured by the winter. Collec¬ 
tions have been very good up to this writing. Nurserymen 
commenced planting this week.” 
Rochester, N. Y., April 19 —Irving Rouse: “Our sales 
this spring are not as large as usual for the reason we did not 
have the stock to sell, having sold out cleaner last fall than 
for the last 15 years. 
“ There has been a manifest disposition to curtail planting 
this spring as compared with last year. 
“With the exception of apple, there is no more stock com¬ 
ing into the market, here in the East, than there was the past 
year. Old blocks have almost entirely been cleaned up, and 
present prices should be improved upon for next season’s 
product ; taken altogether the outlook is very bright. 
The Toledo Times says the Henry Phillips Seed and Implement 
Company has received notice from Washington to the effect that the 
concern has-been awarded a contract, amounting to $90,005.90 to fur¬ 
nish “one-half of the entire lot of seeds sent out free by the United 
States Department of Agriculture for the year 1902.” 
Sale of Apple and Cherry Fell off Slightly, but More Ornamentals 
Were Sold and Sale of Small Fruits Increased Materially— 
Frost Early out of the Ground and Business Pro¬ 
gressed Favorably— Fall Business Promising. 
Toronto, Ont., April n. —Stone & Wellington: “We 
have pleasure in saying that sales are in every way up to the 
mark. Not quite as much apple stock sold, in proportion, as 
other years, owing no doubt to the raise m prices. 
“ The same may be said regarding cherries, as far as our 
sales go. We thought we would have a shortage in sour cher¬ 
ries, but we have a surplus of the leading kinds. 
“There are more ornamentals sold, however, and the sale 
of small fruits has increased very materially over the past few 
years. 
‘lAt our nurseries, frost has been out of the ground for two 
weeks, and already we have made our British Columbia and 
Northwest shipments, and have most of the stock dug for our 
regular packing The weather is splendid for our business ; 
frost being out, and keeping cool, enables us to handle stock 
in splendid condition. We look forward to being able to place 
our trees in the hands of customers in perfect condition this 
season. 
“ Fall business is opening up well, and we see no reason why 
the nursery business should not be fairly prosperous the com¬ 
ing year.” 
DISTRIBUTION OF YOUNG TREES. 
Regarding the proposition to distribute young trees under 
the direction of the United States Department of Agriculture 
at Washington, Joseph Meehan says in the Florists’ Exchange: 
To most every one the thought will arise, what has the government 
to do with distributing trees, seeds or other articles of commerce ? 
And this thought is in the main correct. But putting this feature 
aside, my own opinion is that such distribution will do no injury to 
the nursery trade; rather the reverse, and that it will be a benefit to 
many of those who receive the trees. The distribution of these trees 
will place in the hands of many something which they never would 
have purchased ; it will show them what kinds of trees are suited to 
their locality; it will interest them in something which they would 
have known nothing about, and in the end these recipients of trees 
will become good customers of the nurserymen—a something which 
never would have happened otherwise. That this is no fancy picture 
is proved by the work of the tree agent. The agent visits farmers and 
country folk, as well as the rich merchant, and prevails on them to 
buy trees. The greater number would never have had trees in any 
other way. With the little experience with the agent, whether it be 
good or bad, there is awakened an interest in trees ; and in the end the 
nearest nursery gets a new customer. Several of the largest nursery 
firms in the country do not employ agents, and in their vicinity agents 
from other firms are busy, yet these firms invariably say that they have 
no objection whatever to the agents—in fact look on their presence 
favorably. This work approaches that accomplished by horticultural 
and fruit growers’ societies, viz., the education of the people in matters 
relating to trees, showing them what they are and giving them the 
opportunity of deciding intelligently what kinds are adapted to their 
needs. 
The decision of Secretary Wilson is more in keeping with the origina 
design of ths promoters of the Department, and from what is known 
of the proposed work now, there appears no reason whatever to raise 
any objection to it if kept within its proper limits. 
