THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
61 
CENTRAL STATES . 
Nurserymen Generally Had All the Business They Could Handle — 
Clean-up on All Varieties — Pears, Plums and Cherries 
Short of the Demand—Belief In Material Advance 
In Prices on Some Lines—Good Prospects. 
Painesville, Ohio, April 15. —The Storrs & Harrison Co.: 
“ We are just beginning to get over the rush a little, and have 
not the time to make up any reports, and do not know very 
much about how we are coming out. We know that we did 
not have as much stock as usual, but have sold about everything 
we did have, excepting a few varieties of ornamentals. Our 
planting is about the same, and will not vary to any extent 
from what it has been for several years.” 
Phoneton, O., April 14 .—N. H. Albaugh: “All stock 
cleaned up here, even down to small sizes—apples, pears, 
plums, cherries, peaches and all, even to ornamentals. Trade 
never was better. A fair stock of apples, cherries and peaches 
for next fall, but no big surplus.” 
Bridgeport, Ind., April 18. —Albertson & Hobbs: “ It is 
early yet to tell much about how the season’s business is going 
to balance up, but we do know that we have had all we could 
possibly handle, and most of the time more than we could 
handle as promptly as we would like. The season having 
opened up in the North as early, or at the same time as it did 
through our section here and South, brought all of the ship¬ 
ping on us at once—making our season very short. 
“ Trade had been very heavy, and most kinds of stock have 
been sold very close, so there is now but little surplus left. 
Apples and peaches have been sold especially close, and many 
orders for same have been turned away. Pears and plums 
have also been in good demand, and of most varieties the sup¬ 
ply has been short of the demand. '-Cherries of the leading 
varieties have been sold out almost entirely, though of a few 
odd varieties there is still some surplus. 
“ Prices realized have been very good when all are taken 
into consideration, though pears and plums would have brought 
better prices had the nurserymen realized the shortage there 
was in the supply. So, taking it all together we think there 
has been a good clean-up generally, and there will be but lit¬ 
tle stock of importance to be carried over for next season. 
“ We think the prospects are for fully as good trade next 
year as we have had this, and that a material advance in prices 
on some lines may be expected. 
“As to the amount of planting, we think that through this 
state it will not be any heavier or as heavy as last year, and we 
also think that the supply of stock next year will be, if anything, 
lighter than it has been this year, and if trade continues as it 
looks like it might, we anticipate a heavier shortage next year 
than this. 
“ Weather has been very favorable with us since the season 
opened up. Stock is yet in good condition and planting is 
now going on nicely.” 
Kalamazoo, Mich., April 22. —Central Michigan Nursery 
Co.: “We are having more'business than we can properly take 
care of with our facilities. Will immediately begin the erection 
of additional storage and packing cellars 80 by 300 feet. We 
believe future prospects are very bright.” 
Shenandoah, la., April 21. —E. S. Welch: “Our trade this 
spring has been the largest in the history of our business. 
Apple, cherry, peach and native plum in strong demand. 
Have cleaned up closely on all lines, more so than ever before, 
taking into account that we have had the largest amount of 
stock that we have ever handled. Have planted somewhat 
heavier than usual of our staple lines of fruit trees, etc. We 
anticipate a shortage next year in both apple and plum, al¬ 
though our own growing will exceed that of former years. Col¬ 
lections to date have been good, and on the whole the season 
has been quite satisfactory to us.” 
Vincennes, Ind., April 21.—H. M. Simpson & Sons: “The 
spring trade with us has been very satisfactory—everthing be¬ 
ing cleaned up except a few apple. We had a particularly 
heavy trade on one year cherry. Our sales are considerably 
in excess of the trade a year ago and the prospect for the future 
is flattering. 
We have finished our planting and do not remember a 
more favorable season for the work and everything should 
grow. We have an excellent stand for peach and cherry buds 
and expect to make quite a feature of one year cherry for fall. 
Our planting on Mahaleb is a little larger than usual but we 
planted light on apple.” 
IN CANADA . 
Fonthill, Ont., April 21. —Morris, Stone & Wellington: 
“ There has been a brisk demand for all kinds of nursery stock 
this season and, as far as we are able to learn, all Canadian 
nurseries are sold clear up to count, and in many lines using 
light trees, which will make a shortage in this season’s stock. 
“The spring has been very favorable, and the bulk of stock, 
at this date, April 21 st, has been shipped. 
THE BEN DAVIS APPLE. 
Wherever we go at horticultural meetings we find a lively 
discussion as to the wisdom of planting apples like the Ben 
Davis, says the Rural New Yorker. The arguments against it 
are clear and strong. No one claims that it is of more than 
fair quality. In some sections of the East, while it makes a 
fine looking apple, the flesh is dry and tough with but little 
higher quality than a good sweet potato. Everywhere we find 
men who say that their customers are leaining more and more 
about varieties, and are constantly calling for fruit of fine 
flavor. No one claims that he can develop and increase a high 
class trade with the Ben Davis. Those who defend the variety 
seem to have planted their trees several years ago. The apple 
keeps and ships well and brings good prices, though it is ad¬ 
mitted that within the past three or four years the price of Ben 
Davis as compared with other varieties has fallen. In the 
East the belief is gaining that Ben Davis grows as near perfec¬ 
tion as nature ever intended it should in parts of the Missis¬ 
sippi Valley. Any eastern-grown Ben Davis will be only a 
more or less dried-out imitation of the western fruit. This 
fact, and the belief that millions of trees of this variety are 
being planted in its home, is having an effect upon eastern 
growers. We think that fewer Ben Davis trees will be planted 
east of the Alleghenys during the next five years, but that 
growers will turn more and more to high quality apples. 
The letters and writings of the late Thomas Meehan are to be 
published in book form. 
