120 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
INSURANCE RATES. 
Suggestion by Mr. Willis Regarded by Jackson Perkins Co. as 
Worthy of Discussion by American Association and 
Action by Proper Committee—Conditions 
at Newark t N. Y. 
Editor National Nurseryman : 
We notice in the September issue of the National Nurseryman 
the inquiry of Mr. A. Willis, of Ottawa, Kans , regarding insurance 
rates upon nursery storage buildings. 
It seems to us that this matter would be something which could be 
taken up advantageously by the American Association. Some three 
years ago we succeeded in getting a special rate established upon our 
storage buildings, which was 50 cents per $100 per year ; but this rate 
has recently been cancelled by the insurance companies, and when we 
renew the policies we shall have to pay $1.25 per $100 per year. 
As we understand it, nursery buildings are classed along with ordi¬ 
nary warehouses which, it seems to us, is a most unjust classification ; 
and if the average of losses was compiled simply from nursery build¬ 
ings we believe that a very much lower rate could be offered. Surely, 
nursery storage buildings, as ordinarily built, are a much safer risk 
than barns, which here take a rate of 60 cents per $100 for three years. 
We have been trying hard to get our old special rate of 50 cents re¬ 
newed but have, thus far, been unable to. 
If the matter was taken up by the proper committee of the associa¬ 
tion, we think something of a benefit to the trade might be accom¬ 
plished. Jackson & Perkins Co. 
Newark, N. Y., Sept. 15 1902. 
THE HOME NURSERYMAN. 
Harry E. Hamilton of Bangor, Mich., at a recent meeting 
of the Michigan Horticultural Society, presented a paper on 
“The Home Nurseryman,” from which the following extract 
is taken : 
A man to be a succetsful fruit tree nurseryman must, besides 
being careful, honest and industrious, have a business mas¬ 
tered which among other things involves a knowledge of the 
modes of producing and caring for the trees and plants used 
for garden and other purposes. He should know the soil and 
the particular kind of treatment adapted for each variety he 
grows. He should take the greatest care in selecting his 
scions and stocks, that they be free from disease and of the 
best type procurable. Besides keeping a map with a carefully 
written record of where every variety grown is located he 
should be able to tell by the characteristic growth, the gland 
or some other distinguishing feature, the type of each tree he 
has growing in the nursery. In this connection it might be of 
value to the fruit grower, also, to have this knowledge. If he 
bought trees he would then know the first season instead of 
having to wait until the trees fruited whether they resembled 
what he purchased them for or not. Thus in the peach, if he 
bought trees labeled Barnard, Kalamazoo, Elberta or Smock, 
and they have any other gland than reniform, or if he bought 
trees labeled Crane’s Early, Crawfords, Engles or Chairs Choice 
and they have any other gland than globose he would know 
at once that whatever he had the trees were not tagged. 
One might think that this is something the average fruit 
grower and nurserymen are familiar with, but a little inverti- 
gation will convince him that many who handle trees know 
very little on this subject. 
Our home nurseryman should be well informed as to the 
requirements of the fruit grower. He should be able to tell 
the merits and demerits of the fruits generally grown for mar' 
kets. When asked by prospective customers he should give 
his honest opinion if he gives any opinion at all, as to the ad- 
visibility of setting such and such varieties or the not doing 
so. He should give such customers as are inexperienced the 
most explicit directions for planting and caring for trees after 
they leave the nursery, for no tree will do well, if it grows at 
all, if allowed to stand and dry out in a bundle and then be 
planted out and left to the tender mercies of the cut-worm and 
the grub. It is safe to say that more trees die of neglect than 
die a natural death. 
The legitimate home nurseryman may have a large nursery 
or a small one. He may advertise extensively or he may not, 
that may depend a good deal on how much trouble he has to 
sell his trees. He may, too, occasionally have made mistakes 
or perhaps more often was the victim of the errors of outside 
nurserymen, for it is almost impossible in a general trade for a 
nurseryman to grow all the items his business requires. It 
would be well for him to state frankly to his customers whether 
the trees he is offering were grown in Michigan or Texas ; 
whether they were really grown by himself or someone else. 
These are things the average fruit grower thinks he has a right 
to know in order to protect himself. If patrons have griev¬ 
ances he must cheerfully do all he agrees. In other words, 
“ Do unto others as you would expect others to do to you 
under like circumstances,” must be the motto of the nursery¬ 
man who would earn and hold a reputation for fair dealing. 
Within the memory of men yet living, Western Michigan was 
practically one magnificent forest of maples and evergreens. 
Like the Indian who lived beneath their leafy branches and 
worshipped the soul of their majestic, kingly forms, they have 
mostly fallen beneath the rapacity and greed of our so-called 
Christian civilization. In the reconstruction that has followed 
the nurseryman has had an important part. Before the funeral 
ashes of these trees were cold he was on the ground trying to 
propitiate nature with other trees, which, if they contained less 
of romance, possessed more of the spirit of practicalness. 
There he has grown up in your midst and has done much to 
help make this state one mammoth garden of orchard trees and 
vines. To you, to the fruit grower, to the home nurseryman, 
and to all lovers of rural -nature, is allotted the carrying on of 
the task which has so nobly begun and which, when completed 
by posterity, let us hope, will make Michigan “a thing of 
beauty ” and “ a joy forever.” 
WOULD DISPENSE WITH BUDDING. 
In a discussion of reasons for the hardiness of the “ fence 
corner peach tree,” in the Rural New Yorker, a correspondent 
says : 
I think it is generally conceded that peach trees grown from 
natural pits make the healthiest and hardiest trees, whether they are 
grown in a fence corner or elsewhere. The “ fence-corner ” trees are 
usually seedlings allowed to grow without being transplanted. Such 
trees always have a tap root and a system of roots as nature designed 
a peach tree should have. I believe the time is not far distant when 
the pits will be planted where the tree is to grow ; they can be budded 
there as well as in the nursery row. I also believe the time is coming 
when budding will be dispensed with ; we shall have fruit that will 
reproduce itself and come true to the pit. My belief is that destroy¬ 
ing the tap root and budding are the two sources from which emanate 
most of the weaknesses the peach tree is heir to. The “ fence-corner ” 
tree has neither of these evils to contend with, hence is vigorous. 
