THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
133 
US THE WEST . 
Prospects for This Year’s Business were Never Better — Two- 
Year Apple Used Up Clean—Peach and Plum Scarce — 
Whole Western Country Had Full Crops of Corn 
and Wheat—Collections Should be Good. 
’ * ' 1 . 
New Haven, Mo., Oct. 16.—R. J. Bagby : “Just at this 
time we are practically in the beginning of our fall business. 
We can say that, in our opinion, there will not be much sur¬ 
plus along some lines in this section after the shipping season 
is over. 
“The scarcity of plum and peach is already apparent. We 
predict that not only Elberta but all peach will advance still 
further in price. The prospects for this year’s business, in 
our judgment, were never better. No reason why collections 
should not be 100 cents on the dollar. The whole western 
country has had full crops of both corn and wheat, and fair 
prices are prevailing. 
“ Our business, owing to the prevailing conditions, will be 
increased fully 100 per cent, over the past season. We think 
this will hold true with all in the trade in this locality. 
Crete, Neb., Oct. 21. —E. F. Stephens: “Marketing of 
apple crop has taken all our time since July 10th. The nur¬ 
sery business in the last three months has received very little 
attention. Nebraska has fairly good apple crop. 
“ Most varieties of nursery stock did well. Too much wet 
weather for best results with cherry stocks and buds.” 
Topeka, Kan., Oct. 20.—F. W. Watson & Co.: “We are 
in the midst of the packing season. Indications are that 
everything will be sold that is salable. Two year apple will 
be used up clean. Peach is scarce and price is satisfactory. 
Demand is especially heavy on Elberta, with supply about ex¬ 
hausted. There will be but little pluhi left for spring trade. 
“ Tendency of prices seems to be upward in all lines of 
stock.” 
Salem, Ore., Qct. 21.—M. McDonald, President Oregon 
Nursery Co.: “We are now in the midst of our fall ship¬ 
ments. Our sales for fall delivery are about one-third greater 
than they were last year. Orders in our office at this date for 
spring delivery are about double last year’s business. On the 
whole we would say that the nursery business is in a very good 
condition on the Coast this season. 
“ The demand for trees seems to be unusually brisk in both 
the wholesale and the retail trades. All lines of stock will un¬ 
doubtedly be sold very close before the close of spring sales ; 
in fact, many lines are beginning to show a shortage even this 
early in the fall shipments. Cherries are going to be especially 
short on the Pacific coast this season, and we do not think 
there will be a large surplus in any of the leading varieties at 
the close of spring sales. 
“ Seedling stock generally has made a good growth and about 
the usual number of seedlings have been budded this fall. We 
do not look for any great break in prices here for at least a 
couple of years, as there does not seem to be any great in¬ 
crease in planting.” 
The Hawks Nursery Co., Rochester, N. Y., has opened a branch 
office at Wauwatosa, Wis. T. J. Ferguson is the manager, assisted by 
Albert Hansffii of Milwaukee. Business has started off with a rush. 
CANADIAN CONDITIONS. 
Toronto, Oct. 18th.—Stone & Wellington: “Up to the 
present time sales have been better even than last year. Good 
prices have been readily obtained and the prospects seem 
very good indeed for business during the winter. 
“As far as stock is concerned, we have very little shortage 
in any line. Stock has made good growth this season, and as 
our plantings have been heavy, we are in good shape to meet 
the demands of our retail trade, as well as being able to whole¬ 
sale largely.” 
UTAH NURSERIES. 
The total value of nursery products sold in Utah in 1899 
was $130,648, reported by the operators of forty-seven farms 
and nurseries. Of this number seventeen derived their prin¬ 
cipal income from the nursery business. They had 995 acres 
of land valued at $108,565, buildings worth $18,650, imple¬ 
ments and machinery worth $5,725, and live stock worth 
$4,560. The value of their products in 1899 was $122,035, °f 
which $t 18,575 represents the value of nursery stock and 
$3,460 that of other products. The expenditure for labor 
was $22,315, and for fertilizers, $515. 
THE STARK - STAR GRAPE. 
Stark Brothers Nurseries & Orchards Co, Louisiana, Mo., 
have been busy receiving replies in response to samples of the 
Stark-Star grape, which were sent out in September, reference 
to which was made in the National Nurseryman for October. 
Last year, under a more favorable season, the grapes were 
much finer, but the quality this year could be judged in con¬ 
sideration of the fact that there was more rain at Altus, Ark., 
during the ripening time, than was.ever known at that season 
of the year, and the further fact that leaf-hoppers were very 
thick. The wine-making property of the new grape especially 
appealed to us, because of the excellent flavor and firmness of 
the fruit. 
FRUIT IN GERMANY. 
The first census of fruit trees in Germany, recently taken, 
shows that to every square mile of territory in the Empire 
there were 332 plum trees, 251 apple trees, 119 pear trees 
and 104 cherry trees, or 806 trees of the four kinds named. 
Per square mile of the territory devoted to agriculture, there 
were on an average 513 plum trees, 386 apple trees, 186 pear 
trees and 158 cherry trees, or 1,243 trees of the four kinds—an 
average of very near two to each acre of agricultural land. 
To every 100 inhabitants of the Empire there were 123 plum 
trees, 93 apple trees, 45 pear trees and 38 cherry trees, or in 
all 299 fruit trees of these leading kinds. 
Notwithstanding an average of nearly three fruit trees of 
the kinds named above to every inhabitant of the Empire, the 
supply was not sufficient to meet the requirements of the 
people, for the imports of fresh and simply prepared (dried, 
etc.) fruit of the four kinds in question exceeded the exports 
of such fruit by 2,200,000 quintals or 485,016,840 pounds in 
1900, and by 2,000,000 quintals or 440,924,400 pounds in 1901. 
