68 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
When it is realized that 90 per cent of the cost of a rose plant 
is labor, it is readily seen that we must have some measure 
of protection. 
The soil, climate, and moisture conditions of Holland, 
with her cheap labor, is particularly adapted to the turning 
out of rose plants quickly. The Hollander grows from 50 to 
60 thousand plants to the acre. Here we grow from 18 to 
20 thousand plants per acre. He produces large bushes but 
the growth is forced, the wood soft and pithy, and the plants 
do not succeed, seldom surviving over a yar. The public 
does not know this and buys the plants because they appear 
cheap. 
Nursery stock is in its nature perishable, it must be sold 
when it arrives at the marketable age and size. If it is not 
then sold it is dug and burned, it cannot be laid on the shelf 
and carried over to another season like merchandise. This 
condition led to the dumping of large consignments of stock 
from Europe to be sold by auction on commission, and all 
that was received above freight and expenses was clear gain. 
This was largely done previous to the duty of 25 per cent 
which the goods now carry. 
We ask that the present rate of 25 per cent ad valorum 
on trees, shrubs, and evergreens, known as “Nursery stock,” 
be retained. 
The present rates of duty are now satisfactory, and there 
is less friction and fewer misunderstandings in administering 
the law than at any time within the last 20 years. 
We also ask that Evergreen seedlings, now on the “free 
list” in paragraph 668, should be defined by the words“three 
years old or less.” 
AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
The American Pomological Society will hold its next 
annual meeting in Washington, D. C., about November 15, 
1913 - 
In the death of our late Secretary, Professor Craig, the 
society has suffered a tremendous loss. Not alone in that 
he was an earnest, faithful worker, and an excellent officer, 
but also because it is quite impracticable to carry on with the 
same degree of efficiency the work that he had mapped out 
for the American Pomological Society for the next few years. 
At this time we need not mention the several “prospects” 
that he was working; suffice for this a reference to the last 
report. It were better perhaps, that we take up first that 
which lay closest to his heart—an increased membership. 
Were you aware that he had promised himself to push an 
active campaign for a heavy increase in the membership? 
It was one of his hopes that his next report would show a 
membership of at least one thousand. Ill health and 
arduous other duties kept him from realizing upon this 
promised effort. Death finally closed his labors and left to 
us the cherished memory to that which, not only “might 
have been” but surely would have been. The question that 
now occurs to those left to carry on the work is how best 
may we, at least in part, accomplish the results that he had 
in view ? 
Is it not possible that we, as individual members and 
officers, may carry forward to a successful conclusion this 
part of the work that he contemplated? Could there be 
any higher tribute to his aspirations or more fitting testi¬ 
monial to his memory, at this time, than that we as a body 
finish the task that he had set for himself—a labor that was 
to be at the expense of his vitality, but for our good? A 
service of self-sacrifice, one among many others, for his 
fellow-workers. 
President Goodman and Treasurer Taft think we ought 
to make the total for 1913-1914, twelve hundred. That 
means that each present member’s share will be one new one, 
and the officers, including all the vice-presidents, will be 
not less than three each. That is easy. We can all do it. 
This is a splendid opportunity for the pomologists and 
horticulturists of New York, Canada and Iowa in particular 
to do credit to themselves and the name of Craig. His name 
has cast not a little lustre upon the pomology of these 
districts. 
An honor conferred by the whole membership would 
have been highly gratifying to Professor Craig while here. 
It will be equally appreciated by his saddened friends and 
family now. 
Now to the task! It is surely a labor of love. Do not 
delay! Do your share at once! Thrice welcome is that 
honor which is bestowed promptly .—The American Pomol- 
ogist. 
BLOOD SPOT IN APPLES 
A peculiar species of fruit now in the Norwich, Conn., 
market is the “Mike” apple. It has a fair skin, an excellent 
flavor and is extensively propagated thereabouts. Each 
individual apple exhibits somewhere in its pulp a red speck, 
like a tinge of fresh blood, and thereby hangs a strange 
legend. 
The apple obtains its name from Micah Rood, a famer 
who lived upon the outlands of the Connecticut town in the 
eighteenth century. The son of Thomas Rood, one of Nor¬ 
wich’s early settlers, Micah tilled his fertile acres with all the 
zest of youthful ambition. 
But of a sudden his habits changed; he grew idle, restless 
and intemperate. He lost all interest in both work and 
worship. His cattle were neglected and his neighbors 
shunned. Some attributed the change to witchcraft; others 
hinted insanity. 
Winter wore away, spring returned and the orchard of 
Micah Rood burst into blossom. On one tree, it was 
observed, the flowers had turned from white to red. The 
superstitious neighbors wondered, especially as Rood seemed 
drawn to this tree by some resistless fascination. August 
came and the red blossoms developed into fruit. When the 
large yellow apple fell from the branches each one was found 
to contain a well defined globule, known thereafter as “the 
drop of blood.” 
The freak of the apple tree deepened the mystery of 
Micah’s behavior. Conjecture followed surmise, and soon 
it was remembered that during the previous fall a foreign 
peddler had passed through Norwich and had spent the 
night at Micah Rood’s. He had never been seen again. 
Someone suggested that the young farmer had murdered 
him for his money and buried the body under the apple tree. 
