THE NATIONAL. NURSERYMAN 
441 
WHAT A NURSERYMAN SEES IN HIS TRAVELS 
Mainly trees. It is pretty safe to say the nurseryman 
sees more trees,than anything else in his travels. Not that 
he has not an eye for a pretty girl, if he be unmarried, or that 
he would not see a restaurant sign if he were hungry, or even 
a sign in gold letters if he happened to be thirsty, but the 
fact remains that a tree out of the ordinary would attract 
his attention first. 
Even in New York, while among the sky-scrapers, he 
would be apt to make mental notes of what kind of trees 
and shrubs were growing in the churchyard of old Trinity 
in spite of his close proximity to Wall Street. If he travels 
south when he strikes Philadelphia his movements can be 
more leisurely and he can look around and study the vegeta¬ 
tion along the streets ^vithout so much danger of being 
jostled or run over. He sees the Carolina Poplars constantly 
shedding their leaves along the “cheap building operation” 
streets. Pin Oaks, Norway Maples and Oriental Planes in 
front of those houses where there has been a little more 
judgment used and out in the older suburbs fine specimens of 
almost every tree that will grow in that latitude. 
Here a magnificent River’s Beech, there huge storm 
broken Silver Maples, majestic oaks, choice evergreens or a 
big, rambling Wistaria with a trunk like a boa-constric¬ 
tor that must be a blaze of glory when in flower. Then the 
Japanese Maples, Pink Dogwoods, Chinese Magnolias, etc., 
etc. He will think to himself there have been big nurseries 
in the vicinity of Philadelphia for many years and the city 
is better for it and has a corresponding better opinion of his 
own importance. ■ 
He mentally decides that the Norway Maple, Pin Oak 
and Oriental Planes are the street trees for Philadelphia. 
Wilmington is not much further south, less than an hour’s 
ride, but there is a subtle change. An occasional Crepe 
Myrtle and Magnolia grandiflora shows the balmy southern 
influence. The more tender roses do not seem as if they 
had been cut back quite so heavy the past winter, a little 
thing in itself but it speaks volumes to him. 
Then as he goes on to Baltimore, just a few more Crepe 
Myrtle, Magnolias and Roses. Otherwise the trees and 
plants are much the same as in Philadelphia and New York. 
At Roland Park the nurseryman feels like taking his hat 
off to the founders and managers of this residence section. 
Here his products have been liberally and well used. The 
topography of the ground, the big trees, the artistically 
built homes and evident master-minds that realized the value 
of nursery stock in relation to real estate have built monu¬ 
ments to themselves that should be the shrine of all real 
estate men. 
Look at that magnificent Holly. Why it’s the real 
American and growing wild. Why it must be indigenous. 
That’s so, it is plentiful in the south. No nurseryman from 
the north could pass a tree like that and not see it. 
It is not much of a run from Baltimore into Washington 
and on arriving at the Union Station he cannot help thinking 
he is somewhere with such a wonder of architecture. It is a 
question what a nurseryman would see first on going out of 
the station. Would it be the White blouse? But what 
nurseryman ever aspired to the White House? He may 
have aspired to a government contract but his kingdom is 
not in politics. Maybe he would like to be President just 
long enough to fix inspection laws. Or would the nurser}'- 
man see the Washington Monument or the broad thorough¬ 
fares lined with young Pin Oaks? What made them cut 
the leaders out when they were ]danted? Guess they will 
make trees in spite of it. 
Beautiful broad avenues planted \vith well selected trees; 
no overhead wires; large, costly buildings with small grounds; 
florists instead of nurserymen and plenty of money for im¬ 
provements and government supervision have produced a 
city worthy to be the nation’s capitol. 
The nurseryman decides Pin Oaks arc “it” in Washing¬ 
ton, with the less known Ginkgo tree well establi.shed in 
popularity. A visit to the Botanic Gardens shows him the 
reason why. Here is the best avenue of Ginkgos in the 
country and he mentally decides they are all right and that 
he will grow more of them. 
It would be nice to dally along the way as he goes south 
and visit some of the old plantations and see some of the fine 
old specimens planted before the war. Ole Massa must have 
been a true country gentleman who knew his trees and 
plants. Fine old yews. Cedars of Lebanon, patriarchal 
oaks, box not dreamed of in the north, tell of departed 
glory and hint at the knowledge of the planter of a century 
ago. But there is no time to linger, shipping season is too 
close, so the next stop must be Richmond and a night train 
will land him there in the morning and save hotel bill. 
It is a pity the railroad has to enter a city at the poorest 
quarters of the town. The scenery is never impressive but 
the trolly cars usually take you to the pretty suburbs, though 
an automobile is better. My word, how suburbs have been 
built up in the last decade! Is it being overdone? Guess- 
not because people ought to live where there are trees, 
plants and flowers. 
The travelling nurseryman’s attention is held fast at the 
first sight of that tree with big, glossy, green leaves. Now 
he knows positively he is in the south because it is a Magnolia 
grandiflora with tree-like proportions and there are figs 
that have not been killed back and a Marechal Neil Rose 
up to the top of the house, a pomegranate and what in horti¬ 
culture is that tree covered vdth pink bloom at this time of 
year! Well! Well! Crepe Myrtle. Why if I had that 
growing on my nursery at home I would issue invitations for 
all the countryside to come and see it and here it is growing 
in a negroe’s yard, and they think no more of them here 
than we do of a lilac bush. Murphy’s Hotel is quite a 
building bul the Crepe Myrtle holds the nurseryman’s 
attention longest and what is that low-headed tree that 
suggests the Catalpa Bungeif Texas Umbrella Tree, Melia 
Azedarach. He knows it because he saw the picture in 
Berckmann’s catalogue. 
Yes, the Willow Oak is the street tree for Richmond, 
but it is time to take the train for Norfolk. 
■ What a beautiful combination of land and water and 
climate but Norfolk must be shy on nursery influence. 
Here are suburbs with houses costing up to fifty thousand 
dollars with grounds that would not be particularly credit¬ 
able to a five thousand dollar house. They ^\'ill wake up 
some day and find how easy it is to add fifty percent value to 
their property by planting a little of the nurseryman’s stock. 
