THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
49 
ojH'iatioii could bo prolilably expressed in an associated 
elTorl /o develope our marlad and lo increase Ike use of 
our jn'odurls by means of a National campaign of educa¬ 
tion. This thought has been of slow but sure gi’owth; it 
had already become a conviction and a fixed purpose; it 
[•(‘inained only to translate it into action. 
At a recent meeting of the Publicity Committee of the 
.American Association of Nurserymen, the Chairman, Mr. 
F. L. Atkins, suggested that the sentiment in favor of 
such a campaign had evidently so far crystalized as to 
demand immediate and definite action; whereupon all 
those present agreed to become subscribers to a Fund for 
Market Develofyment, themselves and all other suhserihers 
to become missionaries to attend trade conventions and to 
invite all others to join with them, whose interests can 
he advanced througli promoting sates of nursery stock. 
In this way, meetings of the Ornamental Growers Asso¬ 
ciation, the Massachusetts Nurserymen’s Association, the 
I’ennsylvania Nurserymen’s Association, the Western As¬ 
sociation of Nurserymen, and the New Jersey Nursery¬ 
men’s Association have been attended, the proposition 
presented and subscriptions obtained as shown on the 
accompanying list. 
The subscribers have named this committee to call for 
subscriptions. It is proposed to raise a fund of $50,000 
a year for a period of five years; to ask all subscribers on 
May first to elect a Committee in the most democratic way, 
each subscriber having one vote, the Committee then se¬ 
lected to study and investigate the subject of National co¬ 
operative merchandizing campaigns and to devise a jilan 
that will meet the needs of the nursery trade and serve 
fairly and equally the interests of ALL the suhserihers to 
this Fund. The undersigned committee is temporary 
only, appointed to solicit subscriptions. We do not at 
this time jiropose any particular plan for market devel¬ 
opment; we think the plan should be worked out by a 
committee to be chosen later by ALL the suhserihers to 
the Fund. 
We present you the broad proposition of co-o[)erative 
market development; in our opinion, there is nothing we 
nurserymen can do at this time of such vast possibilities, 
nothing that can advance the jirosperity of the whole 
trade so surely, as this co-operative National campaign to 
create new business for nurserymen. Other trades have 
done the same thing and are continuing to do it; they 
would not keep it up without jirolilable returns; the flor¬ 
ists, nearly related to us in interest, have already 
launched tlieir campaign, confident that their fund wMll 
he oversubscribed, three-fifths of it being already pledged. 
We nurserymen have contented ourselves with profit¬ 
less competition for the same business and have over¬ 
looked the opportunity to unite and make more business. 
Publicity is the greatest force in the world today; it 
creates armies, unmakes and remakes nations and draws 
anew the world-map. We nurserymen need publicity; 
we need to bdl our hundred million jieople wbo we are 
and what we are doing and to what degree we contribute 
and can still further contribute to the health of the Na¬ 
tion with orchards and fruit-gardens; in what ways w<^ 
can surround the home with shade and beauty and make 
the highways inviting and the parks delightful. The out¬ 
door idea is susceptible of profitable cultivation; every 
school garden club implants the love for growing things. 
The field invites us; it is our field; we have only to use 
our op|)oitunity. Ours is not an experiment; it has been 
tried; it is with us to demonstrate that we are capable of 
such constructive and co-otierative action as other lines 
of business have found and used to their profit. 
As to details: we suggest none; they will have to be 
worked out to fit our needs and by a committee to be se¬ 
lected by all the subscribers; we firmly believe in the 
IDEA and know it to he broad enough to include the in¬ 
terests of every man who gains his livelihood from the 
nursery business directly or indirectly. « 
Those who have already subscribed to the fund arc not 
more enthusiastic than those whose names do not yet ap¬ 
pear; they are merely early on the list because of being 
at trade conventions held in the few weeks of Januaiy 
since this committee set to work. These subscribers in¬ 
dicate in the most convincing way what they thiidc of the 
proposition, by subscribing their money; their opinion is 
worth considering; they are business men; their names 
are representative of the best in trade circles; they en¬ 
dorse the campaign and ask you to join with them in put¬ 
ting it over in impressive fashion. 
Arc you with us? 
We want $50,000 a year subscribed by May first. 
The money will be laid out by a committee in whose 
selection you will have an ecjual voice. 
Think it over; think quickly; let’s not give the cam¬ 
paign absent treatment and let’s not talk it to death; 
we’ve done the talking already. Let’s do it now. Notify 
any member of the committee of the amount you will suh- 
scrihe and then go out and get others to join in the same 
way. The value of your subscription grows in propor¬ 
tion to the whole sum. In figuring the amount, consider 
your business and its possibiliiies. It is not a contribu¬ 
tion, but an investment and a big one—$50,000 a year; 
how much of that will you furnish to help create more 
business? How much of that you can get for yourself 
depends on you; how do you value the possibilities that 
lie in you and in your organization? This campaign will 
go over the top, but it must go quickly and handsomely in 
the sf)irit of the progressive business men who make up 
the nursery trade of today. Are you one of them? 
Money talks; speak up. 
Respectfully, 
F. L. Atkins^ E. S. Welch, 
J. Edw.vrd Moon, H. R. Chase, 
Rorert Pyle, Paul G. Stark, 
John W ATSON. 
Committee. 
List of Subscribers to the Market Development 
Fund 
Amt. per Year 
for five Years 
Adams Nursery Co., J. W., Springfield, Mass. .. .$100.00 
Andorra Nurseries, Chestnut Hill, Penna. 250.00 
Rarr, R. F., Lancaster, Penna. 25.00 
Ilernardin, E. P., Parsons. Kansas,. 50.00 
Robbink & Atkins. Hutherford, New Jersey, .... 250.00 
Rrandley, James, Walpole. Alass. 25.00 
Rreed. E. W., Clinton. Mass.. 25.00 
Chase Nursery Co., Chase, Alabama,. 250.00 
Gonard & Jones Co., West Grove, Penna.,. 250.00 
