THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
213 
altc-mpts had boon made to propa^^alc Khododondroiis and 
similar it(‘ms and that those attempts had l)een thus far 
unsueeessful; and that tlie nurs(M’ymen w ere ready to 
throw up hot!) hands and acknowledge that we did not 
know how. 
Further, we liave felt in view of the fact that the 
United States Department of Agricultiin; was s|)ending 
millions of dollars trying to solve the proltlems of tin; 
farmer and the fruit grower, that it was now up to the 
D(‘partment to take hold of the nurserynum’s problems, 
and that if those prol)lems could he solved by the Depart¬ 
ment and they could show us that an adequate supply of 
raw material could be produced in this country, every 
American nurserytnan would be glad to buy his supj)ly 
from American growers, and thus avoid the transporta¬ 
tion risks always incident to foreign shipments. 
We also said that pending the establishment of the fact 
that a supply of raw material could be produced on this 
side, no action should be taken by the Federal Horticul¬ 
tural Board excluding foreign nursery stock and no dates 
should be definitely determined. 
We also said that we were ready and willing to co¬ 
operate with the Federal Horticultural Board and De¬ 
partment of Agriculture in such experiments and that 
our facilities so far as possible were at the command of 
the Department, but that we strongly felt that the De¬ 
partment should undertake this work, for no individual 
nurseryman or combination of nurserymen could com¬ 
mand the capital, time and labor necessary to bring such 
experiments to any definite conclusion. 
Years must elapse before it can be determined that 
such raw material can be produced in America, and be¬ 
yond that further experiments will be necessary to deter¬ 
mine that such American raw material will produce in 
the commercial nurseries satisfactory blocks of trees and 
plants. No decision was announced by the Federal Hor¬ 
ticultural Board, and your committee is unable to advise 
you further. 
After the hearing your committee had an opportunity 
of discussing with Dr. Galloway of the Department of 
Agriculture and Dr. Orton of the Bureau of Plant Indus¬ 
try the suggestion made by us that the Department should 
undertake to solve our problems. We are glad to say 
that both gentlemen expressed themselves in favor of 
such action, and felt that it was an entirely proper work 
for the Department to undertake. Dr. Orton told us that 
the matter was already under consideration by Dr. Tay¬ 
lor, head of the Bureau of Plant Industiy, and that the 
Department had certain land which he thought was well 
located and available for such experiments. 
Dr. Orton suggested that our Association confer with 
Dr. Taylor as soon as possible and present to him a state¬ 
ment of our dilliculties and the probhons that we want to 
have them work out. 
Your committee would therefore suggest the appoint¬ 
ment of a special committee to take up this subject with 
the Bun^au of Plant Industry, and that such committee 
should be composed of men who are thoroughly convers¬ 
ant with the dilliculties and problems now confronting 
not only the men who grow fruit trees, but those whose 
business will be seriously hampered by the exclusion of 
])lants and ornamentals. It should be a committee con¬ 
versant with all the prohlems connected with the produc¬ 
tion of our raw materials, and be prepared to go before 
the Bureau of Plant Industry with a definite list of ex¬ 
periments which we would like to have undertaken by 
that Department. 
Your legislative committee for the eoming year should 
necessarily keep in touch with the Federal Horticultural 
Board, particularly as to the matters under discussion at 
the May hearing, and should also keep watch of Federal 
and State Legislation. Your eommittee has had very 
little work to do on matters of State Legislation during 
the past year, and will leave that subject for the report 
of your counsel and secretary, Mr. Smith. 
In the fall of 1917 I found that my duties as Chairman 
of the Distriet Exemption Board and my business made 
it necessaiy for me to tender my resignation as Chairman 
of your Legislative Committee, but I then said that I 
wouldrtake care of the work of the committee so far as 
the conference with Prof. Sanders’ committee was con¬ 
cerned. In April I was asked by Vice President Mayhew 
to take charge of the hearing at Washington May 28th, 
and was glad to find that I was able to do so. I am 
handing you this report as that of the Legislative Com¬ 
mittee and as temporary chairman thereof. 
SEBVICE FLAG AT CONVENTION 
The “Baby Bamblers” hung a service flag at the Nur¬ 
serymen’s convention in honor of six of their members 
who are now in the sei’vice. Some are already “Over 
there.” 
The stars were for: 
Paul Fortmuller. 
Albert F. Meehan. 
Clarence Perkins. 
M. W. Bryant. 
Win. Flemmer, Jr. 
Clay Stark. 
They also displayed on a table, six pot grown plants, 
in full bloom, of pink Baby Bambler Boses, in honor of 
their absent Brothers. 
