296 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
teiiiber you practically gain a year’s growth in compari¬ 
son with leaving it until the following spring. 
The ground is wami and the plants make root and be¬ 
come firmly anchored before the cold weather starts in, 
which insures their being able to get an early start in 
the spring and take full advantage of the spring growing 
season. 
In hot, diy^ and windy weather, of course, it is not ad¬ 
visable to leave roots exposed any longer than possible, 
but where the plants can be dug, the leaves stripped from 
them, planted and watered if the ground is very dry, 
there is practically no danger of failure. 
In planting trees in fall, especially later on in the 
season, one of the main causes of failure is due to the fact 
that the trees do not become anchored or rooted enough 
to stand the winter conditions. The blowing and shift¬ 
ing of the wind, together with alternate freezing and 
thawing is very detrimental. If proper precautions are 
taken to firmly anchor the trees so that they will not move 
in the wind, oaks and other trees that are considered 
rather difficult to move in the fall, can be safely handled. 
One of the best transplantings of oaks the writer ever 
saw was one that was done late in the fall, but the ground 
was piled up around the stems fully two feet and left 
there over winter, being removed in early spring. 
Not one of the trees failed, yet the position was very 
much exposed and conditions were rather against them. 
It is usually considered advisable not to dig trees in 
the fall until the wood is ripe and of course, this is a 
good rule, but some plants practically never do ripen. 
They continue growing until frost actually nips them 
back. In the case of this type of tree or bush it is well 
to prune back the tops a little to firm wood, so the ends 
w ill not wilt down. 
There is on question but that it would be a great advan¬ 
tage to the nursery business if nurserymen as a body 
urged early fall planting as it would give a much longer 
season, and when properly done, very good results. 
A SOUTHERN BOOKLET NEEDED 
The President of the Southern Nurserymen’s Associa¬ 
tion in his address before the annual meeting called at¬ 
tention to the need of a Southern Edition of the Nursery¬ 
man’s Booklet. 
This is very evident to everyone 'who is at all familiar 
with conditions in the South. Due to climate and a very 
different flora from that of the northern States the sea¬ 
sons are different for planting, and the nurseiy slock 
used varies greatly. 
While the fundamentals of landscape gardening are 
the same the world over, nothing looks quite so unsalis- 
fying as attempts at northern gardening in the sunny 
South. 
IIead(juarters 2nd Battalion, 
316th Field Artillery, 
A. E. F. France, 21st August, 1918. 
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN 
ASSOCIATION OF NURSERYMEN 
My Dear Friends — 
lave just received a letter wultten by your committee, 
in which it said some very complimentary things regard¬ 
ing your retiring President and friend. 
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your thought¬ 
fulness, your friendship and good will. 
It was a great pleasure to send you my brief “mes¬ 
sage,” and although short, it was most sincere. I deeply 
regret that I could not be present with you at the Chicago 
Meeting. 
Since landing here last spring I have had some very 
unusual experiences. Recently I had a little fun flying 
with the British, was fired upon by “Big Bertha” and 
the train I was on was bombed by a Boclie aeroplane. 
Luckily he was driven off before he registered a hit, so 
I am still here. 
All our men have been doing marvelously well over 
here, even better than the papers report. Both the British 
and French are delighted with the way our men fight, 
and the nerve and ability of our officers. 
The war may last a long time before the Germans are 
beaten but there is absolutely no doubt about the ultimate 
outcome, America will go down in history not only as 
the “Cr^idle of Liberty” but the “Savior of Liberty,” 
The first battle of Chateau Thieriy will go hand in 
hand with the “Battle of Lexington” in our school books. 
We are terribly busy here now and it is almost impos¬ 
sible to write letters. Also the censor will not let us 
write much. When I get back home, which I hope to do, 
I will have some very interesting tales to tell and if I 
don’t get through just think of me sometimes when you 
are gathered around the big round tables. 
In the meantime even though I cannot write many let¬ 
ters, I shall be glad indeed to hear from all my old friends 
in the Association, whenever you can find time to write. 
When I say friends, I mean all of you, for if I have an 
enemy who is a member of the Association, I do not know 
it. 
Again assuring the members of the Association of my 
appreciation for all you have done for me, and with kind¬ 
est regards and best wishes, I am 
Most sincerely. 
Your friend, 
Lloyd C. StarK;, 
Major 316th Field Artillery, 
American Expeditionary Forees. 
