114 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
lure to say that those who are making the play of free 
replacement solely for the advantage they think they 
now hold over their less fortunate brethren, will be 
among the lirst to foster a “get together movement” to 
eliminate this expensive evil. 
There are none of us in the business foolish enough to 
think that the retail nurserymen who are replacing free 
unconditionally are impelled by philanthropic motives in 
so doing. They are only doing it to offer a little more 
inviting propaganda to the agents for whom they are ad¬ 
vertising and there can be no question if this distinct 
present advantage is removed by reason of everybody 
doing it, that within a year or two, we will have a stand¬ 
ardized contract and a general agreement that no nur¬ 
sery stock will be replaced under any better terms than 
half price at least. 
Yours truly, 
The Hawks Nursery Co. A. C. HANSON, 
ADVERTISING AND SELLING NURSERY STOCK 
Three percent of replies from nursery catalogs and 
circulars is a good average. If the returns are less than 
3% something is wrong with the advertising. This is 
the experience of Nelson A. Coons of the Rhinebeck 
Floral Company, Rhinebeck, New York, as given to the 
class in nursery practice at Massachusetts Agricultural 
College. His address on advertising and selling nursery 
stock came at the conclusion of the nursery course and 
gave the students some valuable points on this important 
subject. He said that all advertising must do four 
things: (1) attract attention (2) arouse desire (3) con¬ 
vince the mind (4) stimulate action. 
Advertising by catalog is one of the well known meth¬ 
ods in the nursery trade, but a large part of such adver¬ 
tising is wasted as the catalogs are not properly written, 
well printed or intelligently distributed. Small timely 
circulars well written will often bring the largest 
amount of business. Every catalog must be written 
from the buyers’ point of view, not so as to appeal to a 
nurseryman. 
Advertising either by catalog or other ways produces 
various kinds of results. For example it establishes 
good will, creates acquaintances, identifies the product, 
prevents substitute, creates demand, produces sales, and 
eliminates time in the creation of a market. Of course 
not all advertising does all these things at once, and it is 
important for the advertiser to know which one of these 
objects he has in mind. The creation of acquaintances 
is especially important in the nursery business. 
In sending out advertising it is important to consider 
first the appearance, which must be good. All catalogs 
and other printed matter should be handled by the best 
expert printers. Cheap work is money wasted. The 
time to send out advertising is very important. The best 
time is seldom during the planting season. The time to 
advertise roses is when roses are in bloom. Everybody 
is then interested. 
Correspondence is also a very important means of sell¬ 
ing nursery stock. Form letters may be used, but per¬ 
sonal letters are much more effective and should be 
made distinctly personal. Trite, stale formulas should 
not be used. Every selling letter should contain the four 
advertising elements already enumerated viz, attract at¬ 
tention, arouse desire, convince the mind and stimulate 
action. 
Personal salesmanship is also a very important means 
of disposing of nursery stock. The best place for a 
salesman to sell stock is on the grounds where it is to be 
used. A salesman must be keen and well informed and 
must know his nursery stock. When he arrives on the 
grounds with a prospect he must attend to the following- 
points: (1) determine conditions (2) analyze the atti¬ 
tude of the customer (3) get, the customer’s point of 
view (4) attract attention to his goods (5) meet and an¬ 
ticipate all objections (6) state his price carefully (7) 
close the sale quickly. 
Finally the poorest way to sell stock is to enter into 
a price cutting competition with other nurseries. 
NURSERY NOTES FROM NEW ZEALAND 
1921 is now closing. The year has seen most lines of 
really choice trees and plants in short supply. Ordinary 
lines of every day requirement have been in good demand 
and for the most part in fair supply. 
Fruit Trees—For the first time since the great war 
there has been a good demand for all classes of stone 
fruit. Pip fruit, however, are still a drug on the market, 
and a good many trees have had to be burned. 
Bud Selection—This matter has been well canvassed, 
and a good interest aroused. Several committees have 
been formed, and the matter of forming a national regis¬ 
tered body will be effected in a few weeks. Much 
material is already in hand and it is confidently expected 
that important results will develop in a few years as a 
result of the data being collected. 
Afforestation—At no time in the history of this country 
has so much interest been taken in forestry matters. Not 
only the nurseryman but the Forest Service and the For¬ 
estry Leagues are and have insisted on the crying need 
to plant for timber, and the propaganda is already telling. 
The Value of Organization—This has been felt by the 
nurserymen this year as never before, in more 
ways than one. In dealing with labor matters, in con¬ 
nection with legislation, in getting to a basis of costing, 
and selling on a fair margin above that line, in assisting 
in cases of litigation, where the committee finds that the 
nurserymen are in the right to stand by while if in the 
wrong the association will stand for a fair deal every 
time. 
The Seedsmen to Organize—The retail seed firms are 
considering the matter of organization, and there is to 
be a meeting of those interested on January 24th, at the 
time of the Nurserymen’s Conference in Christ Church. 
1922 Conference—This is arranged to open in Christ 
Church on January 24th and will extend over till the 
28th. The matters to be dealt with are brim full of inter¬ 
est and should cause some discussion and lead to very 
definite action. This will be the 15th consecutive con¬ 
ference held in New Zealand. 
Officers for the association for 1922 are: President, 
A. W. Buxton, Christ Church; N. I. vice president, V. C. 
Davies, New Plymouth; S. I. vice president, T. D. Lennie, 
Invercargill; Geo. A. Green, secretary, P. 0. Box 1118, 
Auckland, N. Z. 
