192 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
According to the evidence brought out at the hearing, 
the charges had a very tlimsy base, and had all the ap¬ 
pearance of a customer purchasing goods and then using 
every pretext for not paying for them. 
No nursery business, however high its standing for 
integrity, would care to have a dissatisfied customer’s 
complaint published by a government official before they 
had an opportunity to he heard. 
After all, we can understand overzealousness on the 
part of those having the enforcement of state laws and 
regulations; hut we cannot understand a journal which 
so carelessly handles the reputations of those in the trade 
which it claims to be the “chief exponent.” 
AS I SEE IT 
By M. T. Nutt 
That hearing of the Federal Horticultural Board stir¬ 
red things up even if it proves nothing was accomplish¬ 
ed. The Florist’s Exchange apparently, has taken the 
matter very seriously to heart—as the champion, I as¬ 
sume, of the florists. Now I wonder really just how 
the florists, themselves, take “37”. It is true they were 
ably represented by Mr. McHutchison, but when you 
get down to cases, just how much do the florists care 
whether “37” stands or falls? 
A very prominent florist, one who in the past import¬ 
ed by the thousands, said in my hearing. “Certainly, 
there are some things we would like to import, and “37” 
hit us hard—hut rather than have the door thrown 
wide open as it was in the past I would prefer “37” to 
stand as it is.” 
As to the nurserymen,—from what I can learn, they 
are pretty well satisfied with it as it stands providing a 
few modifications can he made. Just now they need 
Norway Maple in sizes up to say 6 to 8 feet. There is 
no stock of these grades in the country, and it will be 
several years before seedlings can be raised and grown 
to this size. If the F. II. B. would open up and allow 
those sizes entry for say two years, it would bridge over 
a very serious period. 
There are a few other stocks which are desirable and 
necessary. European Beech, Birch, Japanese Maple, 
Magnolia, European Linden and perhaps a few other 
seedlings. There are no seedlings of these in this coun¬ 
try and those who have attempted to grow the seedling 
of these plants have not succeeded. Perhaps in time 
they will be able to do it—but it is a fact that up to the 
present they have not “hit it.” Unless these stocks may 
he imported for a few years, until at least we do learn 
how to grow them successfully, such fine plants as 
River’s Blood Beech, Cutleaved Birch, Japanese Maples, 
in variety, European and White leaved Lindens, Chinese 
Magnolias, Schwedler’s Purple Maple will he a thing of 
the past and unfortunately so, as they are all beautiful 
trees and desirable in landscape work, and there is 
nothing to take their places. 
It would seem that the F. II. B. should be able to han¬ 
dle the inspection of the comparatively few of these 
seedlings for which permits would be asked, and I im¬ 
agine that if the nurserymen could get over these few 
things they would be entirely satisfied. 
I suggest to the F. H. B. that they give this idea con¬ 
sideration. 
The “Florist’s Exchange” seems to have entered the 
field as a promoter of the destinies of the nurserymen’s 
association. In an article headed “The Call to Battle” it 
rehearses the work done and undone by the National 
Association, and in the end, leaves the association in an 
unfortunate and most unenviable situation after “forty- 
six” years work. Apparently the nursery trade, unless 
a strong hand is forthcoming at the June Convention, is 
headed straight for the rocks of disaster. Too had. Still, 
the “Exchange” apparently holds out some hope. It 
gives credit for some work done. Perhaps at the forth¬ 
coming convention we may see the light. Let us pray. 
Then again, perhaps the nurserymen feel they are in 
better position to guide their destinies than a florist. I 
wonder! 
Speaking of the program prepared for the National 
Convention, due credit should be given to that body of 
young nurserymen, known as the “Baby Ramblers,” a 
committee of whom, headed by young “Bill Flemmer” 
had charge of its preparation. 
It is well arranged and should give excellent results. 
It’s a good thing to put responsibility on the shoulders 
of these young fellows. The day is coming when some 
of us older fellows must step down and out, and good, 
young, red blood must take our place. Experience, now, 
is good for them. 
Speaking of experience—I wonder if nurserymen 
realize the importance of putting some responsibilty on 
the shoulders of their sons. Sometime since I visited a 
nurseryman who is quite a grower. I got in conversa¬ 
tion with his son—quite a bright young fellow—and 
was surprised to have him ask me if I would give him a 
position in my nursery. He told me that he had been 
working for his father for several years and while he 
had worked at about every thing there was to be done 
in a nursery, he had advanced no further than any of 
the common workmen and he saw no future for himself 
if he remained. It seemed to me a most unfortunate 
situation and it was very apparent that if some of the 
responsibilities of the business had been turned over to 
the son he would have made good. 
WE CAN SEE IT 
We have been taken to task by the Florist’s Exchange 
for daring to express an opinion contrary to theirs upon 
the Plant Conference, published in our June issue. It 
would have shown less bias if our esteemed contempor¬ 
ary had quoted the entire article along with its crit¬ 
icism. 
Many creeds quote the Bible to prove their conflicting 
interpretations of it. So we are not surprised a Florists’ 
Trade Paper misinterpreted our poor efforts to express 
an opinion on the Plant Conference. Our critic claims 
to he “from Missouri,” perhaps forgetting what his 
countryman said when he first saw a giraffe—“There 
ain’t no such animal.” All the same if our critic had 
