146 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Correspondence 
THE ORCHARDIST AND THE NURSERYMAN 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
Dear Sir; I have read with much interest your article on 
the action of the New York State Fruit Growers’ Associa¬ 
tion, relative to the formation of a protective association to 
protect the members against dishonest nurserymen and 
dealers. 
L .-^.This matter is directly along our line. You will doubt- 
less remember when our Company was organized it brought 
out much comment, for it was for^this express purpose that 
this Company was formed. We have’among us and in fact 
every dollar’s worth of our capital stock is owned by actual 
fruit growers who entered our Company for no other pur¬ 
pose than to secure trees which were reliable. 
The matter of the guarantee was about the first thing to 
be brought up, and not two per cent, of the members would 
consider anything but an absolute guarantee, until they 
were made thoroughly familiar with propagation methods 
and the extreme necessity of careful, accurate work in order 
to prevent mistakes. When the whole matter was fully 
demonstrated to them, and the fact that all concerns were 
obliged to purchase more or less stock to complete their 
assortments and fill orders as given, which naturally in¬ 
volved not only the skill of the individual propagator but all 
of his assistants, and the integrity of all concerns from whom 
he was forced to buy, they became as strongly opposed to a 
guarantee which would raise the liability above the price 
received, as they had been in favor of an absolute guarantee 
before they were made familiar with the volume of work and 
necessary possibilities of intentional mistakes. Such is 
human nature! 
Were fruit growers and nurserymen more familiar with 
the conditions under which the other fellow works, there 
would be a better feeling and less talk of the dishonest 
nurseryman. 
Our members at first thought nursery stock could be 
grown under organization at a great saving in cost. They 
are now willing to pay a fair price for a good article, and do 
not jump at every unscrupulous dealer’s offer, who is depen¬ 
dent on making up his orders from the surplus stocks left 
over after the honest nurseryman has filled his orders. 
It is true that we give a stronger guarantee than com¬ 
mon. We guarantee to replace free of charge or refund the 
purchase price of trees which prove untrue, at the option of 
the purchaser, and we further obligate ourselves to be wil¬ 
ling and able at all times to show plainly where all goods 
came from, and that they were delivered by us as they were 
received. 
The farmer’s best protection is to stop quibbling on 
price and procure his goods of the most dependable nur¬ 
series he can find. 
The Wolverine Co-Operative Nursery Co., Ltd. 
Paw Paw, Mich. 
A UNIQUE TYPE OF NURSERY WORK 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
Dear Sir: 
My line is different from the regular nursery. I am 
a collector and grower of native plants. I either buy or lease 
a tract of wild land, that is covered with a growth of rhodo¬ 
dendrons, kalmia, or azaleas; I then clean the land, cutting 
everything except the large trees, and bum all the brush. 
This I usually do in the winter, when there is a little snow 
on the ground, so the fire won’t run. I then have to wait 
from three to five years for the plants to grow, in the mean¬ 
time keeping the brush away from the young plants. In 
this way I can raise fine bushy second growth plants, that 
will come up witli a good ball of earth, and stand trans¬ 
planting. 
I have followed this business for the past eight years, and 
always invite prospective buyers to come here and look my 
stock over before buying. In that way, I have dealt with 
some of the largest nurserymen and landscape gardners of 
the country. 
I am writing this and inclosing one of my price list cards, 
thinking that you might be interested to know the kind of 
business your new advertiser and subscriber is doing. 
Very respectfully, 
Callicoon, N. Y. C. G. Curtis. 
OREGON FRUIT GROWERS ACTIVE 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
Dear Sir: I am mailing you under separate cover copy 
of our second printed report, containing papers and proceed¬ 
ings of our twenty-fifth annual meeting. 
We held during the meeting the largest and most success¬ 
ful Apple and Fruit Show ever held in Oregon, there being 
several carloads on exhibit. Among the largest prizes were 
two for $250 each, one offered by Louis W. Hill, President 
of the Great Northern Ry., and one by Howard Elliott, 
President of the Northern Pacific Ry. The sweepstake 
prize of $250 was won by Hood River; the Hill prize by 
The Dalles, and the Elliott prize by Hillsboro. 
Last year for the first time other states were allowed to 
compete at this All Oregon Apple Show, and in November, 
1911, we expect to have a display that will be representative 
of the entire Northwest, as competition will be open to all 
fruit growers, no matter where situated. 
I will be pleased to place you on the mailing list for all 
circulars, programs, and printed matter, if you are inter¬ 
ested, and will be pleased to have you publish any of the 
articles in the report that will be of interest to your readers. 
In case you desire information regarding horticulture in 
Oregon, I will furnish it to the best of my ability at any time 
either to you or any of your subscribers. 
F. W. Power, Secretary. 
Oregon Hort. Society. 
