THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
337 
WHO SHOULD RECEIVE NURSERYMENS’ 
TRADE LISTS 
In Mr. A. E. Robinson’s paper read at the recent meeting 
of the American Nurseryman’s Association, much that is 
stated in reference to the use of catalogs, mailing lists, etc. 
will no doubt touch a responsive chord with the trade 
generally; as also the suggestion that trade catalogs, special 
prices, etc. should be sent only to those entitled to receive 
them. 
Mr. Robinson’s view, however, that no one excepting 
growers are entitled to the lowest prices and special prices 
under the present conditions of the nursery business, appears 
a little far-fetched, and, where followed by the trade, may— 
like the back firing action of the colored man’s shot gun— 
produce directly the opposite effect from that desired. 
True, if a florist, seedsman or dealer requiring but a 
limited amount of stock, and that in great variety, is placed 
upon the list of outer circle purchasers, little hami can come 
individually or collectively to the trade, but that those with 
an established business, who are large and constant cash 
purchasers and prefer to 
merchandise rather than 
grow this material, or nur¬ 
serymen who grow in part 
and }:)urchasc the balance of 
their requirements, should 
be put in the same outer 
circle list we believe a 
wholly mistaken policy. 
The responsible Mer¬ 
chant Nurseryman or con¬ 
cern, like the merchant in 
any other staple article, 
converts what is produced 
into cash, and, not being in 
direct competition in the 
trade as a grower, may in 
many instances be entitled 
to receive and does receive, 
as does every successful 
merchant in every other line of business, as good or in 
many cases better terms than the manufacturers or pro¬ 
ducers furnish other competing manufacturers or producers; 
and that this principle applies and results obtain now quite 
generally in this country and in Europe, and is mutually 
advantageous to the growers and trade generally, is be¬ 
yond question. These are fixed and growing conditions 
and those who would ignore them may sooner or later add 
to the size of the unsold and the brush pile. 
From a somewhat intimate knowledge of the nursery 
situation both in this country and in Europe, I find this to 
be the fact, and the numerous special quotations made by 
good and responsible growers to those large and responsible 
merchant nurserymen like this company, who are not 
growers themselves but handle nursery products largely for 
cash, indciates that there is a wide-spread view not in accord 
with Mr. Robinson’s suggestion of classification in this 
respect. 
Of course every one must recognize that any one handling 
nursery material or other commercial material or products 
in large quantities is not only entitled to lowest jMces or 
special prices but that this is of mutual advantage to the 
grower as well as the merchant. 
We presume that Mr. Robinson is too wide awake a 
nurseryman and tradesman himself not to recognize the 
growing importance of the nursery business on a mercantile 
basis, and that those engaged in the bus iness in this way are 
bound to have the best terms as to rates and quality of stock. 
Fred’k W. Kelsey. 
FRUIT PROSPECTS 
Government bureaus, state horticultural societies and 
other oranizations are attempting by various means to get 
an accurate estimate of the expected apple crop. These 
estimates are all more or less approximate. Canada: the 
reports gathered by the Ontario Fruit Growers’ Association 
indicate that the staple varieties, as Baldwins and Greenings, 
will be light; Ben Davis and autumn varieties a fair crop; 
])ears, plums and grapes a 
full crop. Michigan: Bald¬ 
win and spy, light to 
medium; pears, a moderate 
crop ; grapes, promising. 
Pennsyh^ania, winter and 
fall apples, full crop. Ohio, 
winter apjdes one-fourth of 
a crop. Virginia, winter 
apples about one-fourth of 
a full crop. Kansas, Mis¬ 
souri and Illinois, from 30 
to 50 per cent of a full 
crop of winter fmit. Colo¬ 
rado, moderate crop of 
apples; large crop of cher¬ 
ries, which of course have 
been harvested. New Eng¬ 
land will produce a light 
crop of winter fruit. New 
York promises about two-thirds of the average crojD of 
winter apples and a little better than this of fall apples. 
On the whole it would a])pear that the winter apple crop 
was going to be shorter than last season. 
MISSOURI’S FRUIT OUTLOOK 
Columbia, Mo., Aug. i.—The State Board of Horticulture is in 
receipt of special reports from correspondents in all of the countries of 
tue State which show that the outlook for a good apple crop is st’ll 
excellent. Taking the average condition of the entire State, the out¬ 
look for the apple crop has declined seven points, the present est'.matc 
being thirty per cent of a full crop. The peach situation rema ns 
practically unchanged, the present estimate being 28.2 per cent as 
against 29.2 per cent a month ago. Since a large number of these 
reports are based upon seedling peaches, the estimate will have to be cut 
in half. The outlook for grapes is excellent, the average for the State 
being seventy-five to eighty per cent. Blackberries and similar fruits 
were almost a failure except in the southwestern counties. 
There is some complaint of drought injury but it does not seem to be 
serious. Unless there are heavy rains apples will be smaller than usual 
Rhododendrons, Lilacs and Azaleas at the recent flower show in 
Boskoop, Holland 
