THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
429 
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION 
OF NURSERYMEN, KANSAS CITY, DEC. 21-22, 1909. 
LARGE ATTENDANCE. VALUABLE PAPERS. 
The Western Nurserymen met at the Coates House, 
Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 21, 1909, a half hundred strong and 
enjoyed and profited by the best meeting ever held by the 
Association. The following firms answered the roll call: 
E. P. Bernardin, Parsons, Ivans.; Id. F. Bente, Leaven¬ 
worth, Kans.; J. S. Butterfield, Lees Summit, Mo.; C. W. 
Carman, Lawrence, Kans.; M. E. Chandler, Argentine, 
Kans.; Des Moines Nur. Co., Des Moines, Iowa; B. E. 
Fields & Son, Fremont, Neb.; German Nurseries, Beatrice, 
Nebr.; T. E. Griesa, Lawrence, Kans.; Harrison Nursery 
Co., York, Nebr.; Holman Bros., Leavenworth, Kans.; 
Holsinger Bros., Rosedale, Kans.; Kelsey Nurseries, St. 
Joseph, Mo.; Kansas City Nurseries, Kansas City, Mo.; 
J. A. Lopeman, Enid, Okla.; Marshall Bros., Arlington, 
Neb.; Montana Nur. Co., Billings, Mont.; C. W. Murphy, 
Lawrence, Kans.; J. FI. Skinner & Co., Topeka, Kans.; J. 
W. Schuette & Co., St. Louis, Mo.; The Sedgwick Nur., 
Sedgwick, Kans.; M. H. Simpson & Sons, Vincennes, Ind.; 
F. H. Stannard & Co., Ottawa, Kans.; Stark Bros. Nur. 
& Orch. Co., Louisiana, Mo.; L. R. Taylor & Sons, Topeka, 
Kans.; Texas Nur. Co., Sherman, Texas; Id. J. Weber & 
Sons Nur. Co., Nursery, Mo.; Geo. H. Whiting Nur. Co., 
Yankton, S. D.; Winfield Nur. Co., Winfield, Kans.; A. 
Willis, Ottawa, Kans.; Youngers & Co., Geneva, Nebr.; 
Mt. Hope Nurseries, Lawrence, Kans.; and W. C. Reed, 
Vincennes, Ind.; National Nurseries, Lawrence, Kans., G. L. 
Welch, Fremont, Nebr., and Humphrey Nurseries, Hum¬ 
phrey, Neb., were unanimously elected and welcomed to 
membership. Mr. Campbell of Western Fruit Grower was 
present, an invited guest. The only shadow over the con¬ 
vention was the loss all felt by the invasion of the grim reaper 
death causing the removal of our genial and loved members, 
Judge Eugene Stark and Mr. A. C. Griesa. The sympathy 
of all went out to Mr. J. A. Lopeman in his bereavement in 
the loss of a loving wife. 
The officers elected were: President, I. H. Skinner, 
Topeka, Kans.; vice-pres., E. S. Welch, Shenandoah, Iowa; 
Sec. and treas., E. J. Holman, Leavenworth, Kansas. 
Executive committee: F. H. Stannard, Ottawa, Kans.; 
W. P. Stark, Louisiana, Mo.; J. W. Hill, Des Moines, Iowa; 
Will Harrison, York, Nebr.; J. A. Lopeman, Enid, Okla. 
The Coates House making special provision fifty Nursery 
fellows lunched and dined together the first day and on the 
second day forty, it being near the holidays several members 
had to say good-bye after the first day’s sessions in order to 
reach their homes on Christmas day. To obviate this 
occurrence in the future, the annual meeting will be held 
one week earlier. F'our sessions were held, Tuesday’s ses¬ 
sions closing at 6 p. m. Wednesday’s sessions closing at 
4 p. m. Enough could be written of the proceedings to fill 
a book. 
Freight rates, Spokane decision, etc., introduced by 
W. P. Stark elicited keen attention, and the discussion that 
followed led the convention to realize that railroads, though 
corporations, were not always soul-less, and most of the 
time could be reasonably reached and grievances satisfac¬ 
torily adjusted. 
The move to meet and extend the^glad hand to our 
Eastern brethren at the National Meeting in Denver next 
June was enthusiastic, and the Westerners led by Pete 
Youngers, Stark, Stannard, Weber, Bernardin & Co., 
Ferguson, Mayhew intend that the Eastern brethren shall 
feel that they have truly come into their own. 
The drastic laws of some states pertaining to nursery 
interests that are very annoying and unreasonable, if not 
unconstitutional will be tested. Two hundred and twenty- 
five dollars was appropriated, a committee appointed and 
instructed to this end. 
A. L. Brooke, of Topeka, Kansas, in an address on Root 
Knot said: “I can assure you of one thing and that is that 
the knotty old knots will always be there, but the value of 
the knot was never so well known until a Nebraska Experi¬ 
ment related by the Marshall Bros., in which knottier trees 
had become the finest trees in the orchard, and for the last 
five years the premium apples at the state fair had been 
grown on these trees.” Other statements were corrobora¬ 
tive. It has been the habit to consign root knot trees to the 
fire, but in the light of late revelations there appears to be 
something to learn. 
The ‘Association appointed Messrs. Younger, Harrison 
and Marshall a committee to investigate and ascertain all 
facts and report at the next annual meeting. 
Excellent papers by J. R. Mayhew, Waxahachie, Texas; 
A. Willis, Ottawa, Kansas; D. S. Lake, Iowa; Marshall 
Bros., Nebraska; H. M. Simpson & Sons, Indiana; E. M. 
Sherman, Iowa, and others were read and much appreciated. 
Nursery conditions, as given by representatives of the 
different states are healthy, trade very good and the outlook 
most encouraging. The full program follows: 
Resolution introduced by A. C. Griesa repealing Sec. 7 of By- 
Laws. Resolution by J. W. Hill amending Sec. 3 of Constitution to 
read: “Its regular meetings shall be held annually beginning on 
the second Wednesday in December. Place of meeting shall be 
designated by executive committee.” And changing By-Laws in 
conformity therewith. 
Reports of committees on Oklahoma law, on transportation and 
tariff. 
“Freight rates, Spokane decision, etc.”.W. P. Stark 
“Discriminating Tariff and Direlictions of Railroad Companies,” 
.A. Willis 
“Is it Policy to Replace Trees on Retail Orders Which Have Died 
in One, Two or More Years After Delivery?”.C. J. Ferguson 
“How to Obtain a Permit to Do Business in Texas”. . . J. H. Skinner 
“The Use of Commercial Fertilizers”.T. E. Griesa 
“Can One Year Apple Trees be Handled Most Profitably?” 
.R. J Bagby 
“Is the Demand for Ornamentals Increasing in the West?” 
.Geo. H. Johnson 
“Where Will Our Supply of Japan Plum Come From for Spring?” 
.D. S. Lake 
“What Can We Do to get Uniform Inspection Laws?” 
.L. R. Taylor & Sons 
“Root Knot in Apple Trees”.A. L. Brooke 
“Tariff on Apple Seeds, Etc., as per New Revision. . . .E. S. Welch 
“Is it Desirable to Continue Green-Houses in Connection With the 
Nursery Business?”.James Truitt & Sons 
“The Catalpa Speciosa. Its Future to Nurserymen”. . J. Moncrief 
“Shall the Western Association Contest the Adverse Laws in the 
Western States?”.Marshall Bros. 
“Glove Pruned and Knife Pruned Trees and Time to Prune,” 
.H. M. Simpson & Sons 
“Uniform Grades”.E. M. Sherman 
