THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
43 5 
USE OF BASKETS 
I am not in the employ of any express company, nor am l for¬ 
tunate enough to own a block of stock in any of them, but if you will 
take the pains to familiarize jmurselves with their rates, only to 
those applying to your business, I am certain you will not think them 
the demons they are pictured. Either ignorance of the rates or 
negligence on the part of the shippers in packing is often the cause 
for excessive charges collected on plant shipments. My attention 
was lately called to a case of a shipment, that, had the packer been 
familiar with the rates, would have saved the customer $1.05. The 
shipment consisted of two packages weighing twenty pounds each. 
One was a box, the other a basket. These two packages could not 
be sent under the same rate, yet they were consigned to the same 
person. The charge on the basket was $2.45, on the box $1.40. 
Had it been packed irpone box weighing forty pounds or in two boxes 
weighing twenty pounds each, the charges would have been $2.80 
instead of $3.85. Will the customer understand why the express 
company charges $1.05 more for one package weighing twenty 
pounds than it did for the other? And, if the express agent explains 
to him why this difference was made, will he not think the shipper 
should know of these things, thus saving his customer these excessive 
charges ? 
The higher charge on a basket is not its only drawback as a pack¬ 
ing case. I have watched wagonmen load their wagons and messen¬ 
gers placing their freight in cars. If they have a small hole to fill up, 
just too small for any package or box available, they find a basket of 
plants the best thing to squeeze together and force into that hole. 
It fits perfectly and when it is taken out and pressed back into 
shape it is impossible to tell where the damage occurred, as the 
records show it to have been delivered in apparently good condition. 
If you are going to prepay a shipment, or are going to send it col¬ 
lect, and don’t want your customer to go into the air, do not pack in 
baskets. Of course, you can send to many points in baskets as 
cheaply as in boxes, but only in cases where the maximum charge on 
the regular merchandise rate would be 35 cents. 
If you have more than one box for the same consignee, pack so 
that each shipment will weigh twenty pounds or more, as the weight 
is aggregated, but if one box weighs less than twenty pounds to be 
aggregated with other packages, it is billed at twenty pounds. If 
you must pack in two boxes and each weighs less than twenty 
pounds, fasten the two boxes together after they are packed instead 
of sending as two packages. 
PLAYING FAVORITES 
Do not play favorites in shipping. Divide your common point 
and foreign company business among all of the companies and you 
will find that you receive better service, and any grievance you may 
have with any company will receive better attention. If nothing is 
done to correct some error, or if the company is dilatory in settling 
claims, or tracing shipments, then take this business from it for a 
few days and see how quickly they will try to adjust matters. If 
each agent sees he is getting some business each day that the other 
fellow could take, he feels that you are favoring him; consequently 
he feels he should favor you whenever he has the opportunity to do 
so. 
KNOWLEDGE OF RATES NECESSARY 
Become better acquainted with the express jfiant rates; study 
them until you understand all the points. Any of the express 
agents will be glad to come to your office and spend as much time as 
you desire explaining them to you. If you will do this I am positive 
you will have more satisfactory relations with the express companies 
than heretofore. . 
The Pennsylvania Nursery Co. has changed its Post 
Office address from Shermanville, Pa. to Girard, Pa. at 
which place they have secured a'large lake shore farm. 
Attention is called to this so that Nurserymen will be aide 
to address them correctly and save delay. Sometime ago 
the Prudential Orchard Co. was taken over by the Penn¬ 
sylvania Nursery Co. 
THE ELBERTA 
Last summer when we parted, sweet 
Elberta! 
You looked quite fair enough to eat, 
Elberta! 
Yet this for absence may atone, 
Since last we met you’ve fairer grown; 
Yes, though you have a heart of stone, 
Elberta, you’re a peach! 
Your cheeks reflect the sunset glow, 
Elberta! 
Your rounded outlines allure me so, 
Elberta! 
Your breath is sweet as summer dew; 
Your life blood richly flowing through 
Imparts a matchless charm to you, 
Elberta, you’re a peach! 
You’ve caused me many an aching pain, 
Elberta! 
I swore you never would again, 
Elberta! 
Your ripening beauty tempts like wine, 
Yet tho’ your charms were all divine; 
Touch not your downy cheeks to mine; 
Elberta, you’re a peach! 
I would not mar your bloom so fresh, 
Elberta! 
Nor bruise the fairness of your flesh, 
Elberta! 
I promised my right worthy mate 
That I would be most temperate, 
And gaze on you with thought sedate; 
Elberta, you’re a peach! 
1 would devour you with my eyes, 
Elberta! 
But gazing never satisfies, 
Elberta! 
Soon in your flesh so rosy bright 
I’ll set my teeth most sharp and white, 
For when you’re peeled you’re out of sight: 
Elberta, you’re a peach! 
—Mabel Swartz Withoft, in American Florist 
AMERICAN NURSERY COMPANNY, 
This Company, composed of the Bloodgood Nurseries, 
Flushing, N. Y., the F. & F. Nurseries, Springfield, N. J., 
the N. J. & L. I. Nurseries, Springfield, N. J., makes the 
following announcement. 
December 18, 1909. 
“The American Nursery Company which acquired in 
January 1908, the business of F. W. Kelsey, a dealer and 
jobber in nursery stock at the above address, and has since 
continued said business as its New York City Sales Depart¬ 
ment under Mr. Kelsey’s management, announces to its 
patrons and all interested, that on and after this date said 
Sales Department will be conducted under entirely new 
management, all of the interest of F. A\ . Kelsey in the 
Company being completely eliminated, and the office 
removed to more commodious quarters in the up-to-date 
Singer Building.’’ 
