THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
557 
OLD FASHIONED WINTER IN THE MIDDLE WEST 
GENERAL CLEAN-UP 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
Our winter conditions here have been extreme cold and 
more snow than we have had for years; in fact, the snow 
has just left us at this writing. We do not believe that the 
orchard or nursery stock has been injured as the covering 
of snow was complete all winter, thereby protecting the trees. 
The outlook for the nurserymen is for a general clean up, as 
all kinds of stock seem to be moving freely. It seems to be 
a difficult matter to furnish what the people want and a 
great many of the letters written are to say, “We are unable 
to furnish the stock that you want.” The lines of stock 
most in demand are Apple, Peach, Pear and Plum trees, and 
there is also an enormous demand for root grafts. We have 
been led to believe that the nurserymen in the West are satis¬ 
fied with the conditions as far as sales and prices are con¬ 
cerned at the present time. 
Geneva, Nebr. Youngers & Co. 
MINNESOTA 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
Replying to your favor of the ist, there is not much to 
report in the nursery trade at this time except that business 
is good. The usual preparation for spring work is the order 
of the day. The outlook is good but the discouraging feat¬ 
ure is the congestion of freight traffic thruout this section. 
Strikes, lack of motive power, cold weather and poor coal, 
seem to have tied the freight business up worse than we have 
ever seen it. They are beginning to move a few cars, how¬ 
ever, and the outlook is a trifle brighter. If the conditions 
that have obtained the past two months should continue 
thruout April, it would thoroly demoralize the nursery 
business in this section. However, we are not climbing hills 
in advance, and we are assured by the railroad that ship¬ 
ments of trees will receive prompt attention. 
Lake City, Minn. The Jewell Nursery Co. 
A WINTER OF ABUNDANT SNOW FALL IN NORTH 
EASTERN IOWA 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
The winter just passed has been a remarkable one, more 
like an old fashioned York State winter, when the snow came 
early in November before the ground was frozen but little, 
and no thaw whatever until the second of March. This 
snow, replenished at intervals, averaged during the whole 
time at least twenty inches deep. Of course there has been 
no root-killing of the most tender varieties of plants that we 
grow here. No top-killing of anything that we have 
noticed. Orchards are in good condition to bear loads of 
fruit, if properly sprayed and taken care of. 
One morning at sunrise the thermometer stood at 25 
degrees below zero, but as far as we know no damage has 
resulted from it. The business outlook is very much better 
than a year ago. As we see it at present, (March 3) the 
business outlook is all right and the demand for nursery 
stock seems to be rapidly increasing, and sales are 50% 
ahead of this time a year ago. 
Osage, Iowa. Charles F. Gardner, 
President Gardner’s Nur. Co. 
NORTHERN IOWA 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
We have had this winter in Northern Iowa in common 
with all of the Northern sections of the United States, an 
extremely heavy fall of snow. We have had good sleighing 
here since the last days of November with but very few 
thawy days, and until within the last two or three days the 
snow covering has been about two feet on the level, which is 
a very heavy fall for this section. 
The weather has usually been cold, although not ex¬ 
tremely so, and I do not anticipate any injury to nursery or 
orchard stock. Have seen no indications of injury among 
our trees and do not hear of anything among the orchards. 
This heavy covering of snow is likely to delay spring’s work, 
however, we may be disappointed in this as I do not think 
there is much frost in the ground and a warm rain or good 
thawy weather, would, I anticipate, clear away the snow and 
likely leave us with but a small amount of frost in the 
ground. 
Charles City, la. E. M. Sherman, Pres. 
EMBARASSED BY SELLING OPPORTUNITIES 
Editor National Nurseryman: 
I- j|We have the kindliest feeling for the National Nursery¬ 
man and are always ready to help support it as well as the 
National Association. We also appreciate very much the 
ability with which this paper is edited and the amount of 
good nursery news contained in it. But at this time we are 
cutting out all advertising because it is more of a question 
to stand off purchasers of leading varieties of apples than it 
is-to sell them. Our sales have been very heavy and stock 
is practically exhausted, especially in apples, and other lines 
are so limited that we are not making any extra r efforts. 
Have had very cold, snowy winter, the like of which has not 
a 
keen known in this country for a great many years. It got 
cold so gradually and continued so evenly that the horticul¬ 
tural interests are not effected so far. 
Roy, Utah. Davis County Nurseries. 
P. J. BERCKMANS ON “GEORGIA FRUIT EXCHANGE” 
With the rapid increase in fruit products, it became evident 
some years ago that a combination of all fruit growers was necessary, 
in order to perfect better methods of disposing of their fruits. As 
this was eminently the commercial feature of the industry, the 
Georgia Peach Growers Association was the outcome of these condi¬ 
tions, and relieved the Horticultural Society of the commercial 
work, leaving the scientific investigations as its special province. 
After several years of existence, the peach growers recognize the 
importance of organizing their association upon a strictly business 
plan, and through the suggestions of the State Horticultural Society 
at its past two annual sessions, the Fruit Exchange was perfected 
during the past year. Its work has been eminently successful; while 
a crop of only 2,000 car loads of peaches was marketed this year, 
still it brought nearly $ 1 , 500 , 000 . 00 , or about the same money 
returns which a crop of nearly 7,000 car loads brought last year. 
This is the result of systematic business methods, which in future 
years will make commercial fruit growing more lucrative and in¬ 
crease this industry, because fruit growers will no longer be at the 
mercy of glutted markets and irresponsible commission merchants. 
(From the Proceedings of the Thirty-Third Annual Meeting of 
the Georgia State Horticultural Society.) 
