THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
647 
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT F. H. STANNARD 
Thirty-fifth Annual Meeting American Association of 
Nurserymen. 
We are very fortunate indeed this year to be meeting 
under the blue skies of Colorado and in sight of her moun¬ 
tains whose grandeur is a constant source of inspiration. 
When we view them, there comes to us contempt for all that 
is petty and narrow, and an admiration and veneration for 
all that is great and enduring. 
These meetings are held each year for the purpose of 
building up a great industry all over this continent; by 
conferring with each other, exchanging experiences, discuss¬ 
ing new methods, and making plans to overcome the various 
difficulties and obstacles to success in the nursery business. 
As we have so little time at these annual meetings, much of 
the work of this association must be accomplished by com¬ 
mittees, whose members give their time and attention to 
this work during the entire year. 
LEGISLATION 
The Committee on Legislation, of which Mr. Charles J. 
Brown, is chairman, especially deserves our gratitude this 
year, for its constant vigilance in preventing unwise legisla¬ 
tion at Washington. Most of us are in favor of a national 
inspection law, which woulcjl bring about uniformity in the 
handling of inter-state shipments, but, as our lawmakers 
are not nurserymen, and many of them have little or no 
knowledge of the existing conditions, there is, all the time, 
the danger of a law being passed, that would not better 
conditions, but would very likely work a hardship on all 
interested in the growing or handling of trees. Mr. William 
Pitkin, a member of the Legislative Committee, has had 
many years’ experience in legislative work and has spent 
considerable time at Washington during the present session 
of Congress, and much credit is due him for preventing a 
very unwise measure. 
! TRANSPORTATION 
The work of the Transportation Committee, under the 
able leadership of Mr. W. P. Stark, also deserves special 
mention. This matter of transportation is very important 
to nurserymen and must be watched constantly to prevent 
the railway companies from making new rules and regula¬ 
tions that would raise rates or handicap our shipping. 
Another point, more important, possibly, than raising of 
rates or changing of regulations, is the matter of securing 
better and more prompt service. Delays in Shipping are 
Costing the Nurserymen Thousands of Dollars Every 
Year. For instance, it often takes twice as long for a local 
shipment to go from the central West to the north Pacific 
Coast, as for local shipments to come from European points 
to the central West. These apparently unnecessary delays 
make our business with each other extremely hazardous, if 
they do not prohibit it altogether. 
I would recommend that the Association provide a fund 
to pay the expenses of a representative to look after our 
interests at Washington, and also, to pay the expenses of a 
representative to attend the meetings of the railway classi¬ 
fication committees, when anything is on the docket per¬ 
taining to the nursery business. Many of us were much 
surprised, when the new tariff was published, to find that 
the duty was materially raised on apple and other seeds in 
which nurserymen were interested, while flower seeds were 
practically free. It is well known that foreign apple and 
mahaleb seeds are better than the home grown product, 
which really makes it necessary to import these seeds, and 
every effort should be made to have this duty on seeds 
reduced when the tariff question is again under considera¬ 
tion. For this reason, I would recommend that a fund also 
be provided for a representative from the tariff committee 
to watch our interests. 
PROGRAM, ENTERTAINMENT, EXHIBITS 
Our Program Committee and Committees on Entertain¬ 
ment and Exhibits have all done excellent work and the 
success of this meeting is due largely to these three com¬ 
mittees. 
I would like to thank the members of the various com¬ 
mittees of this association, publicly, for their faithful and 
efficient work during the past year. 
CO-OPERATION 
At our meeting in Rochester, last year, Mr. J. H. Dayton, 
of Painesville, Ohio, read a paper on “Nurserymen Pulling 
Together a Little More,” which I believe was much appre¬ 
ciated by every nurseryman present, not only because of the 
entertaining way in which he handled the subject, but 
because of the facts presented, which we all recognize, and 
ought to make a special effort to put in practice. Much has 
been done in recent years in establishing uniform grades, 
and, to furnish the grades now required by the trade, and 
discard the objectionable trees, as required by the various 
state laws, makes the producer furnish more real value for 
the money than at any other period in the history of the 
nursery business. For these reasons, there ought to be a 
united effort on the part of the nurserymen to get better 
prices. 
Since our last meeting, our old friend, Mr. George C. 
Seager, has found it necessary to sever his connection with 
this Association, and I believe all join with me in expressing 
our sincere regret. Mr. Seager has been secretary for over 
twenty years, and not only knew the nurserymen, and 
always had their interests in mind, but is a genial, upright, 
whole-souled gentleman, and will be greatly missed. 
SPEECHES AT CONVENTION 
During the next few months the National Nursery¬ 
man will publish most of the speeches delivered before the 
annual convention at Denver. 
