164 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
are making is due in very considerable extent to Mr. J. R. 
Mayhew’s efforts in heading us in this direction. We 
might not have had the initiative to engage a capable ex¬ 
ecutive secretary to direct and manage the business of a 
great comemrcial organization like ours, if Mr. Mayhew 
had not prepared the way. 
There have been so many contributing factors assisting 
in whatever measure of success and progress has been 
attained in my administration, that I can claim but very 
little credit personally. Principally has the administration 
been favored with an Executive Committee prompt in 
their attention to Association matters, and cordial in all 
their relations. All the Committees have been Commit¬ 
tees that worked, and fortunate is that President whose 
Committees function. 
The Horticultural Press generally; the Trade Press es¬ 
pecially; and the two Nursery Trade Papers in particu¬ 
lar; have supported us actively, and given space liberally 
for Association topics. 
These, then, are contributing factors in the progress 
made, and it would be ungrateful indeed, if there was not 
accorded them that full measure of acknowledgment and 
appreciation to which they are due or entitled. 
The several Committees, the Executive Secretary, and 
the Traffic Manager will make separate reports to you at 
this Convention. There are certain of my activities, as 
your representative, not covered by these reports, of 
which you should be cognizant. 
Nine times during the past year this Association has 
been recognized by my having been invited to address 
Horticultural meetings of varying importance, to tell 
those meetings about the American Association of Nurs¬ 
erymen, who composes it, why we are dependable, what 
we are doing, and how the Laws restraining and control¬ 
ling us make nursery stock more difficult to get and high¬ 
er in price. The meeting of the American Society of 
Landscape Architects in Boston was an occasion of es¬ 
pecial note, as was also the Banquet of the “Own Your 
Own Home” movement, and the meeting of the Garden 
Club of America, both held in New York City. 
Four times I have been to Washington upon Association 
business, and as your representative received a consider¬ 
ate and respectful hearing—once in August last it was 
primarily for Crop reports; twice during the winter for 
the so-called “Gould Bill” and recently to appear at a Sen¬ 
ate hearing to endorse the establishment of a more ade¬ 
quate National Botanic Garden. 
While Secretary Watson was in Kansas City the past 
winter, there was a hearing in Washington regarding the 
exclusion of all plants from Asiatic countries. This ap¬ 
peared of especial interest to Pacific Slope nurserymen. 
Our membership there was communicated with, and my 
assistance at the hearing tendered. It later developed 
that it was not necessary to be present, but these circum¬ 
stances are mentioned to show that this Association af¬ 
fords facilities for nurserymen as far away as the Pacific 
Slope to have prompt, interested representation at the Na¬ 
tion’s seat of Government, from which centre much that 
affects us collectively eminates. 
The New England Association asked our assistance 
with their difficulties over the Corn Borer Quarantines. 
Fortunately I could attend their meeting in Boston. On 
other occasions, when emergencies arose, I have been in 
long distance telephone communication with the Chair¬ 
man of the Federal Horticultural Board, with the Presi¬ 
dent of the New England Association, the Chairman of the 
Legislative Committee, and others. 
There has been a very considerable amount of corres¬ 
pondence to which I have endeavored to attend promptly. 
Then, too, I have written a few articles on topics which 
were felt to be of general interest. 
The opportunity which I have thus had of serving the 
industry may, in the sum total of accomplishment, be far 
short of what you have desired, but I have striven ear¬ 
nestly and diligently, insofar as time and ability permit¬ 
ted, in the promotion of Association interests everywhere. 
The Outlook 
It is general knowledge that nurserymen have had 
about as much business the past season as could be han¬ 
dled with available labor. Prices were higher than pre¬ 
viously, mostly yielding a fair profit. 
Plantings, due to labor shortage and other causes, have, 
in recent years, been reduced, until an insufficient supply 
in many lines now exists. These conditions, indicate that 
there should be no reduction in prices. In fact, the peak 
in plant prices has not been reached, even though it seems 
to be falling slowly in general merchandise lines. 
If we can secure the reliable Crop reports now, which 
are needed as a guide in determining our future plant¬ 
ings, the ruinous surpluses that follow scarcity and high 
prices can be avoided. The association should, to a good 
degree, control market conditions in the future. 
Of course the public must be adequately supplied, but 
our capital is entitled to at least a clear net profit equal to 
the interest rate on a Government security, and this is 
more than some nurserymen have had in past years. A 
reasonable profit in the nursery business—considering 
the hazards of the industry, the restrictions and restraints 
of the Law, and the slowness of the turn-over—should 
not be less than 20% per annum. Until such earnings are 
shown with a good degree of regularity, we can not hope 
to attract capital which now buys gilt-edged mortgages 
and Government securities yielding over 6%•—with in¬ 
dustrials a plenty, without quarter the hazards of our in¬ 
dustry, declaring from 7% to 10% after paying hand¬ 
some salaries to Executives and unprecedented wages to 
labor. 
Nurserymen with equal ability receive far less than 
in other occupations. To those young men, for whom we 
are endeavoring to secure the assistance of a college 
training, the industry has not offered salaries that would 
justify them in such expensive preparation. 
This Association may do much to improve our oppor¬ 
tunity for securing a better profit and larger salaries from 
the business. Dependable crop reports, intelligently utiliz¬ 
ed will help to stabilize production, and equalize distrib¬ 
ution. 
If the policy of the Association, to discourage the sale 
of nursery stock to consumers “at prices that do not ade¬ 
quately protect the retail nurserymen in their sales and 
distribution costs,” becomes effective, the retail nursery¬ 
men will be prosperous, and without their prosperity the 
wholesale branch of the industry can not enjoy the vol¬ 
ume or the profit from business which it should have, and 
which it does not have when it retails at wholesale prices. 
The retail nurserymen hold the clue to the situation, for 
