THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
165 
if they demand to know the grower’s policy, and then de¬ 
cline to purchase from the firm that doesn’t protect them 
in sales and distribution costs, then the protection will be 
forthcoming. 
Traffic or Freight Situation 
The traffic situation has handicapped us all the past 
Spring, as indeed it has in recent years. This, in its 
larger aspect, is the Nation’s problem. Our Traffic Man¬ 
ager in his report will enlighten us on the phases of the 
question most effecting us. 
Success in securing preferential movement of our 
freight the past Spring—thru the efforts of Vice-President 
Stark and Traffic Manager Sizemore at mid-western ter¬ 
minals, and Mr. Watson’s presentment of our situation at 
the office of the Inter-State Commerce Commission in 
Washington—is an instance of Association service worth 
the amount of his dues to any member. Volunteer Com¬ 
mittees could not have done this work in April—we were 
too busy—but capable, salaried members of our organiza¬ 
tion were available at call, and we must continue such a 
staff for future emergencies. 
Market Development 
This Association took this movement over from the sub¬ 
scribers association, who had supported it prior to last 
year’s Convention, upon a very definite contract in which 
the A. A. of N. is obligated to carry the work forward, and 
in consideration of which the subscribers association re¬ 
linquished pledges payable in five annual installments ap¬ 
proximating $50,000, and did pay into the treasury of the 
Association $10,297.15. 
A very capable committee, experienced in sales promo¬ 
tion work, has carried on the movement in fulfillment of 
the obligation of the Association to those subscribers. 
They realized at the outset that this sales campaign, like 
every sales campaign, must, if it is to succeed, be built 
upon a trustworthy product, otherwise the effort and the 
expenditure would be in vain. 
They knew that membership in the Association was 
supposed to be a symbol of reliability; they knew that re¬ 
ferences of all new applicants were investigated to make 
certain that the firms or individuals applying were reput¬ 
able; they knew that Article No. 9 of our Constitution 
made it a duty of every member of this Association “to 
report any character of dealing on the part of the Associa¬ 
tion members not in accord with established business 
ethics,” and they had faith that our membership would do 
its duty; they knew that early in the present administra¬ 
tion the President had received numerous complaints of 
new articles condemning nurserymen, and asking the As¬ 
sociation’s efforts in stopping the talk of “mowing-ma¬ 
chine budded peach trees,” which caused in one State at 
least, an official proclamation to be issued warning buy¬ 
ers to beware of nurserymen. There were other blanket 
indictments of our industry and whether they are true or 
not, they lower the standard of integrity in which public 
opinion holds a nurseryman. 
Out of this demand that something be done to “put us 
in right” with the public, and the well known fact that 
our Constitution makes this Association an uncongenial 
refuge for unscrupulous nurserymen, the Committee em¬ 
ployed the Trade Mark to which, in fact, every one of us 
had all along asserted our products conformed, that is 
“Trustworthy Trees and Plants.” 
This Trade Mark in advertisements throughout the 
United States reaching six million people at an issue, 
makes membership in this Association a symbol of de¬ 
pendability to planters of trees, as it indeed always had 
been to members of the Trade. It has had the effect of 
quieting those careless indictments in the Press, and there 
has arisen in only a few months, commendation for nur¬ 
serymen, where before there was condemnation. 
Buyers are asking agents if they represent firms that 
are members of the Association; inquiries are being re¬ 
ceived for a list of members that orders, may be placed 
with Trustworthy firms. Itinerent dealers, with no capi¬ 
tal to protect, and no reputation to maintain have always 
gotten dependable firms into illrepute. These men will 
feel the competition of reliable dealers. Wholesale grow¬ 
ers can begin now to control their products through to 
the consumer, under the Association’s Trademark. 
This campaign is fraught with possibilities that make 
membership in the Association necessary to a nurseryman 
of reliability. It should enable members’ products to sell 
for more on the open market, because of such an insur¬ 
ance of trustworthiness; it should raise permanently the 
tone and standing of the whole industry. But, Gentlemen, 
just as the campaign is fraught with great possibilities, 
so is it fraught with great responsibilities. To advertise 
“Trustworthiness” is easy, to live up to it—that we may 
enjoy the reputation of doing business scrupulously, and 
the higher prices and consequent profits that come from 
such a reputation—requires, first—honest intentions; 
second—efficient executive control of our businesses; and 
third—the application of the Golden Rule in all those 
complaints and adjustments, that are an inevitable back¬ 
wash of business. 
This Convention is being watched by State and Govern-' 
ment officials; by the Agricultural press, and Horticultur¬ 
ists generally to see if we really are serious in this mat¬ 
ter of making ours an Association of nurserymen which 
can be trusted for fair, honest dealing. From such a stand 
not one of us can retreat—not one of us wants to retreat 
—but all desire the accumulative advantages of such pub¬ 
licity, and must assume individually the responsibility of 
keeping our products to a standard which can be trusted. 
It must be realized, too, that repeated, deliberate, or mali¬ 
cious failure to do this on the part of any member, will 
weaken the success of the entire effort. 
Legislation 
To-day nurserymen are obliged to operate under Laws 
that threaten to destroy our inter-state Commerce; that 
put in jeopardy the capital invested in our businesses, and 
that place upon us legal requirements that add a heavy 
burden to operating costs. In fact, if our banks knew, 
as we do, that the presence of a few suspicious bugs on 
our plants, may, under the Laws in some States, be reason 
enough for an official of that State to restrain us from 
shipping even pest free plants from our nurseries, we 
would not get the accommodations that some seasons are 
necessary. 
We cannot give up our vigil upon Legislation—but we 
must have an open mind upon the subject. We must be 
reasonable. There is need for pest control in this Country. 
Recognizing that, let us lend our assistance in framing 
that legislation under which we are to operate, and see 
at the same time that adequate protection is afforded to 
