THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
265 
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS OF J. W. HILL. 
Milwaukee, Wis., June 10, 1908. 
Little, did the few,faithful men who met a third of a cent¬ 
ury ago realize the future magnitude, influence and benefit 
of the organization which they at that time brought into 
existence. Today it is regarded as a strong, complete 
organization of the best men on the American continent; 
men, whose lives are largely devoted to that noble vocation 
which has for its object the betterment and uplifting of man¬ 
kind, for what class of men does more toward beautifying 
the home and providing for its occupants, the luscious and 
healthful fruits of the orchard, vineyard and garden? 
Few of us likely realize the magnitude to which this busi¬ 
ness has attained. There are today invested in the nursery 
business of the United States more than Sixty Millions of 
Dollars, and employment given to about Fifty-five Thou¬ 
sand men and Three Thousand women. The use of 18,300 
horses and mules is 
required to culti¬ 
vate a little over 
200,000 acres of 
land, upon which 
are annually pro¬ 
duced 4,200,000,- 
000 plants and 
shrubs, and 622, 
000,000trees. Thus 
you can imagine 
something of the 
importance of this 
organization of 
business men. 
Absent Members. 
—Looking over the 
audience, we miss 
the familiar faces of 
some whom it has 
been ourpleasure to 
meet annually for more than a score of years. The great 
reaper with his sickle has made inroads upon our Associa¬ 
tion during the past year, and removed from us some of our 
best known members and wisest counsellors. They are 
gone from among us forever, but the membership of this 
organization will ever hold in fond remembrance their 
valued service and wise counsel. 
The Panic .—During the past year we, like all other busi¬ 
ness men of the country, were brought face to face with a 
financial depression which resulted in what ex-Secretarv 
Sharo claims to be “the worst panic the world has ever 
known.” This condition of affairs arose last fall at the 
time the retail nurseryman was making his shipments, and 
in many places poor deliveries were made, or clearing house 
certificates, notes and other evidences of indebtedness were 
taken in payment for trees. But with the readjustment of 
affairs, these have been promptly met, Congress has just 
passed the Compromise Currency bill, and we are now, I 
trust, over the roughest places with nobody badly hurt. 
As far as I am able to learn,the outlook for future business 
is good with such indications as to justify us in thinking 
that the present satisfactory wholesale prices will be main¬ 
tained, but the practice of our wholesale men in placing 
surplus stock on the market late in the season, at greatly 
reduced prices, I think is demoralizing and should be dis¬ 
continued. 
I am inclined to the opinion, however, that the retail 
nurserymen, who constitute a large portion of the member¬ 
ship of this Association, is not getting from the planter 
prices commensurate with the total cost of stock handled. 
These prices should be advanced and can be gradually 
brought about by handling only first-class trees of the 
grades specified and consigning the inferior stock to the 
brush pile rather than disposing of it to department stores 
and unreliable mail-order concerns w]iich dump it on the 
market at ridiculously low prices, in competition with dealers 
of first-class trees. Tell your customer the truth, furnish him 
first-class stock, charge him good prices for it, and you will 
soon find him tak¬ 
ing care of it and 
willing to pay you 
the right prices for 
good trees. 
Inspection Law. 
— The kindliest 
feeling exists be¬ 
tween the Ameri¬ 
can Association of 
Nurserymen, and 
the organization 
of Economic En¬ 
tomologists and 
Horticultural In¬ 
spectors, as was 
manifested by the 
hearty co-opera¬ 
tion of committees 
from these societies 
with that from our 
Association at Chicago last winter. The report of ex-Presi- 
dent Orlando Harrison, Chairman of Committee on Uniform 
Inspection Law, will no doubt set forth the resolutions 
unanimously agreed upon by these organizations, which 
were to be the basis of the proposed Uniform National 
Inspection Law. It was greatly desired that this proposed 
bill be introduced and be made a law by the session of Con¬ 
gress which has just adjourned, but Mr. Harrison deemed it 
not advisable to present it at that session. 
I am, personally, of the opinion that the enactment of 
the law proposed would do much to obviate the many vexa¬ 
tious and annoying conditions which arise under the pre¬ 
sent situation, and advise that it be vigorously pushed by 
this or a similar committee before the next session of Con¬ 
gress or else the matter be dropped entirely and further 
expense avoided. 
Transportation Committee .—We cannot over-estimate 
the importance of the Transportation Committee, and while 
nothing requiring special attention has occurred during the 
past year, yet I am inclined to think there may be much to 
look after in the near future. A recent movement on the 
Showing the terraced vineyards bordering Lake Geneva, Switzerland. A “ Funiculaire railway in 
centre of picture. 
