400 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
We ask that the duty on myrobolan, mahaleb, and mazzard seed¬ 
lings be one dollar per thousand plants instead of, as at present fifty 
cents per thousand plants and fifteen per centum ad valorem; and 
on pear, apple, quince, and St. Julien plum, two dollars per thousand 
plants, instead of, as at present, one dollar per thousand plants and 
fifteen per centum ad valorem. 
By reference to the catalogues of French nurserymen from the 
three principal nursery sections of France, we find that the pro¬ 
posed change means practically no difference in the actual dollars of 
duties paid, but simply a change in form. (For details of valuations 
and costs, supporting this argument, we refer you to our brief to be 
filed with your Committee.) 
Now for the reasons: These seedlings are principally grown in 
France. They are a one-year crop like com and potatoes, affected 
by weather and climatic conditions and therefore subject to quick 
and violent fluctuations in prices. At least 85 per cent, of the quan¬ 
tities imported are contracted for from three to nine months in 
advance of the actual delivery in January and February, at which 
time the seedlings are dormant and in proper condition for shipment. 
Under the Tariff Law, the market value at port of export, at time 
of export, must govern the valuation on which duty is paid, and in 
this case, this market value is controlled by the ten or fifteen per 
cent, of the crop which may be unsold at the beginning of the ship¬ 
ping season. If the demand is heavy or the crop short by reason of 
a poor growing season, the prices go up. If, on the contrary, a 
favorable season has produced a surplus, the prices go down. In 
other words, it is not a stable, steady market, and therefore it is 
difficult for the nurseryman, who has bought early in the season to 
arrive at a correct valuation for the purpose of his custom house 
entry. » 
If he guesses too low and his valuations are below those fixed by 
the Board of General Appraisers, to whose schedule he does not have 
access, he becomes subject to heavy penalties and fines, although his 
valuations are made according to his best judgment, and may be 
much higher than his actual purchase prices. 
If.valuations at time of export are lowerthan his costs,he receives 
no benefit, as his entry must then be made at the higher cost price. 
The present schedule means instability and fluctuations in cost 
to the nurserymen. The suggested change means stability and 
practically no change in the actual'dollars of duty paid. 
As nurserymen must wait three, four, five or more years after 
planting, before maturing and disposing of their crops, it will be con¬ 
ceded that stability in this matter is vitally important. 
A specific duty will also tend to lessen the importation and plant¬ 
ing of seedlings of inferior size and quality, which in most nursery 
sections of the United States will not produce strong, healthy, 
vigorous trees, and against which the present ad valorem rate counts 
for nothing; but which, if met with a specific duty, would be forced 
to find a market in other Countries. 
Previous to the passage of the present tariff law, very few of these 
fruit tree seedlings were grown in this country. Today at least 
ninety per cent, of all the apple seedlings planted are grown here, 
with smaller proportions of the other items. 
(b) On rose plants, budded,- grafted, or grown on their own 
roots, the present rate of duty is two and one half cents each. We 
ask that this rate be increased to four cents each. 
Now for the reasons: When the present tariff act was passed, 
nurserymen were paying for labor from $1.00 to $1.50 per day of ten 
hours. We are now paying from $1.50 to $2.00 per day for the same 
labor. 
In France and Holland, from whence roses and other finished 
nursery stock are principally imported, there has been no material 
increase in wages during the past ten years. Their average price 
for nursery labor, better skilled than ours is 40c to 60c per day of 
eleven hours for men, and from 30c to 50c per day for women, as 
against $1.50 to $2.00 for nine or ten hours’ work in the nurseries of 
the United States. 
When it is realized that a large proportion of the cost of a rose 
plant is labor, it will be conceded that four cents gives us now but 
little more protection than two and a half cents did when the present 
tariff bill was passed. 
The soil, climate, and moisture conditions of Holland are particu¬ 
larly adapted to turning out rose plants quickly, and the Hollander 
grows 80,000 to 90,000 plants to the acre, here we grow 18,000 to 
20,000 only in the same space. 
He produces large rose bushes but the growth is forced, the wood 
is soft and pithy, and the plants do not succeed in our drier, colder, 
climate, seldom surviving over a year. The public does not know 
this and buys the plants because they are cheap. Thus are our 
prices fixed in Holland. The additional duty will help to control 
the situation. 
If the present duty on roses is removed, the rose growers of the 
United States would quickly be driven out of business, and naturally 
the Hollanders would immediately increase their prices by the 
amount at least of the present duty rate, thereby preventing any 
benefit to the American rose buyer. 
Our Committee is informed that Germany has established a 
Tariff Law on nursery stock which is practically prohibitive,resulting 
in closing that market against the Holland and French nurseryman, 
and leaving this country as the principal dumping ground for their 
surplus and inferior products, which cannot find a market elsewhere. 
(c) We ask for the insertion of a new paragraph after the item 
covering rose plants as follows: 
Conifer, two feet or more in height, transplanted stock, fifteen 
cents per foot, or fraction thereof. 
Deciduous shrubs two feet high or more, transplanted, Paeonies 
and Clematis, five cents per plant. 
Deciduous trees, three quarter inch in diameter and over, meas¬ 
ured twelve inches above the ground, five cents per one quarter inch 
diameter or fraction thereof. 
These five items are taken from the class “not specially provided 
for,’’ at twenty-five per centum ad valorem and covered by a 
specific duty. In some cases the rate will be a little higher, in others 
a little lower, but the average increase will be slight. 
The reasons for this request are our increased labor cost during 
the past ten years, and the difference between labor costs in this 
country and abroad as previously explained. 
The nursery interests are large employers of laboring men, a very 
large proportion of the cost of trees and plants being made up by our 
labor pay rolls. 
Further details as to costs, valuations, volume of imports, and 
rates, will be submitted in a brief to be filed later with your Commit¬ 
tee. 
The American Association of Nurserymen, 
By its Committee on Tariff, 
Irving Rouse, Rochester, N. Y., Chairman, 
William Pitkin, Rochester, N. Y. 
J. H. Dayton, Painesville, Ohio. 
F. H. Stannard, Ottawa, Kansas. 
James M. Pitkin, Newark, N. Y. 
Theo. J. Smith, Geneva, N. Y. 
A REQUEST. 
The Tariff Committee at this time wish to request all 
nurserymen to write their Congressman. Asking him to 
use his influence with the members of the Ways and 
Means Committee and especially the Chairman of the com¬ 
mittee Mr. Payne. That the resolutions as offered by the 
American Nurserymen’s Tariff Committee be reported 
without change. 
It is not necessary to write a long letter just ask that 
no change be made in the list presented by your com¬ 
mittee. 
Irving Rouse, Chairman 
