2.34 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
REPORT OF M. C. EBEL, SECRETARY OF THE NATIONAL 
ASSO. OF GARDENERS, PRESENTED TO ITS ANNUAL 
CONVENTION AT THE AUGUST 15TH SESSION 
The past year has been a very gratifying one for the association 
in which progress has been the keynote. Interest in the activities 
of the association has increased on the part of the gardener’s local 
organizations throughout the land and greater enthusiam has 
been manifested among the local branches than heretofore. The as¬ 
sociation was called on during the year to defend the integrity of 
the gardener and his profession, due to an indiscriminate act be¬ 
fore one of the state legislatures. While the incident attracted 
some publicity, it did not, however, act to the detriment of the 
gardener or his profession, but on the contrary, it drew attention 
to what the association is striving to accomplish for the profes¬ 
sion which it represents. 
A loss of seven members through death was sustained during 
the year, and seventeen through resignation, due to gardeners 
turning to other vocations where inducements appear more en¬ 
ticing, than in their own profession. Ninety-eight active and as¬ 
sociate members were enrolled, and nine sustaining members 
were also added to the association’s membership. 
LOCAL BRANCHES 
Although the early efforts of the association to organize local 
branches did not meet with immediate success, the efforts put 
forth were not wasted as what has been accomplished this past 
year, shows. For a long while, Newport, R. I. was the only branch 
in existence. This branch was followed by the St. Louis, The 
Nassau Co., L. I., the Boston, and the Western Pennsylvania 
branches. This spring a branch was organized in Cleveland, 
which has since been followed by the North Shore of Illinois 
branch. At the present time, Jacksonville, Fla., is organizing a 
branch to be known as the Northern Florida branch. The mem¬ 
bers of these branches have found that at their meetings, oppor¬ 
tunities are presented to those who are not always able to attend 
the conventions, to make recommendations to be submitted to 
the annual convention; that assistance is assured in planning 
and carrying out the annual conventions; and that lively and 
worthwhile discussions also occur on subjects pertinent to the 
gardening profession, which is not possible at meetings of gar¬ 
deners’ local organizations where matters of purely local inter¬ 
est occupy the major portion of the time. It is believed that be¬ 
fore the end of the year, other branches will be announced. As 
the number of branches increases, greater co-operation will de¬ 
velop between these branches whereby the gardeners in the dif¬ 
ferent territories will come into closer fraternity. 
THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT 
The Service Department did not have occasion to fill many im¬ 
portant positions this year for the reason that few such positions 
were offered. There, however, appeared to be more than the us¬ 
ual number of minor positions, many of which did not call for 
trained gardeners. The high cost of labor created some positions 
for trained men, where heretofore only handy men were engaged. 
The experiences have been so satisfactory that employers report 
the difference in expenditure between engaging a trained garden¬ 
er and a handy man, has been well worth while. Single men have 
been especially benefitted in this respect. However, the Service 
Department should not be looked upon as merely an employment 
bureau for its scope extends far beyond. Instances of estate own¬ 
ers visiting New York, some from distant points, coming to the 
secretary’s office, to discuss the problems of their estates are not 
unusual and have often resulted in considerable benefit to their 
gardeners. 
ON TRAINING YOUNG MEN 
There has not been as much progress made in interesting young 
men in taking advantage of the co-operative course offered by the 
Masschusetts Agricultural College and the association as might 
be desired, due largely to the expense that must be incurred by 
the young men who are non-residents of the state of Massachu¬ 
setts, and who must pay tuition fees, while free tuition is grant¬ 
ed the residents of the state. The Massachusetts Agricultural Col¬ 
lege appears satisfied with the first year’s results and is looking 
for an increased enrollment this fall. If other colleges would adopt 
a similar course, it would prove beneficial to young men of those 
states who would be interested in taking up such a course. Mr. 
Robert Cameron, before sailing for Europe, wrote to the Secre¬ 
tary, urging him not to over-look bringing up this important sub¬ 
ject at the convention. He stated that he is employing four college 
men who are proving more than satisfactory, and that he believes 
the future of the young gardeners can be solved if further atten¬ 
tion is given to their educational opportunities. Another member 
has written the secretary that he thinks it is just as essential to 
educate young men along executive lines as to educate them on 
the growing of plants and otherwise instruct them horticulturally. 
He contends that estate owners are equally interested in properly 
kept records and accounts as they are in well raised plants. A 
young man who takes a horticultural course should develop 
enough intelligence to be able to keep his accounts straight on the 
average estate. In fact, the Massachusetts Agricultural College in¬ 
cludes business methods and English in its course, which should 
be sufficient to broaden the scope of a young man’s mind and en¬ 
able him to adapt himself to many conditions which may arise in 
his life’s work, and with which he may not have had previous 
experience. 
ON PROFESSIONAL ETHICS 
Much stress is placed from time to time on improving profes¬ 
sional ethics and business methods from which the horticultural 
trade has not been excluded. The association directs attention 
that it was one of the first organizations, identified with horticul¬ 
ture, to go on record as in favor of improving professional ethics 
and business methods, not alone in the pursuit of horticulture hut 
in all vocations. It passed a resolution to this effect at its annual 
convention held in Cleveland in 1919, and its stand remains un¬ 
changed. It may be added that the efforts of the gardening pro¬ 
fession in recent years towards the advancement of its standard 
has been no less progressive than those of other professions, 
which can be readily confirmed by any interested investigator. 
Applying the Golden Rule in business, and out of it, individually 
and collectively, will prove the most effective remedy in curing 
all business ailments. 
A WORD ON “RUMOR MONGERS” 
The despicable practice, which is not a new one, of circulating 
false rumors, either through ignorance or with malicious intent, 
often resulting in severe hardship to the ones against whom they 
are directed, seems to be increasing rather than decreasing. The 
association during the past spring has been called on to suppress 
several rumors which on investigation were found to have no 
foundation. The rumors usually refer to a gardener’s position, 
that he is leaving or is being discharged, and so the employer, 
after he has been flooded with applications for the position, be¬ 
lieves that there must he some truth to the report that his garden¬ 
er is leaving his employ, and for with dismisses him without even 
an opportunity for an explanation. 
The secretary believes that the time has arrived when the as¬ 
sociation should decide on some policy to mete out merited pun¬ 
ishment to “rumor mongers” who maliciously injure another, 
whether the guilty one be an active or associate member. The By- 
Laws already provide power and certainly dismissal is none to 
severe a penalty. 
OUR DECEASED MEMBERS 
Since the convention in Boston last year, the secretary’s office 
has received notice of the passing of the following members. Sus¬ 
taining, Frank J. Dupignac, Mamaroneck, N. Y.; Active, William 
Gray, Newport, R. I.; M. J. O’Brien, Mt. Kisco, N. Y.; Douglas 
Smith, Katonah, N. Y.; E. Stuart Smith, Spring Valley, N. Y.; 
Frank E. Ehrler, Pittsfield, Mass. Associate, John S. Hay, Phila¬ 
delphia, Pa. It is possible that there are other deceased members, 
of whom the association has not been informed. 
OUR SUSTAINING MEMBERS 
There is no doubt that there are many owners of country es¬ 
tates who would willingly give their support to the association 
if invited to do so. If our active members would make an effort 
to interest their employers, our sustaining membership would 
materially increase. Estate owners who never before heard of 
the association are often directed to it by those who are num¬ 
bered among our sustaining members. 
INCREASING OUR ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP 
The secretary is certain that many members would be sur- 
