THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
163 
At the present time the Chamber of 
MAINTAINING Commerce of the United States, Wash- 
PRICES ington, D. C., is actively engaged in 
trying to encourage legislation to pre¬ 
vent price cutting in “identified merchandise.” This 
term is used in connection with such articles as breakfast 
food that have a recognized standard or well known trade 
mark. 
The nurserymen would feel pretty good if there was 
no more price cutting in their goods than there is in such 
identified merchandise, as it is very seldom a customer 
can purchase them below the regular price. 
The action of the Chamber of Commerce, however, 
does show how important it is to have a standard and 
also to maintain a price above cost of production. 
When an article has once been sold cheap, or under 
cost, the market for it at a fair price has been destroyed. 
Every nurseryman knows how difficult it is to sell a 
second time to the same customer at an advanced price, 
even though he can give all kinds of arguments as to the 
reason why he has to ask more this time than he did be¬ 
fore and it stands to reason that the customer that has 
once purchased fruit trees at a few cents apiece, consid¬ 
erably under cost, will always be on the lookout for a 
bargain, but if a customer was once made to understand 
that no such bargains exist it would soon be much the 
same as it is in the department stores of the present day. 
The customer goes into them and never questions the 
price, he either takes it or leaves it at the price asked. 
Mr. A. T. Stewart, we believe, about three generations 
ago, revolutionized the retail business by adopting this 
method and with one stroke this great merchant abolished 
the demoralizing method of haggling. One price to all 
was heralded as a great moral as well as an economic 
advance. 
This is the goal towards which all nurserymen should 
work, and while perhaps it cannot be done with the 
stroke of a pen if the thought is kept constantly in mind 
it will be sure to bear fruit. Few nurserymen are sat¬ 
isfied with the prices they receive, but their anxiety to 
get orders exceeds their desire to hold up the price to 
where it belongs. 
Orleans, France, March 20th, 1916. 
To the Editor of the “National Nurseryman,” 
Flourtown, Pa. 
Dear Sir:— 
I have been deeply interested with the report of the 
discussion which had been raised by Mr. A. Weber at 
the last meeting of the Western Association of Nursery¬ 
men. 
I cannot discuss the question here: the situation of or¬ 
namental goods from Holland and England and I do not 
know how far the apprehensions of Mr. Weber are jus¬ 
tified about them, but I think right to inform my Ameri¬ 
can confreres that they need not fear the low competi¬ 
tion in young ornamental stocks or young fruit stocks 
from France. On the contrary, increased prices are to 
be expected on a number of varieties. 
This rising of prices will be due to the fact that since 
the breaking out of the war propagation has been greatly 
curtailed and the cost of labor greatly increased, also by 
consequence of the war, the increase in cost of all raw 
materials has had immediate effect on the cost of produc¬ 
tion. 
Conclusion: Do not fear for the dumping of French 
nursery stocks, but on the contrary rising prices are to be 
expected. 
The opinions explained ahead are quite personal. 
Now I have to inform you as general Secretary of the 
Federation of French Nurserymen and Horticulturists 
that, in France, all exporters of nursery stocks are Op¬ 
posed to the sale of their produce by dumping them in 
auction rooms anywhere. Being fully conscious that 
we must not ruin the trade of our buyers. We have 
never used this system of business demoralization. 
Obligations have been taken by all of us in this direction 
and up until now we have no reason to think they have 
not been faithfully observed. 
I hope that the contents of this letter will be agree¬ 
able to you and to your readers and, 
I remain, Dear Sir, 
Yours faithfully, 
E. Turbat. 
Concord, Ga., April 8, 1916. 
Editor National Nurseryman, 
Flourtown, Pa. 
Dear Sir:— 
The railroads of the State of Georgia are making ap¬ 
plication to the Georgia Railroad Commission for an in¬ 
crease in rates on many commodities. This application 
will be heard at the state capitol June 26. A big in¬ 
crease is asked for on shipments within the state, or on 
intra-state shipments. Fruit trees in boxes will go up 
nearly one hundred per cent, over the old rate and in 
car lots over 200 per cent., if the requests of the rail¬ 
roads are granted. 
The Georgia nurserymen will need all the help they 
can get to fight this proposed increase. 
Yours truly, 
Smith Bros. Nursery Co. 
THE NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW 
The National Flower Show, held in Philadelphia, 
March 25th to April 2nd, was an inspiration to all who 
saw it. 
The time of year prevented the nurserymen from be¬ 
ing very much in evidence and naturally the exhibits 
were mostly the products of the greenhouse. 
The paid attendance was estimated at 120,000 persons. 
We have to take our hats off to the florists, when it 
comes to exploiting their goods before the public and it 
makes us wonder if the nurseryman could not do more 
along that line. 
We have not yet really begun to develop our parks 
and botanic gardens from this point of view, and yet if 
the florists can spend $36,000.00 for a six day exhibit 
and can arouse sufficient popular interest in it to net a 
profit of $14,000.00 gives food for thought. 
