THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
235 
Secretary's Report 
Members of American Association of Nurserymen: 
A pleasing duty placed upon your Secretary by a reso¬ 
lution adopted at the Detroit convention was to express 
to the “grand old men” of the Association that three 
pioneers were unable to be present at that gathering. 
This communication was written to J. Van Lindley, E. W. 
Kirkpatrick, C. L. Watrous (since deceased); A. N. Wil¬ 
lis and G. S. Harrison. Several acknowledgements were 
received. 
In anticipation of queries as to the effect of the new 
schedule of membership fees under the revised constitu¬ 
tion upon the registration, your secretary feels that he 
cannot answer such in any different language than has 
already been employed by him in correspondence with 
the Executive Committee and in the columns of the trade 
publications. Predictions were made by some that Ar¬ 
ticle 1 of the new constitution, creating “active” and 
“associate” members, and introducing the plan calling 
for “additional” dues based on amount of business done, 
would work disastrously to the Association. The re¬ 
sults to date do not show such to have been the case. 
They have rather justified the wisdom of the adoption of 
the new rule, for, without any canvass for new members, 
the Badge Book contains 364 names and ten others have 
registered since that publication was mailed. The cash 
receipts for the year have been $5,829.83 against 
$3,151.90 in 1915. For several years past effort has 
been made by specially-appointed committees to obtain 
new members, with some success, but, in not a few in¬ 
stances, we apprehend, the favorable response given to 
the invitation was largely intended as a compliment to 
the individual soliciting the membership, and therefore 
such have not remained permanent. 
Your Executive Committee has passed favorably upon 
21 of the 24 new applications for memberships, but after 
careful investigation, have been compelled to decline the 
other three. 
To hold membership in this Association from this time 
on will mean very much more to the individual nursery¬ 
man who enjoys the privilege, than the mere perfunctory 
act of registration. 
For the last six years, the average registration has been 
378. It ought to be twice that number. 
To assist diffident members to become more easily ac¬ 
quainted with their brethern, it was decided to try the use 
of a bar containing a card upon which members are 
asked to write their name in a good bold hand. 
The tireless reaper—Death—has again attacked our 
numbers and removed several members during the year. 
Captain Charles L. Watrous, of Des Moines, Iowa, fell 
to sleep in March of the present year. Mr. Watrous was 
one of the “old guard” of this organization. 
Mr. F. W. Power of the Oregon Nursery Co., Orenco, 
Oregon, early in this summer, died after a siege of ill 
health, the immediate cause of death being blood poison¬ 
ing. which developed from an accident. 
Mr. W. Atlee Burpee, of Philadelphia, Pa., died Novem¬ 
ber 25, 1915, aged 57. He was a former member. 
We also mention because of his prominent connection 
with the Division of Pomology in the U. S. Department of 
Agriculture, the removal of Mr. G. B. Brackett, in De¬ 
cember of last year. 
Also Major Frank Ilolsinger, Rosedale, Kansas, Jan¬ 
uary 2d, of this year. He was not a member, but Hol- 
singer Bros, have recently allied themselves with this 
Association. 
W. L. McKay, Geneva, N. Y. 
H. S. Wiley, Cayuga, N. Y. 
There may be others of whose death we have not been 
advised. Members who know of such, are asked to 
mail particulars to the Secretary, that the names may be 
included with others in the “In Memoriam” contained in 
the Annual Proceedings. 
The Financial Statement of the year is as follows: 
Receipts 
June 21, 1915—Balances and New Memberships $ 93.50 
June 20, 1916-From Membership and Badge Book 5720.75 
Advertisements 
Sale of Trade Term Labels. 15.60 
$5829.85 
Disbursements 
Paid Peter Youngers, Treasurer.$5572.10 
Balance on hand . 257.75- 
$5829.85 
In conclusion, gentlemen, let me assert that there can 
be no doubt as to the future of this Association. Hav¬ 
ing broken the spell of traditional routine, which has 
had so tight a grip upon the organization, the new Con¬ 
stitution beckons members to a higher plane of thought 
and of action, and it is no fanciful theory that we pro¬ 
nounce when we say that the American Association of 
Nurserymen is to become the synonym of all that is best 
in administration and in future development along lines 
that shall bring the orders of the consumers of your pro¬ 
ducts to your desks in larger numbers. 
As a result of the more extended publicity that shall 
be given concerning the value of those products from both 
the aesthetic and the practical points of view, and be¬ 
cause, also, of the more dignified position your honorable 
occupation shall come to occupy in the estimation of your 
patrons. 
Co-operation, liberally and cheerfully given by each 
member to your executive officers, will make possible all 
that we have herin presumed to predict. 
John Hall, Secretary. 
France and England are passing laws prohibiting 
the importation of plants into their respective countries. 
They may have good reason for it, and, perhaps due to 
the fact that the United States does not export very great 
quantities Uncle Sam is not very much interested. At 
the same time it would be quite in order for this country 
to pass similar laws. It may also have a tendency to 
extend and develop the home industry. 
