THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
40s 
It is not an uncommon thing to see even in 
RATIONAL nurseries evergreens, such as the Retinis- 
TREATMENT poras and Thuyas, receive an annual 
OF EVER- clipping with a pair of shears, much in the 
GREENS same way a hedge is clipped or the grotesque 
forms seen in a topiary garden. 
If you ask the nurseryman why he does it, he will very 
likely say “to make them bushy.’’ It is possible this object 
was what started the practice, but that it is carried on with¬ 
out rhyme or reason is also true. ^ 
Speaking generally, the average retail buyer depends 
entirely upon the nurseryman for his selection of plants. If 
the nurseryman sells him sheared evergreens, he will plant 
sheared evergreens and keep on shearing the poor things, 
until they are nothing but stubbed monstrosities. 
The nurseryman deals entirely with nature and while 
fashion may occasionally demand abnormally straight trees in 
crooked growing varieties, dictators of fashion know so little 
about plants that the nurseryman is practically his own master 
yet in spite of this there is a tendency to fall into a rut or 
custom, that is neither founded on beauty or common sense. 
If the nurseryman loves his plants and thinks for himself, 
he will not need to ask what is the right thing to do. As an 
illustration, take two rows of Retinispora plumosa aurea or 
evergreen of similar habit, starting with them when they are 
young and unformed, the one row subject to the shearing 
process and the other treat in a natural way, that is, select a 
leader and neatly stake it up, and only prune with a knife, 
cutting those few twigs or branches necessary to bring it into 
good natural shape and prevent double leaders, in fact just 
train the young plant so it will develop in a natural manner 
and lay the foundation for a noble plant. 
In the sheared row he will have bushy plants, that will 
become so thick that the interiors will soon be full of dead 
foliage, a grand harbor for red spider, thrip and other pests 
and plants with vitality lowered that they seldom make good 
specimens and usually succumb to the slightest adverse 
condition. 
The properly grown row will be much larger, looser, more 
graceful, natural and twice the vigor, and if properly grown 
will be quite bushy enough for health and to suit the most 
fastidious purchaser. 
The Pines, Spruce and Fir object so emphatically to the 
shears they are usually let entirely alone, much to their 
advantage. 
The hemlock is as often spoiled as not but perhaps not 
quite so often as the Retinisporas. Some of the Thuyas grow so 
eompactly that even the man with the shears passes them by. 
The real facts are, that it is only in very exceptional 
instances when the shears may be used to an advantage. 
Evergreens well grown are much more beautiful in their 
own natural habit and will bring the nurseryman better 
returns than maltreated ones. The knife is the proper 
correction of faults not the shears. 
Some few evergreens such as Box and Yew may be sheared 
with impunity, without seriously affecting the health of the 
plant, and may be used to satisfy the taste for artificial out¬ 
line in plants; but as a rule all shearing should be the excep¬ 
tion and not the rule. 
The rule on every nursery should be to let nature be the 
teacher. The nurseryman merely helping nature to do her 
best. 
It would be amusing if it were not pitiful to note how 
stereotyped are becoming the shapes of the many kinds of 
evergreens imported from Holland. The custom of grading 
by height alone has induced the Dutchmen to stake up and 
grow to a leader such prostrate and semi-prostrate growing 
kinds as Juniperus TamarieiJoUa and Juniperus Japonica 
aurea. 
PROMOTING EFFICIENCY AND LOYALTY AMONG 
EMPLOYEES 
It is gratifying to note the efforts of the Oregon Nursery 
Company in behalf of its employees, as outlined by the 
assistant seeretary and treasurer, Mr. R. E. Parsons, in the 
September National Nurseryman. The plan while good, 
is by no means ideal because not all are so situated as to be 
able to save enough to purchase a profit sharing certificate. 
Here is where the plan fails; the hard-working efficient 
employe who has others depending on him and who eannot 
save to buy a certificate, is not at all benefitted, while he is 
probably the most desirable to be helped. On the other 
hand, a single man with no dependants and only a fair 
employe, who can save probably half his wages, derives 
much benefit by being able to purchase these certificates. 
In one case the one who has always been loyal and efficient 
and no doubt cannot afford to be otherwise, and whose 
loyalty and efficiency is well worth attesting, gets nothing; 
while the other gets all that he is able to buy. It would 
seem that such a plan would encourage some but it would 
discourage others. 
If it were desired to promote efficiency and loyalty among 
all the employees why not issue profit sharing certificates of 
no face value in various sums, bearing a certain rate of 
interest based on the past year’s business; the smaller 
amounts to the least efficient and working up in increased 
amounts to the most efficient, regardless of earning or saving 
ability. To promote still greater efficiency a proviso might 
be added that if through the carefulness, loyalty and effieiency 
of the employees an increased profit was earned by the com¬ 
pany, an increase in the rate of interest would be made. 
This gives each one a chance to make something extra and the 
employer can reward the efficient employe, without making 
him in turn loan the company money to get the reward. 
Efficiency is brought about largely by the interest of the 
employer in the employe and not by putting the employe in 
a position where he can for cash buy his employer’s reward. 
It is the thoughtfulness of the employer for the employe 
that counts; the surrounding him with good materials, good 
tools and a good place to work; teaching him modem 
methods, fostering new and individual ideas, and in every 
way helping each one to do a bigger and a better day’s work, 
thus enabling him to earn more. This tends to the promo¬ 
tion of loyalty and efficiency even more than money. The 
combination of the profit sharing certificate and the personal 
interest of the employer in each individual employe will go 
farther toward promoting maximum loyalty and efficiency 
than any other workable scheme. George W. Ottinger. 
