THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
33 
collect the bill, but he needs the money and compromises 
as best he may. 
There are many sides to the subject and one cannot al¬ 
together condemn the nurseryman who uses the replace¬ 
ment policy with which to build his business, but he 
should in fairness to the trade make it clearly under¬ 
stood to his customers that his price is higher and in¬ 
cludes insurance of continued life of the plant. 
In debating the subject it is claimed there is no more 
sense in a nurseryman agreeing to replace trees if they 
die, than for a farmer to replace hogs if they die after 
they are sold and delivered. 
Unfortunately this is not a parallel. Plants that are 
dug out of the ground have undergone what might be 
termed an operation that does to a certain extent endan¬ 
ger their life. 
Who should assume the risk? Naturally the pur¬ 
chaser. 
It is really up to the trade to get together and educate 
the planting public that theirs is the risk. 
A bold statement of policy to be strictly adhered to 
such as adopted by Stark Bros., carries with it severe 
obligations to have their stock in such condition as to be 
beyond criticism and their packing of the best, but be¬ 
yond this it is the most sensible equitable and after all 
will in the end appeal strongest to the sense of fair play 
in the majority of purchasers. 
THE AMERICAN HOLLY 
Of the many evergreens that dominated the Garden 
flora of former days, the holly is the only representative 
genus that has withstood the smoky atmosphere of St. 
Louis. The main garden still retains the original groups 
and individual specimens planted by Mr. Shaw, and 
while the foliage and berries are darker than plants 
grown in the country, due to discoloration by smoke, the 
trees are in a remarkably healthy condition. For a city 
evergreen the holly is therefore recommended above all 
other evergreens on account of its smoke-resisting qual¬ 
ity. 
The American holly, Ilex opaca, is a slow-growing 
plant found in varied kinds of soil. In the Northern 
and Southern states the largest specimens are found in 
poor, sandy loam. In the woods of Massachusetts they 
are abundant on southern slopes densely covered with 
deciduous trees, the low branches of which protect the 
hollies from exposure. In the South the plants are 
stronger and mature into specimen trees much quicker 
than in the North, and it is from this source that the 
Christmas supply of holly is generally obtained. 
When selecting hollies for planting in the garden the 
fact should be borne in mind that they are generally 
dioecious in habit, that is, the sexes are on separate trees. 
It is therefore necessary that the male and female trees 
be planted close together to allow pollination by action 
of either wind or insects, otherwise there will be an ab- 
growing trees, large specimens should be obtained il 
sence of the ornamental berries. As hollies are slow- 
growinb trees, large specimens should be obtained il 
immediate effect is desired. These subject themselves 
readily to transplanting providing a lew precautions are 
followed. The best time to remove them is in the fall 
just before the ripening of the wood, or in the spring 
just before the appearance of the new wood, the latter 
perhaps being the best owing to the lateness of our falls. 
The essential factor at the time of transplanting is the 
defoliation, and fully two-thirds of the leaves should be 
removed to reduce transpiration. The many fibrous 
roots will allow a large ball to be dug commensurate to 
the size of the plant removed. 
The English and the American holly are very similar. 
Both have spiny leaves, but the English holly, Ilex aqui- 
folium, has deeper spaces between the spines and is a 
denser-leaved specimen. Prior to the government re¬ 
striction of importing plants with soil attached, the 
English variety was imported by the thousands in the 
form of potted plants and sold by the florists during the 
Christmas season. 
WHAT SOME PEOPLE THINK OF US 
The following letter was published in the Philadelphia 
Record January 15th. Nurserymen will readily see the 
mischievous effect such a perversion of truth is likely to 
have on the mind of the average reader of a newspaper. 
The writer evidently took prices from lowest, bargain 
surplus trade costs of 1913 and 14 and is comparing them 
with the highest retail prices of the present. 
This shows the necessity for the National Association 
to set the public straight in regard to prices. 
Editor of the Record: 
One of the worst examples of profiteering before the 
public today is that of the nurserymen. Peach trees in 
1913-14 could be bought for 6 to 9 cents each, apple trees 
for 10 to 12, cherries for 12 to 15, pears, plums, etc., 12 
to 15; grape vines, 1 year old, 2 to 6 cents; blackberry and 
raspberry plants, $8 to $10 per 1000. Today s prices are: 
Peach trees, 80 cents to $1; apples, 85 cents to $1.25; 
cherries, 95 cents to $1.50; grape vines, 25 to 60 cents; 
blackberry and raspberry, $35 to $40 per 1000. There 
might be some excuse in the higher cost of all plants on 
account of higher cost of production, but not i rom 500 to 
1000 per cent. Peach pits cost very little more than before. 
Labor and other costs have not increased over 300 per 
cent, while trees cost 1000 per cent. more. The increase in 
apples on account of the scarcity of French roots has 
more than been made up by the use of American seed¬ 
lings. They sucker a little more, but otherwise are just 
as good. And, by the way, most orchards sucker. I have 
my doubts if the nurserymen have not been using seed- 
ings for some time. 
Grape plants cannot cost more than 300 per cent., as 
hat would cover all costs, and also the beny plants. 
Cherries should not be over 350 per cent. more. But since 
35 per cent, of the nurseries have joined the Nursery¬ 
men’s Association they have things all their own way, and 
prices are very nearly identical under like conditions. 
With these conditions staring the fruit grower in the lace, 
how is he going to keep on producing at the prices that a 
smaller purchasing power should pgr? GROWER 
~\T on n n orlf. TlP.l. ,1(111. 12. li'21. 
George S. Harris, who was formerly manager ol the 
1 arris Nurseries, of Greenbrier, Tenn., is now with C. 
t Rnrr & Gomnanv, Manchester, Conn., in the whn <■ 
sale department. 
