THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
150 
responsibility by “passing the buck.” Perhaps the Vigil¬ 
ance Committee might act as the “complaining member” 
bringing to the notice of the Executive Committee any 
unethical dealings, but can they go any further? And 
is not their work likely to be upset if a disciplined mem¬ 
ber stands for bis rights under the constitution and by¬ 
laws. 
I honor Mr. Mayhew for his belated sympathy for the 
many who in the old regime paid dues for the benefit of 
the few, but haven’t those dues been steadily advanced 
by the progressive administration, resulting last year in 
a minimum rate of $50; The Old Guard never treated 
them as rough as that. I notice a change of heart and 
mind, and a promise that a reduction will be made. 
Both Mr. Mayhew and the editor of the American 
Nurseryman object to my quotations. They were not all 
charged to either, but I do know that the terms referred 
to have been used in editorials and communications and 
in Mr. Lovejoy’s articles, some parts of which were ob¬ 
viously inspired. 
I agree with Mr. Mayhew that criticism should be ac¬ 
companied by constructive suggestions. In my previous 
article I said and now repeat: 
“A condition, not a theory, confronts us. The A. A. 
N. is composed of many men of many minds, necessarily 
so because of the many methods of the distribution of 
our products and the wide range of prices that the con¬ 
sumer is asked to pay. We embrace growers who sell to 
dealers or consumers, landscape nurserymen, so-called 
catalog men, agency houses, and many varieties in every 
class. Their prices can never be harmonized, conse¬ 
quently their interests will be divergent. Why waste 
time in trying to harmonize such widely separated 
methods in the hope of bringing about uplift, coopera¬ 
tion, progress and reform? The catalog man does not 
care about my troubles and I don’t worry about his. 
“There are a few fundamental points in which every 
nurseryman in the country is interested; prominently 
transportation, legislation and tariff. Let us get back to 
the old days of “the simple life;” confine the activities 
of the Association to such matters of general interest. 
Foster and develop the department of transportation and 
the work of the traffic manager. Legislation and tariff 
can be handled by committees as they were in the past 
and as they are being handled today. Only moderate dues 
will be necessary and every reputable nurseryman in the 
United States should be eligible for membership and 
should be brought in. Our membership should be as 
large as possible in order to back up our committees 
when they go before Congress, State legislatures and 
railroad officials, for membership means votes and in¬ 
fluence—and votes count in Washington and State Legis¬ 
latures. Affiliated organizations, wholesalers, retailers, 
market development subscribers, meeting at the same 
time and place as the main association can handle their 
individual problems as they see fit.” 
Very truly yours, 
William Pitkin. 
PREMIER STRAWBERRY 
E. W. Townsend & Son, strawberry specialists, Salis¬ 
bury, Md., writes:—We arc closing the most prosperous 
season in our history. 
We had a fine fall business, followed by an open win¬ 
ter. Orders came in steady all the winter and spring. 
We have had most of our old help back this season, and 
every thing has moved along fine. 
1920 was a fine plant growing season for us. We had 
about 300 acres on our farms and under contract. This 
gave us an extra large crop to move. Our advertising in¬ 
creased sales 100% and our old customers were hungry 
for Townsend's high grade plants, we have pretty nearly 
cleaned up our stock. In fact we have sold twice as 
much as we had expected to sell this season. 
We had planned to have 25 acres of the Premier straw¬ 
berry to fruit this season. But the demand for plants 
was so great on this variety, that we have less than four 
acres left for fruit. 
We have carefully examined all varieties of straw¬ 
berries grown by us for the past three years. And find 
that the Premier, is the greatest money maker on our 
list. It is almost frost proof, the heavy frost May 6th, 
1920 did not faze the Premier, produced more than 
10,000 quarts per acre. We have had two heavy freezes 
this year since Premier blossomed and we notice now 
that we never saw a fuller crop of fruit than is on the 
Premier. While Klondyke, Big Joe and many other 
standard varieties, are 90% killed. Premier, Ford, and 
Townsend Big Late, or the three frost proof varieties, 
ripening in succession. Our Premier is just coming in 
and selling on our local market for 50c per quart, and on 
the New York City market for 60c per quart. Looks 
like $3000.00 per acre again from the Premier. Our 
firm have planted 150 acres to Premier this spring. Hope 
to have at least 75 acres to fruit. Most of our acreage 
is set to the three kinds listed here. Premier, Ford and 
Big Late. 80% of our acreage is these three varieties. 
Strawberries have again led all other crops as money 
makers and we look for another good plant season. 
FRUIT STOCKS IN FRANCE 
Louis LeRoy, Angers, France, writing to August Rol- 
ker & Sons, 51 Barclay street, New York, under date of 
April 19th, on the subject of fruit and rose stocks says:— 
“The weather over here has not been very fine up to 
now. No rain at all since last year, so it is wanted badly. 
However we are having now some nice showers, but a 
lot is necessary to do real good. In fact it has been 
rather cold, frost nearly every night for a long time, so 
that the prospects for next season are not very fine. The 
demands will certainly exceed the crop, because different 
kinds of stock have badly suffered either of the frost or 
of the drought ; however, if the weather is a bit wet now 
and milder, it may put things right.” 
Since the above date we learn that conditions have 
changed for the better.—A. R. & S. 
