164 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
make some very valuable suggestions. A number of our 
best posted nurserymen have urged that our Association 
give this very much more attention than it has in the past. 
American Grown Seedling Stocks Investigation : 
Most nurserymen are probably aware that in the near 
future we will probably have to depend upon American 
grown seedlings exclusively in our production. In this 
connection the U. S. Department of Agriculture has been 
making some very valuable investigations in various lo¬ 
calities of the United States where seedlings may he 
grown with a view of determining the real merits of the 
different sections for the various seedlings and to obtain 
all the facts in connection therewith. 
Government officials have been working in close co¬ 
operation with the nurserymen and with a committee of 
our Association appointed for this purpose. Mr. J. H. 
Skinner, of Topeka, Kansas, is Chairman of this Com¬ 
mittee. At this time, I cannot refrain from expressing 
to all officials concerned in this work the sincere appre¬ 
ciation of the nurserymen. At the same time, I wish to 
assure our friends in Washington who are working so 
hard for our benefit, that we are anxious, individually, 
and as a body, to assist them to the full extent of our 
ability. Mr. L. B. Scott of the U. S. Department will ad¬ 
dress you further on this subject. 
Fruit for Food Shows: The agricultural press and 
other interests have suggested a plan whereby Fruit for 
Fruit Shows he put on at certain designated times in the 
leading cities of the United States. This educational work 
has great possibilities and I recommend that interested 
members and the Executive Committee or Market Devel¬ 
opment Committee, obtain further information from Mr. 
F. J. Wright who is connected with one of our leading 
agricultural papers. 
United States Chamber of Commerce: Our Secretary, 
Mr. Watson, will no doubt recommend to you in his re¬ 
port that if it is possible, this body should affiliate with 
the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. As our firm has been a 
subscriber to this organization for a considerable period, 
we feel free to recommend the value of the Bulletin Re¬ 
ports and other assistance rendered by the U. S. Chamber 
of Commerce, the Head Office of which is located at 
Washington, D. C. As Mr. Watson has pointed out, while 
this is not an official government activity, many Govern¬ 
ment Agencies and Committees depend on them for in¬ 
formation and advice. 
Replace Evils: Years ago a great many nurserymen 
had certain agreements to replace trees which died. Some 
replaced them free, some replaced them at half price and 
there were various stipulations regarding the method of 
replacement. In practically all instances, the replace¬ 
ment promise was made in order to promote sales. At 
this time a great many of the most successful nurseries 
have recognized the unfairness of the replacement evil 
either free or at half price or at any other reduced price. 
The nurserymen must deliver to the planter or to the 
transportation company, as the case may he, good trees in 
a healthy and vigorous growing condition. The nursery¬ 
man’s duty and responsibility should end there. He has 
already taken his risk with the elements and natural en¬ 
emies for three or four years in producing those trees. 
It is not up to the nurseryman to carry his responsibility 
on, over and into the hack yard of the planter. 
The Year’s Business: In general, last year’s business, 
particularly, the spring trade, was better than most nur¬ 
serymen anticipated. While we felt sure that nothing 
like a normal number of trees were purchased and 
planted, still due to the scarcity of stock, most of the pro¬ 
duct was moved and most nurserymen report a good sea¬ 
son. 
Future Outlook From the Nursery Standpoint : The 
sales outlook for the future is good. The supply of stock 
coming on is short in many lines. In fact, in some lines, 
all information indicates that stock is scarcer even than 
last year and when we remember that the trees which we 
will harvest this year are the result of seeds planted in 
France and elsewhere the last year of the war, this fact 
is easily accounted for. Due to serious freezes in various 
sections of the country late last fall and a number of dis¬ 
astrous freezes and frosts this spring, many one-year 
apple trees had to be cut hack to the ground. This fact 
has considerably reduced the quantity of two year apple 
trees available for the forth coming year. The same ad¬ 
verse spring weather conditions have injured to some 
extent the one year available—particularly grafts. Tak¬ 
ing it as a whole, there may he a slight increase in the 
number of one year apple trees, there seems to be a se¬ 
vere shortage in two year apple trees. 
The spring freezes also injured a great many peach 
buds—reports from the south, east and central west, in¬ 
dicate a great many injured, so that, taken as a whole, it 
is going to be very difficult to reduce prices, hut we be¬ 
lieve it the duty of the nurserymen to endeavor to get 
prices down somewhat, as soon as possible. At the same 
time, nurserymen should realize that unnecessarily high 
prices may bring about a later over-production which 
would disturb the equilibrium of the industry for a con¬ 
siderable period. In other words, if prices remain abnor¬ 
mally high for an unnecessarily long time, they are 
bound to be followed by a period of over-production 
which will shoot prices down to a point below cost of 
production, and cause enormous brush piles and heavy 
losses. It is better for us, better for the industry and bet¬ 
ter for the tree planting public to avoid this. In making 
our prices, of course, we must consider the enormous 
wastage incident to sending out a strictly first-class dis¬ 
ease-free grade of trees. We must also consider the fact 
that every year there are bound to be certain varieties 
in excess that must go to the bonfire. All these losses 
must be kept before us, for over-production and incident 
enormous brush piles were the twin evils which put so 
many or our brother nurserymen out of business a few 
years before the war. 
We have no reason for pessimism—we have every rea¬ 
son to he optimistic, but at all times let us keep our eyes 
on the past as well as on the future so that the mistakes 
and troubles of the past will arm us and assist us in the 
solving of the problems of the future. Many nurserymen 
so far this spring are reporting good sales. The outlook 
for a good year’s business is promising. 
Closer Cooperation with Other Nurserymen’s 
Associations: It is recommended that the Executive 
Committee he instructed to work out a definite plan for 
closer cooperation between our association and the var¬ 
ious state and district nurserymen’s associations. 
The Economic Outlook; The general economic situa- 
