THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
277 
NURSERY CONDITIONS IN THE NORTHWEST 
The information here given has been compiled by letter by Albert Brownell of the Portland Wholesale Nur¬ 
sery Co., Portland, Ore. Last year Mr. Brownell made a personal visit to all the large nurseries in the 
northwest and compiled information direct. 
During June, finding it difficult to leave at that time for 
a visit to the larger nurseries I took the liberty so far to 
impose on the good nature of one hundred of my brother 
nurserymen, throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho and 
British Columbia, as to mail them a circular letter enclosing 
blanks to be filled out by them and addressed, stamped 
envelopes for reply, and received the information asked for 
from, only fifty of the Nurseries addressed. This fifty, how¬ 
ever, includes nearly all the larger nurseries in the section 
covered and the information given, therefore, we believe to 
be fairly representative. 
The figures we gave last year showed an increase of about 
ico% in the plant of thirty representative Nurseries in the 
same district for the spring of 1908 over that of 1907 and we 
tried to show the inadvisability of making a corresponding 
increase in the plant for the spring of 1909 and we are 
pleased to say, judging from the figures we have received, 
the increase this year was comparatively light. This was in 
most lines probably due in part to the scarcity of seedlings, 
notably of apple. Then, too, the opinion seems to be 
general that there was a much smaller plant of them this 
season than last, but our figures do not sustain this opinion. 
The increase or decrease in the plant of 1909 in compari¬ 
son with that of 1908 in the fifty nurseries above referred to, 
was as follows: 
Apple seedlings . 67% Increase 
Apple grafts. 31% 
Pear Seedlings . 13% 
Pear Grafts. I 5°% 
Cherry Seedlings . 13% Decrease 
Plum Seedlings. 20% Increase 
Ornamentals. 3% Decrease 
Small Fruit Plants. 80% Increase 
Peach Pits.. 3 2 % . 
The large increase in apple and pear grafts has been 
principally in the irrigated districts, though some nurseries 
that have usually practiced budding have made a consider¬ 
able plant of grafts this season probably in order to get 
them onto the market sooner. Outside of these two items, 
however, the increase indicated seems to be rather widely 
x j : distributed. 
The season has been cool and dry and in consequence 
most stock, especially the new plantings, are backward 
and cut worms and insects have caused more loss than usual. 
Eleven nurseries report their seedling plant in Poor 
condition,” eleven in ‘‘Fair condition,” and twenty-three in 
“Good condition”; five report their Nursery stock, other 
than seedlings, “Backward”, ten in “Fair condition, and 
thirty-two in “Good condition.’ 
In comparing the condition of their plants, for the two 
years past, eight report “Not so good,” eight 'l w'O weeks 
later,” three “Seedlings not so good,” stock better, Eleven 
“About the same” and fourteen “Better.” 
Forty-one report a “Good or extra good” cleanup and 
only three a “poor” one. 
In comparing the business of the two seasons one reports 
“Not so good,” twenty-t^wo “About the same” and seventeen 
“Better.” 
As to collections ten report them “Slow',” eight “Fair” 
and twenty-seven “Good.” 
In comparing collections for the past tw^o years, eleven 
report them “Slower,” ninteen “About the same” and thir¬ 
teen “Better.” 
As to prospects for business this year as compared to 
last, six reported “Not so good,” six “About the same,” 
nineteen “Fully as good” and thirteen “Much better.” 
To recapitulate, the total increased plant 
RECAPITULA- of the fifty nurseries v r as about two 
TION. million seedlings and grafts, or a trifle 
more than tu'enty per cent. 
As to present condition of seedlings, it would seem that 
most of them are backward but at least half of them are in 
good condition, wffiile the other half will vary from a very 
poor stand to fair; w'ith one or two exceptions the stand of 
Peach seedlings is exceptionally fine and from our observa¬ 
tion and correspondence we judge there will be double the 
number to bud in the Northwest that there w r as last season. 
Most grafted or budded stock seems to be in good condi¬ 
tion though much of it is backward, ow'ing to unfavorable 
weather conditions. 
There has probably never been a better clean-up of 
nursery stock in the Northw'est than w'as made the past 
year and collections have apparently been equally as easy 
as last year. 
As to prospects for business this year, there seems to be a 
slight majority of opinions that they are better than last 
season, though a considerable number seem to think it is 
too early to judge. 
There is one item of danger in the situation that we 
should like to touch on lightly; this is the demand for 
nursery stock from the speculative planter or real estate 
orchard promoter. This has been very heavy the past two 
y r ears and has been one of the principal factors in stimulat¬ 
ing the nurseryman to increase his plant, but it is a very' 
uncertain thing to bank on, for let there come a little 
financial flurry and it will disappear like the dew of the 
morning and the nurseryman who has depended almost 
entirely on that demand for his trade; w'here v ill he be ? 
and echo answers “Where?” 
For the nurseryman who has a good trade with legitimate 
orchardists, w r e believe the situation promising, but our 
advise is to make haste slowly and don’t loose your head 
over the speculative trade. 
