THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
261 
more buyers than stock, in the future there may he more stock 
than buyers. We will then have a sellers’ market instead of a 
buyers’ market. With this condition will come keener competi¬ 
tion and with competition in the nursery trade, at least, has 
come cheaper prices. I think a survey of the conditions over 
the country show a greatly increased acreage of nursery stock. 
Another survey shows too that the demand and the causes tor 
the demand have likewise increased and perhaps with proper 
management we can get a profit out of our plantings notwith¬ 
standing its great volume. Publicity or education of the people 
are ways to consume it. Restrictive plantings of small stock 
will enable us to spread it over another year or so. But like the 
cotton story I once heard—like this: It is very interesting to 
know how many things can be made out of cotton but the South¬ 
ern Farmer is more interested in how to make money out of it. 
This is true too of the nurseryman. After growing it for several 
years, then lose his legitimate profits through cut-throat prices 
because of over-production! Is that what we are facing? Wouldn’t 
it be a better way indeed to have price protection in part, 
one nurseryman to another? Is it not possible in a co-operative 
spirit to have a co-operative price adjustment according to justify¬ 
ing conditions? There should always be a fair profit realized plus 
a safe reserve. Can’t we do this in our Southern Association 
through a survey committee of some kind? You can but realize 
that there is more profit and much less worry in growing half 
the amount of stock at double prices than there is in growing a 
double amount at half price. Somewhere along the line there 
should be a happy medium and now is the time to think of 
these things. There are certain associations now doing this. 
Some are price fixing now. I was especially struck, however, 
with the recent report of the Pacific Coast Association of Nur¬ 
serymen. Such an organization is of untold benefit to its mem¬ 
bership if its surveys are found correct. 
In further mentioning prices, especially their trend toward a 
low level, I want to remind you that nurserymen are selling liv¬ 
ing things and really fruit, blossoms, verdure and beauty and 
with increased production of trees and plants, will these qual¬ 
ities mentioned go down in value too*' You as retailers are sell¬ 
ing a service of What to Plant, of How to Plant, of When to 
Plant, the After Care of Pruning, Spraying, Cultivating, etc. Be¬ 
cause stock gets plentiful, is your ability to render this service 
gone down in value too? Let’s try to put a little more quality, a 
little more brains and a little more service and keep the prices 
up. I think it was Judge Gary of the U. S. Steel Corporation 
who said: “If you persist in the attempt to beat down prices or 
wreck your business, don’t you fear you too will be buried in the 
ruins?” Before price cutting takes place, think of the possibili¬ 
ties of reciprocal relationship and co-operation adjustment. 
Another problem—and it will become serious unless some 
thing is done and that is some method of control of the fake 
landscape architect. The dishonest nurseryman, the fraudulent 
tree agent and others of their ilk have taken their toll. You are 
familiar with this condition and our bitter experience in the 
past. The vigilance work of this Association has had_ the great¬ 
est influence toward the establishment of confidence in the nur¬ 
seryman of America than any other thing ever done. .Let’s profit 
by this experience since we have eliminated or minimized the 
influence of these other parasites and now turn our attention 
toward the curtailing the activities of the pseudo-landscape arch¬ 
itect before he injures us. Miss Drake is going to tell us how to 
meet him and I will not infrnge on her subject except to say 
that the future of the ornamental nursery business will depend 
on the permanency of beauty. The task of eliminating the man 
who is destroying the confidence in your particular business be¬ 
longs to you and you should not shirk it. 
Legislation and Regulations—I have been a member of the 
National Association Legislative Committee as well as repie- 
seating you on the two occasons during the year and I am very 
much inclined to believe that we as nurserymen do not realize 
how small is the string on whim’ll we now hang suspended. Re¬ 
strictions on every hand. ArbRraty rulings made too frequently. 
Representation of our interests have not been heretofore ade¬ 
quately taken care of. The last report of the Legislative Com¬ 
mittee of the A. A. N. should be read to interest you in the com 
sequences of restrictive laws. Particulary do I feel that some 
compensation should be had for unaffected stock destroyed or 
prevented from being put on the market because of some quar¬ 
antine. I recommend to the new administration the appointmen 
of a strong legislative committee to be alert to any restiic ne 
legislation. 
Ethics—Some nurseryman sahl that until something else vas 
written the Bible would have to serve as the code of ethics. I 
am afraid some outside the Association haven’t the Bible 
least don’t read it. Ethics is really an elusive or ethereal eim. 
Although there is full knowledge of good and evil among nur¬ 
serymen their business ethics have sometimes lacked the con¬ 
sciousness that we see manifested in the professional class. I am 
particularly interested in the development of a higher commer¬ 
cial standard or code and to eliminate, if possible, all harmful 
business practices. There are barnacles in every business and 
while prosperity is smiling on us is the time to make these 
needed re-adjustments. Bribery, undeserved commissions, false 
descriptions, unfair and unwarranted substitutions, dual price.s, 
dishonest purchases, contamination of labor, abused credit and 
numerous other doubtful practices between members and also 
toward the public makes this matter worthy of consideration 
Somebody once said “the abiding place of honesty is not fixed 
by trades or professions nor is confidence won by sharp prac¬ 
tices. No rules or regulations can be made crook proof but the 
exposure of individuals and their practices will enable everyone 
to guard against imposition.” The U. S. Ghamber of Gommerce 
has established a code of fifteen principles which should be in 
everyone’s hands. Particularly do I present these: 1. That the 
foundation of all business is confidence which springs from in¬ 
tegrity, fair dealing, efficient service and mutual benefit. 2. That 
the reward of business for service rendered is a fair profit plus a 
safe reserve. 3. All contracts are to be performed in spirit and 
in letter, changed conditions do not justify cancellation unless 
by mutual consent. 4. Excesses of every nature which create 
artificial conditions and produce crises and depressions are con¬ 
demned, and 5. Business should render restrictive legislation 
unnecessary through so conducting itself as to deserve and in¬ 
spire public confidence.” After all, “the best regulation is self 
regulation.” 
Other things that have come to my attention during the year 
from the membership are—• 
Gollections—The general complaint is that collections are too 
slow in the south between nurserymen as well as their clients. 
This collecting of money after growing stock from two to ten 
years should be more prompt if possible. I was disappointed in 
not getting an expert collector to talk on this phase before the 
convention this year. We are losing too much of our money in 
this way, particularly from the transient buyer. 1 make a recom 
mendation covering this and I hope you see fit to endorse and 
support it. 
Prices to Landscape Architects and others—There seems to be 
a general complaint of receiving a long and varied list of stock 
from Landscape architects on which to quote and then they 
favor the most reasonable quotation and pass this on to the 
client giving him the benefit of price. The professional land¬ 
scape architect considers it un-professional to take the profit on 
plants himself, but frequently complains of the non-professional 
getting the advantages of the price reduction given him by most 
nurserymen. Is it possible to give a flat percent reduction from 
published prices for this class of purchasers and keep both their 
good will? Walter Campbell is Chairman of the National Com¬ 
mittee on Relationship with Landscape Architects and could of¬ 
fer suggestions. 
Some representation has also been made for the securing 
through a co-operative purchase by the Southern Association of 
small booklets to cover the “After Care,” that is the Planting, 
Pruning, Spraying of Nursery stock according to Southern Con¬ 
ditions and not by the instructions sent out by the nurserymen 
in other sections. Would this interest you? 
Freight Rates—The continued high rates, particularly in the 
South, is hampering the movements of our freight. We should 
co-operate with the National Association in every way we can 
to get all reduction of rates possible. 
A Suggestion—That is this Trade among yourselves as much 
as possible. This business of favoring the fence corner grower 
who is sapping your profits is all wrong. Buy it from a Member 
should be your practice. Exchange your catalogs with one an¬ 
other—you enjoy the companionship at conventions so why not 
later. Your friends will be interested in what you have. But 
don’t encourage the outside producer of stock. Grow your own 
or else purchase from a legitimate nurseryman. 
Census—There is need of this for two reasons—First to ad¬ 
vise the membership of what is growing in the nursery row. This 
would be of untold value in planning future plantings. The other 
reason is to be able to present to Legislative Committees, and 
others an authentic estimate of what we are producing and the 
value of our products. I don’t believe that any one of you could 
possibly give an intelligent estimate of what is being produced 
in your state or section. This idea would only he made worth¬ 
while by all members co-operating in a whole hearted way. 
1. The continuation of the Monthly Bulletin. 
2. An intensive drive for more members of the right kind. We 
are not embracing all the nurserymen we should. 
