Zbz latlonal lurscr^^man. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK 
The National Nurseryman Publishing Co., Incorporated 
Vol. XXXII 
HATBORO, PENNA., DECEMBER 1924 
No. 12 
Elimination of National Waste 
Secretary Hoover in his annual re[)ort spoke at lt3ngth 
on the subject of the “Elimination of National Waste.” 
His statements art' as ])ertinent and as applical)le to 
tlie nursery as any other trade if not more so. 
The need for the elimination of national waste is plain. 
“The American standard of living is the product of 
high wages to producers and low prices to consumers. 
The road to national progress lies in increasing real 
wages through proportionately lower prices. The one 
and only way is to improve methods and processes and 
to eliminate waste.” 
There is a very close connection between the build¬ 
ing and nursery Irades. When the former stops it 
slows down [)lanting and development of grounds, and 
both trades have been far too seasonable, making very 
high overhead costs. 
Mr. Hoover says: 
“The report showed conclusively that custom, not cli¬ 
mate, is mainly res])onsible for the seasonal ups and 
downs in building, and that these evils are largely un- 
necessaiy ajid can be eliminated,” says Mr. Hoover. “For 
most ty])es of construction it is now possible to build 
the year round in all parts of the United States. The 
elimination of these wastes would strengthen the entire 
business structure, for construction is the balance wheel 
of American industry. The value of yearly construction 
in the United States is more than -^5,000,000,000. If 
building falls off, there is always a slackening in many 
other lines of industry, resulting in unemployment, de¬ 
creased purchasing power of employees, and further 
depression.” 
“The National Brick Manufacturers brought to the 
attention of the Department of Commerce the need for 
simplifying the number of sizes of paving bricks,” tbe 
secretary continues. “It developed that no less than 66 
sizes were actually being manufactured and sold. 
“This Department prom])tly called a conference ot all 
intere.sted parties, with the result that varieties ot paving 
brick were reduced by mutual consent from 66 to 11. 
Since then there has l)een a further reduction to 6 va¬ 
rieties. This is but a sam|)le of the accomplishments ol 
this division. During the year under lawiew, varieties 
of files and rasps were simplified Irom 1351 to 49h; 
range boilers from 130 to 13; sizes ol bed blankets irom 
78 to 12, etc.” 
We doubt if there is a trade that carries as much 
"dead horse” as the nursery trade in the way ol number 
ot varieties, grades, etc., often carried at a dead loss 1)}^ 
tin* nurseryman. Many of these could be eliminated 
without much loss to the gardens of the country. 
In the section of the jeport dealing with ti'ad(‘ associa¬ 
tions Mr. Hoover says: 
“One of the most imj)ortant agencies through which 
the elimination of waste may be promoted is the trade 
association. It is true that a small minority of these as¬ 
sociations have been in the past used as cloaks for re¬ 
straint of trade by such acitivities as open-price asso¬ 
ciations and other attempts to control distribution or 
])ric(‘s. It is equally true that the vast majority of trade 
associations have no such purpose and do no such things. 
The dividing line, however, between what activities are 
in the ])ublic interest is not today clearly defined either 
by the law or by court decision. 
“In consequence of recent decisions of tbe courts many 
associations are fearful of proceeding with work of vital 
jjublic inqjortance, and we are losing the value of much 
admirable activity. x\t the same time we are keeping 
alive the i)ossibility of wrongful acts. It is imperative 
that some definition should be made by wbich an assur¬ 
ance of legality in proper conduct can be had, and by 
\\hich illegality or improper conduct may be more vig- 
oi'ously attacked.” 
Tbe activities of our own American Association of 
Nurserymen have been perhaps excessively cautious not 
to act in any way that might be interpieted as being 
illegal. 
Will) more freedom of action, by tin* association, a 
better knowledge of costs by the individual producers, 
there is no doubt a great saving of waste could be made. 
WHY LEAVES FALL IN AUTUMN 
In the November issue of the “Scientific American,” 
Dr. Ernest Bade stated that drought and not frost caused 
the leaves to fall in the autumn. A drought causes lack 
of sufiicient sap, then the leaves change color and wilt. 
Leaves of various trees die at difierent tinu*s in autumn 
just as they a])pear at difierent times in the spring. For 
instance, we all know how soon a walnut drops its leaves 
and how' long an oak will keep its dead l(*aves. 
He also states that the leaves color on the side that is 
most exposed to the sun. The materials that make iij) 
this coloring matter arc* only waste* matt(*r that the plant 
wishes to get rid of. The chloroi)hyl and the other 
\aluabh 3 substances back up into the woody c(‘lls ot tin; 
twigs, branches and even to the loots. 
The How of sap is cut olf, wilting and the changing 
into the various colors is caused by drying' out and not 
by freezing. 
Dr. Bade may be scientifically correct in his conclu- 
