THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
13 
Correspondence. 
INEFFICIENT FREIGHT SERVICE. 
Editor National Nurseryman. 
The account of the expeditious shipment of Orange trees 
from California to Palestine in the National Nurseryman 
for November attracted my attention. It is certainly grati¬ 
fying to know that there is good transportation service from 
California to the Holy Land; and many who have had ex¬ 
perience in transcontinental shipments no doubt hope the 
time may come when similar results may be obtainable in 
making shipments from California and the extreme West to 
Eastern points in our own country. That time has evidently 
not yet arrived. 
Only a short time ago, in my own consignments from Calif¬ 
ornia, I received a shipment of some specimen orange trees 
and other stock, which consignment left Niles, California, 
October 14th, supposedly on the “ through-to-New York” 
fast service line; and although every effort was made to have 
the consignment followed by wire tracer to avoid delay, the 
shipment did not arrive here at New York until November 
23d, thus being nearly six weeks in transit. 
Owing to the fact that the Orange trees were sent in tubs 
and the other stock specially well packed with balls, all the 
material arrived in very good condition, notwithstanding 
the extraordinary delay. 
Such experiences, however, indicate the need of closer 
co-operation between the railroad companies, and committees 
and individuals in the trade toward reducing to the mini¬ 
mum such delays; and the importance of having a system 
adopted that will insure prompt forwarding and delivery of 
nursery and plant material in all parts of the country. At a 
less favorable time in the season, such a delay would mean 
a serious if not total loss, either to the shipper or consignee, 
or the railroad, or both. 
New York. Fred W. Kelsey, 
Importer. 
DEPARTMENTAL BOOK-KEEPING. 
I notice that in the November Nurseryman, Jackson & 
Perkins Company mention the need of departmental book¬ 
keeping methods. This calls our attention to our experience. 
We found that by charging each particular nursery crop with 
the cost of field preparation, planting, cultivation, digging and 
placing on the yard for sale, we secured valuable data. Not 
only in regard to what it cost to grow the different lines of 
stock, but ultimately how to cheapen the cost of production. 
To illustrate; We learned that it cost us $16.00 a thousand 
to grow 1-1 Concord grape vines. On an average we could 
buy them more cheaply at Fredonia. We learned that on 
our excellent soil in Nebraska, we could grow apple and forest 
seedlings to advantage. Records were kept from season to 
season and then compared, enabling us to determine how 
much seed to plant per acre and how best to handle. 
To illustrate: In the growing of ash seedlings, twenty 
bushels of ash seed planted with machinery of our own ad¬ 
aptation, in drills twenty-two inches apart on carefully pre¬ 
pared land, would grow an average of 200,000 per acre, at 
a cost of $40.00 per acre or twenty cents per thousand. This 
included the preparation of the soil, the gathering and plant¬ 
ing of the seed, cultivation, digging, counting and putting 
in hundreds and trenching them in on the yard. Now when 
we first began to keep accounts it cost us on an average, 50 
cents a thousand to do this work. The cheapening of pro¬ 
duction was gained by better preparation of the soil, getting a 
perfect stand, the planting of just the right amount per acre 
and the employment of half grown boys, under an efficient 
foreman to do the work of cultivating, weeding and counting. 
We likewise found that apple trees could be grown in this 
locality for one half of what it costs to purchase them in 
the open market, but that it is cheaper to buy cherry trees 
than to graft them. 
We have found that two things are gained by accounts of that 
character. First, what not to grow; second, by comparing 
the different field plats from season to season to determine 
just how to produce the largest and best possible stock for 
the least possible expense. 
The manufacturer finds himself compelled to give very 
close attention to the details of production. He steadily 
seeks to improve the quality and to lessen the cost. 
Crete, Nebraska. E. F. Stephens. 
]Vote and Comment. 
FOREIGN COMMERCE. 
The total foreign commerce of the United States in the past year 
seems likely to exceed that of any preceding year. The total 
exports will probably fall slightly below those of 1903 and of the 
years 1900 and 1901, but as the total imports will materially exceed 
those of any preceding calendar year, the grand total of imports and 
exports combined will probably be the largest in the history of our 
commerce. 
IMPORTANT NURSERY ITEM. 
Dear Friends:—This is to announce the arrival of the Greatest Boy on 
earth. Weighs ten and one-fourth pounds ; eats like a harvest hand. 
He is “heard from” frequently and listened to by all. Mother and Boy 
doing fine. Sincerely yours, 
Spaulding, Illinois, Dec. 9th. Irving Spaulding. 
THE ENGLISH APPLE MARKET. 
Latest cable advices from the principal apple markets in Great 
Britian report fairly steady markets for well conditioned parcels and lor 
such they are selling at prices that give net here in Boston all the way 
from $3.00 to $3.75 per barrel for Kings. Golden Russets $2.50 to $3.25 
per barrel. Northern Spies and Spitz $2.00 to $2.50 per barrel. Rhode 
Island Greenings $1.75 to $2.50 per barrel. Baldwins and Ben Davis 
from $1.50 to $2.00 per barrel. These prices are for good long lines of 
each variety. Small lines, badly selected and packed are selling to give 
nets from 25 to 50c under these prices. The demand this week has 
been largely for fine fruit for the Christmas market. 
Boston, Dec. 15th. Geo. A. Cochrane, Apple Exporter. 
I have pleasure in enclosing you subscription for another year. The 
National Nurseryman I find one of the most convenient mediums tor 
keeping informed upon, and in touch with, what is going on the in 
trade of any publication in the country. Wishing you every success. 
No. 150 Broadway, New York. Fred’k W. Kelsey. 
Please find enclosed check for $1.00 (one dollar) to renew my sub¬ 
scription to the National Nurseryman. I find we cannot do without 
it, the information in it alone, is worth double the money. It brings us 
in touch with the nurserymen of the south and west, and no longer do we 
feel like strangers. 
Seabrook, N. H. Ellsworth Brown & Co. 
We will have a surplus to offer the wholesale trade. We would ask 
you to insert the enclosed advertisement in January issue. Your 
paper is an excellent medium to reach the trade. 
Waukee, La. «L Wragg & Sons Co. 
