THE NATIONAL 
Fourth—A vital need is more care in digging stoek to secure all the 
roots. It does not make any difference how hard pushed the nursery¬ 
man may be, every customer’s order should have individual and careful 
attention. When a man buys a tree or a block, he wants all the roots 
that the tree is carrying with it, and too frequently hard digging by un¬ 
trained labor leaves a large portion of the roots behind. 
Packing should receive most careful attention. We very often get 
shipments, practically dried out. The main reason seems to be that the 
proper packing materials are not used. Straw seems to enter largely 
into the packing composition of most nurseries, and we even find wheat 
and rye straw, neither of which wall absorb and hold the moisture as 
readily as oat straw', and w r e very frequently find an entire absence of 
moss. Some packages have come to us packed entirely in excelsior, but 
the best packing is that which comprises oat straw, fine excelsior and 
moss, or oat straw’ and moss. We think that straw’ and moss packing is 
even better than all moss. 
Chestnut Hill, Pa. Wm. Warner Harper. 
WATCH WITH TWO EYES AND “SOMETHING TO BOOT.” 
Regarding the “Handling and packing of nursery stock,” would say 
that eternal vigilance sums up the whole proposition. From the time the 
digger or spade goes under the trees it is a question of watching every 
move; putting in charge of the work experienced men and then watching 
the experienced men w’ith two or four pairs of experienced eyes, and on 
occasion, using vigorously an experienced boot. 
Alabama Nursery Company. 
Note: —It depends largely on what sort of men are employed. We 
should not always expect in return for fair w’ages, good labor and “some¬ 
thing to boot.”—Ed. 
COLONIST RATES. 
To Pacific Coast points, via Wabash Railroad, $42.50. Low rates to 
intermediate points. On sale Sept. 15th to Oct. 31st. For full inform, 
ation see your local ticket agent or write R. F. Kelley, G. A. P. I)., or 
James Gass, N. Y. S. P. A. Wabash R. R., 287 Main Street, Buffalo- 
N. Y. 
PERSONAL AND GENERAL. 
Rochester has been visited by quite a number of the brethren during 
the month. 
Messrs. George and Dayton, of theStorrs, Harrison Co., Painesville, 
Ohio, called on Western New York and Rochester nurserymen early in 
September. They reported a good year with excellent fall prospects. 
Mr. A. Willis, of Ottawa, Kansas, represented the American Associa¬ 
tion of Nurserymen at the meeting of the American Pomological 
Society in Kansas City, Sept. 19 to 21. 
Orlando Harrison, of Harrison’s Nurseries, Berlin, Md., called on his 
friends in New York, about the middle of last month. 
Mr. H. J. Hunter, nurseryman for the city parks of Detroit, spent 
some time among Rochester growlers last month, looking up stock for 
the Detroit parks. Mr. Hunter is a former Rochesterian, and renewed 
many old associations. At one time he was an employee of Ellwanger 
& Barry. 
The National Nut-Growers’ Association has decided to postpone the 
annual convention till late fall or early winter. It was called for Dallas, 
Texas, Oct. 25 to 27. Yellow fever in part of the nut-growing territory 
is cause of postponement. 
Oregon Nursery Company. 
The Morgan Advertising Agency, Grand Rapids, Mich., has ceased 
business, and is endeavoring to effect a settlement with its creditors on 
the basis of sixty cents on the dollar. 
The Trade Paper Advertising Agency have asked for a receiver, to be 
appointed to wind up the affairs of the company. 
Fairmont Nursery Co., Fairmont, Minn., has been incorporated with 
B. E. St. John, President; Victor St. John, Vice-President, and Nina St. 
John, Sec’v-Treas. 
CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
General catalogue of Peonies No. 15, A. Dessert a Chenonceaux, 
France. 
Specimen evergreens for August and September planting. Fall 1905. 
Thomas Meehan & Sons., Inc., Dreshertown, Pa., an attractve booklet, 
showing excellent illustrations of fine types of broad leaf and coniferous 
evergreens. 
T. S. Hubbard, & Co., Fredonia, N. Y. Wholesale price list. 
NURSERYMAN ir , 5 
Correspondence. 
THE SEASON IN ILLINOIS. 
We have had one of the best growing seasons ever known. Plenty of 
heat and plenty of rain. Growth of all kinds is very soft, but we are 
having quite cool nights and heavy dews, so I hope things will ripen well. 
We have been shipping evergreens for the past three weeks. Outlook 
for fall sales very cheering. So far sales have been few in number, but 
large in amounts. We sell very little as a rule before Oct. 1st, so feel 
quite happy over outlook. We have a very large stock (possibly 50,000) 
Russian olives, very fine. Can afford to sell them at $10.00 per thous¬ 
and. Just to emphasize our great growing season—we got our seed 
corn from Northern Iowa. Stalks are 10 to 12 ft. high, ears even with 
my head. 
Waukegan, Ill. Thomas H. Douglas. 
PROSPECTS GOOD AT VINCENNES, IND. 
The season has been very wet with us, ' especially so since June 
20th. Notwithstanding that fact and the weeds resulting, we have 
secured a good growth on all of our stock, and it will be up to our usual 
standard. Sales thus far have been good, and the outlook is for a good 
fall trade. 
The supply of stock is about the same as usual at this point. A few 
more Cherry than usual are being budded. The number budded were 
less than expected because the stand of stocks was not very good. 
The apple crop in this section is very poor, though the quality of the 
fruit is fair. Prices are high so the grower will get something for his 
labor. 
H. M. Simpson & Sons. 
HO ! FOR TEXAS. 
The program committee of the American Association 
of Nurserymen are taking the preliminary steps in the interest of the 
Dallas meeting in 1906. They have written Prof. Luther Burbank, 
and Prof. E. J. Wickson, of California, inviting them to be present and 
address the Association. Prof. Wickson has accepted the invitation 
and signified his intention to be present, but as yet Mr. Burbank has not 
accepted, but it is hoped he may yet do so. 
The other committees of the Texas State Nurserymen’s Association 
are also active in the incipient steps for the Texas Convention, and it is 
believed that a good time will be in store for all who attend. 
Sherman, Texas. John S. Kerr. 
PLAN FOR TEXAS. 
“ I am glad to know the Texans have taken hold so earnestly thus early 
in the season as mentioned in your former letter, and I have no doubt 
about our having a good-sized and enthusiastic attendance. In fact, those 
who are w’illing to go out of the constricted limits, in which some of our 
associates expect us to move, have enthusiasm and will take it along 
with them to Texas or any other place. 
John C. Chase. 
A LINE FROM PRESIDENT ALBERTSON. 
Transportation—legislation . 
In a recent communication to The National Nurseryman, President 
Albertson has the following to say which will be read with interest by 
our members. 
“We hope to be able to get a satisfactory audience with the Official 
Classification Committee and secure some valuable concessions there. 
The concessions in the West I am confident will prove of much help to 
the nurserymen. By the way, we have an order for one car of goods now 
on which the saving in freight by the ruling of the Western Committee, 
at their July meeting, will be over $60.00. Another party reported to 
me a car on which he would have saved $24.00 had the ruling been made 
earlier, so you see these are not small matters. 
We are also trying to shape matters for an appearance before the 
Southern Committee. But one great trouble is going to be the shifting 
of this work from one to another each year as the membership of the 
Committees change, not only in transportation, but in other depart¬ 
ments, especially legislation. What the Nurserymen’s Association 
really needs is a good all around man to act as assistant to the President, 
and ex-officio member of the different committees, to give his entire time 
to this work. If such a man could be found, and was supported by the 
members of the Association and their committees, a work of almost in¬ 
estimable value could be done for the nursery business. 
