TIPS TOP TREES 
Dear Friends, 
We have recently read that the American public spends 
61 million dollars more a year on “tips” than on nursery 
crops and services. WOW! It looks very much like we had 
better wipe the smog off our windows and smug off our 
faces and sit up and take notice of what’s going on. People 
are spending money -- plenty of it -- but it looks as though 
we are not getting as much of it as we should be. Whose 
fault? Evidently it’s our own because it’s a known fact 
that almost everyone loves flowers and trees. All we have 
to do is tell them what we've got, that plants are the best 
investment they could ever make, that a garden is the best 
insurance in ‘the world, that they (and their neighbors) 
will be happier -- much happier -- with plants, trees and 
flowers around their home, and most important of all that 
they can do much of it themselves if we give them the in- 
formation and confidence they need. Looks simple doesn’t it. 
But it isn’t. It can’t be if a bunch of people with hardly 
any investment can go out and earn a living, collecting 
$61,000,000 more than we can with all our big investments, 
headaches and responsibilities. 
What does it take then. Well for one thing -- selling or 
salesmenship and all its ramifications. Another is organ- 
ized publicity through your local, state or national associa- 
tions (gives the public confidence in the industry and in 
plants in general and puts them in the right frame of mind 
to buy). Third is yourself. 
In 1955 join an association to work together to “PLANT 
AMERICA”, to “MAKE AMERICA MORE BEAUTIFUL” 
and to make TREES TOP TIPS. 
Most sincerely, 
John & Pete Vermeulen 
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