The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-08-02
From the Ohio Cultiyator.
Peddlers Of Fruit Trees.

Ohio, have informed US that their counties
are being canvassed by numerous pretended
agents of extensive nurseries IN the State Of
New York, for the purpose OF procuring or
ders for fruit trees, to be delivered next fall;
and our opinion is asked for in relation to the
reliability Of these agents, and whether it is
as safe to entrust orders to them as to send
directly to the Eastern Nurseries.
From what we have heard of the tricks OF
some of these men, we feel in duty bound to
caution our readers against them. We pre-
sumo that some Of them are honest, and are
really agents for the establishments for which
they solicit orders, but if strangers to US we
should want to examine closely their creden-
tals before trusting them with our orders.
The following article, abridged from the
Horticuiturin for the past month, is very time
ly and to the point; especially as it comes
from the pen Of one who is acquainted with
all the tricks of the trade:
HINTS TO THE PURCHASERS OF TREES.
No pursuit or profession in life. however
useful or honorable it may be, or however pur
flying and snnobling its tendencies. is wholly
exempt from the evils of dishonesty. Not
even the most sacred Of all human yocations
can escape this misfortune. Will any one
wonder, then. that there should be dishonest
nurserymen and seedsmen, and dishonest
dealers in trees. plants. and flowers? Surely
not A great deal has been said about the
dishonesty Of nurscrymen, seedsmcn and
florists, but if rigid comparison were made
between them and any other class Of dealers.
we care not which, we have not the slightest.
hesitation in saying that the result would show
that no other branches Of trade are on the
whole, conducted with greater honesty and
fairness. 1t may be said that We are An in
terested party in this case. and therefore not
competent to Judge; but we take it upon us
to say that We are. We believe we are as
well acquainted with those who are engaged
in Horticultural commerce in the United States.
as most other men; and. on the strength Of this
knowledge. we are willing to place them, for
honesty Of purpose. for energetic and indus
trious habits. and the general usefulness Of
their lives. against any other class. We have
no desire to make invidious distinctions or
comparisons, or put one class or profession
against another, but we would remind those
who are ever pratng about the tricks of nur
serymen and seedsmen, that there may be as
many shortcomings chargable against their
own calling. Who does not hear. every day
of his life, about false weights and short meas
ures? Look at the imposition practised by
the manufacturers Of all sorts Of cloths. by
the substitution Of one material for another,
so that a person who is not thoroughly skilled
in all their devices, is sure to be cheated -
Look at the thousand receptions in articles
Of food and drink--in tea. coffee. sugar. wines
and liquors of all sorts-and in tobacco In
deed. one can scarcely think of an article.
whether Of use or luxury. that can safely be
bought from a stranger by an inexperienced
person.
Let US not be understood as justifying the
dc ~
far be it from us to do any such thing. We
shall rather expose and condemn them. But
it should be remembered that it is An easy
matter for them to make mistakes. and exceed
ingly difficult to avoid them. They are hand
ling a great number Of varieties of the same
article. and their sales huddled into few
weeks, renders impossible that leisure and
circumspection which can be given to ordn-
airy trade. A boy enstrusted to attach label,
may get it on the wrong tree or package. and
the error may escape notice until too late
In packing, which must be entrusted to work
men, there are many chances for mistakes
even where the most rigid surveillance is kept
up. Indeed, throughout the whole routine
Of their business-in propagating. digging.
labelling, and packing-there are an almost
infinite number Of small operations which re-
quire exactness. and all of which expose 10
every error trick or cheat. Every year
cur professional nurserymen and seedsmen
are becoming more systematic and more care
ful. as well as more discriminating and skill
ful, and thus the chances for error are rapid
ly decreasing. except among new beginners.
who have everything to learn.
There is growing up. however. in this coun-
try. system of dealing for which respecta
BILE nurserymen are not responsible, and TO
which il is our present purpose to call atten-
ton. The extraordinary growth of horticul
tural commerce within the past few years. has
attracted the attention of that class of specu-
lating individuals who are ever on the look
out for profitable field Of opsrations-men
who are peddling grave stones to-day. light
ming rods tomorrow. patent medicines the
next day. and so on from one thing to another.
The country is filled with dealers in trees and
plants. Beyond doubt many of them are
honest and honorable--men who may fairly
be trusted; but it is equally true that very
many of them lack honesty. and will not hest
tate to misreprssent and deceive wherever
they consider deception necessary to success
We have in our hands most ample evidence Of
this. Letter upon letter has been for some
time past addressed to us upon this subject
from all parts of the country, begging US to
expose the frauds. and propose some remedy
But what can we do? The world is full of
credulsus people, ever ready to be made vic
TINS TO the crafty stories Of unscrupulous
rogues.-people who read but little. and whom
our warnings will never reach, and who, even
if they did, would give them no heed ,-peo-
pie whom even dear bought experience would
fail to teach wisdom. They are the penny !
wise and pound foolish. who will run a thou
sand risks of being cheated for single
chance of making good bargain. A short
time ago gentleman from one of our East
ern States called on US. and inquired for per-
son who he said had sold large quantities
Of apple trees in his neighborhood. represent
,nr him salf IN he the nronrietor Of one ~ tha