Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-09

To Farmers and rruss Growers

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The Geneva, ~. v, Horticultural
Secretly does not usually express
opinion upon matters connected with
the business Of tree-seiliug, but n
fraud uf such AZ extensive and bare
faced naIure, and So disastronsly
affecting abe interests Of both buyers
and sellers. has been brought 10 its
notice, tiaal the Society deems II a
simple matter Of duty to expose IL
end pot the public on their guard by
masking the following statement:
For several years various gangs of
men. representing themselves TO be
from Troy, Ohio. have canvas-ed
different portions Of The country,
with samples of fruit in glass jars.
end large numbers Of people have
s,e.cofne victims Of their fraudulent
practices.
These men do not grow the stock
themselves, nor is ii all grown in
Ohio, ~ rppHsebted. but II packed
in different parts of the country,
wherever they can buy the cheapest
trees. One 81 these gangs that has
been operating during the past sea-
son in Central New York and New
England, Is uow engaged In packing
in ibi- place.
The fruit shown by them In their
glass Jars II seldom Of the variety
represented by them, but consists ~
the largest specimens they can OBJ
tain. T. named arbitrarily to suit the
purposp, even when 1t Is real, bat Is
often Of WAX, and being In liquid,
the deception II not perceived ~ the
purchaser.
Again, the stock Is packed IN a
way we'll calculated 20 screen ID from
observation, being baled the entire
length In rye straw, and Is shipped
Hundreds Of miles without being
boxed 10 protect IL, and without mn-s
sufficient 10 keep the roots moist.
Three days Of such treatment cannot
rsii 10 iDjnre the hardest trees, while
tliis stock IL often necessarily on the
road for week..
That this fraud may be entirely
successful, customers are warned by
these inpostors not 10 open Hieir bees
ds exposure Doatid injare Giemi And
the victim IL thus usually home be-
fore he discovers The fraud.
III this manner The most worthless
stock Ii packed, and often, by a meth
cd known AS "shingIing," the bales
are made 10 appear several feet
longer than the trees really are.
They pay no attention Ia packing
10 have the varieties Iabeled cor.
rrctiy, bat mix different fguits, and
different varieties ( tho Same fruit
promiscuously, and label from the
mixture To suit the orders, regardless
OF the selection 81 the customers.
The price obtained by these par.
ties are simply fabulous, and often
far plants that do not exist. For
instance, they sell strawbprry plant
which they call "The Alpine Tree
strawberry" "a "Ihfag' unknown
10 nnrserymenl, NJ nm enormous
price, and deliver "A plant OF some
common variety.
Every artiiice OF tho practical
-windler Il employed by these men.
they readily coin new names aud
new varieties, aDd can on very short
notice fiji any order for anything, If
little opportunity for concealment
be given them.
Before sou receive the stock, obllge
the delivering agent 10 open thestraw
package don't do IL yourscll, so
that you can inspect the stock aud
See II their famous tree strawberry
has not every appearance of being a
common variety, and If their high.
priced plums and cherries are not
tie poorest apologies for trees, while
The whole Is dry aud worthless.
Their apples and pears are frequent.
~ Of decent quality, but with the
varieties 80 mixed ~ to DO worthless
10 the planter, even If in fair con-
dition.
While the buyer may not DO able
10 detect mixed stock as readily as a
nurseryman, he can easily SEQ the
appearance between u Baldwin and
Red Astrachan apple, or n Bartlett
aud Clapp pear, and II both look
alike, may DO sure there Is something
wrong.
Persons who have bought nursery
stock answering the description CIV
en, Will be justified In refusing to
accept II, and they need fear no at
tempt 10 collect payment by law.