National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-17

and keep pace with our development in
other respects, the nurseryman needs to be
sensible OF the importance, the breadth, aud
scope OF his calling. lie needs to be a man
OF large intelligence. He needs to cultivate
himself as well as his trees. lie needs to
cultivate himself In order that he may prop
erly and successfully cultivate them. He
should be careful student OF the laws OF
plant life. lie should be an experimenter,
indeed. lie should put all theories that
have any show OF value to the test OF ex-
pertinent. But he should be also q man Of
wide reading, at least In the line OF his own
profession, and, knowing thus what has
been proved by others, save himself the ex-
penditure Of time and labor involved in
going over the same ground again.
With the extension OF our railway Bys-
tenn the field Of every nurseryman Is con-
tinually enlarged. lie can send his trees
now hundreds and thousands Of miles with
es much safety rs he could send them a
score OF miles only few years ago. A
wider range OF soil and climate is thus pre-
scented to him, and this, II he would occupy
the field open TO him, makes new demands
upon him. lie must study the relations OF
trees to soil and climate, as It was not need
iul before. The tree that will grow well and
produce choice fruit In one state or one por-
ton Of IL may be worthless In another. To
plant trees In misplaced situations Is not
only present waste and loss, but it is
encouragement to further planting in the
future. This ought not TO be any one's ex-
perience, and the nurseryman Is the one to
prevent II. He should know so we'll tho
adaptations Of trees to situations and be so
conscientious In his business rs TO decline
to fill an order for trees which he is certain
Will not flourish In the place TO which he is
asked to send them. For the true nursery
man, the one worthy to bear that name, Is
not man who is willing to palm of upon
his ignorant or, confding fellow
man whatever he can in the
shape OF tree. regardless OF its
kind or quality. Much complaint is made
from year to year against nurserymen or
tree dealers, as they are more frequently
called. They are stigmatlzed as cheats and
thieves. No language has been too strong
to be applied to them. And doubtless there
have been many cases which warranted Sc
we're rebuke. There have been unscrupu-
lous persons in the nursery business, rs
there are in all trades and pursuits, who
are willing to make gain az all hazards and
by the most selfish and unworthy methods,
no matter at what cost or loss to others. A
whole class have thus been judged by the
misdeeds OF few, and have suffered UNI
warrantably In consequence. What, IN
many cases. has been only lack Of proper
care has been taken to be a willingness TO
cheat and defrand, and has been treated
accordingly. Doubtless agents sometimes
have made representations which were not
sanctioned by their employers. There are
difficulties also in the nurseryman's bust
ness which often leave the door open to
mistakes. But one Of your own number, at
the last meeting Of this body, declared that
nurserymen generally were not as careful
as they should be in regard to the trees
sent out by them. This confession here at
home ought to needed, and to have more
fnrNn bttl In frn thOa ,N.f1
should stir every member OF this association
to new carefulness. Study should be given
TO the whole arrangement Of the nursery
and Its system OF management, so that mis-
takes may be as few as possible. The one
who handles thousands or hundreds OF
thousands of trees In year may think It q
small thing that occasionally trees are sent
out not true TO name, or not In healthy
condition. II is little thing to him: but
not so to the one to whom they are sent.
The mistake is lasting one to him, entail
ing disappointment and q sense Of wrong,
year by year, as long as the trees live, and
by their fruit bear witness afresh to the
wrong which has been done.
Another matter which concerns nursery
men as well as seedmen is the method or
methods frequently adopted In introducing
new plants and seeds to public notice.
Exaggeration runs riot In many OF these
descriptive notices.
Who ever saw an announcement of new
variety of pear that did not claim for 1t ex-
emption from blight, or a new grape that
was not rot proof, berries never cracking or
dropping from the bunch, and that would
grow equally well from Georgia to Alaska,
or a strawberry that does not at once super
sede all other strawberries, at least on
paper;
ward new, or supposed to be new, seeds, so
far as glowing descriptions are concerned.
No fault could be found with all this II
these statements were founded upon fact,
but this Is rarely the case, and when pur-
chasers expect to realize from their invest
ments they are previously disappointed
and even disguised. / do not desire TO
dwell upon this point, but 1t is an evil that
will recoil upon the trade. 1t creates sus-
picion In the minds Of persons who would
otherwise become good customers, and In
no respect can 1t be considered business
like proceeding.
One specially Objectionable feature in this
connection is that Of each dealer attaching
his name to articles OF sale, thus conveying
the idea to the uninitiated that 1t is dis
tnct and exclusive, and altogether differ
ent from any other article In the trade,
which is but seldom the case.
Some years ago that facetious publication
called Punch- undertook to present this
u
supposed review Of a seed catalogue sub
mitted by Mr.. Bungay. quote the fol-
lowing:
Asparagus-Bungay's Improved purple top.
Beans-No ]. The Bungay.
No. 2. The Ornamental Bungay's
Beans--No. 3. Bungay' Improved wanderer.
Beet-No. !. Bungay's Giant Egyptian Blue.
No. 2. Bungay's Miniature Turnip.
:" No. 8. King Of the Bungay's
Broccoli-Bungay's Chinese Hybrid.
Cuoumber-No. l. Bungay's Mammoth Snow
Cucumber-No. O. Bungay's Hero.
ann - No. 8. QuoOly.snu, Bungay's
Cucumber-No. 4. Bungay's Swiss Early scar.
:. Cabbage-No. !. Bungay's Incompatible
Cabbage-No. o Bungay's Prolific Climax.
You can all decide, as well as I can,
whether or not we have any Bungays
among us or among the seed-dealers OF the
country.
A few days ago travelling agent called
at the department with grand picture Of
a Towering shrub which he professed to be
introducing into this part OF the country.
II was named clethra alnifolia, a we'll
known native plant, having very fragrant
blossom. But the picture looked more like
gigantic hollyhock than anything else.
This, however, is q species OF deception
not INDUCED In by reputable nurserymen-
at least, not knowingly, think. But the
whole subject OF exaggerated description is.
certainly wrong.
When we look at It Alright the calling Of
the nurserYman should be regarded as that
OF high and honorable trusteeship. He
stands between his fellow men and the great
tree world Of which they are ignorant and
OF which he has knowledge, aud he is o
give them the benefit Of that knowledge by
showing them how to attain the utmost
comfort and pleasure from the growths OF
field and forest. For this they are willing
to recompense him. They put confidence
in his character and knowledge, confessing
their own ignorance. He ought not to dis
appoint their confidence, but to use all
carefulness to satisfy their wishes.
But over and beyond this care in his busI-
ness transactions with individuals, the
nurseryman holds an important trust for
the public. He should be foremost In all
public improvements In which trees bear
part, His knowledge fits him to Zoe such,
l.