The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-01-13
Alfred Butler, Agent.
BelIefontalne, Ohio
Hints Regarding the Purchase
Of Fruit Trees.

The Ohio Experiment station is often
appealed to regarding the best place to
buy trees. Such queries can seldom be
answered specifically except in the case
of certain varieties, not to be found in
nurseries.
As a rule, it is best to purchase trees
direct from established nurseries, near
home; but in exceptional cases it 10 eafe
to buy through agents, and aleo to send
orders to distant nurseries. To give an
order to reliable nursery ls as safe as
to deal direct, but one needs to be sure
that the party who claims to represent
the nursery is an agent and not q mere
dealer, who buys where he pleases and
sells at whatever price he can get. Deal
ers are seldom responsible and do not
hesitate to make any promise to refill
the order free of charge in case Of loss in
trsnsplanting, nor to make any claim ae
to genuineness and superiority, in order
to effect sales.
Honest men find it hard to compete
with the logues in this branch of the
business, while the temptations to de-
ceit are 80 great and the restrictions are
go few that reliable tree dealers are rare,
hence this class is to be avoided. If q
salesman claims to be an agent he should
be able to show papers to that effect,
and the financial standing of the firm
can be learned at the bank.
Financial standing is not proof o.
honesty, but it is more or less depe nd.
ent upon business integrity. At any
rate one need not be in hurry to order
trees and can easily ascertain the busi-
ness standing of any firm, especially thu
one near home. Agents very often ex-
ceed the authority given them by tn
nurseryman and make claims and prom
ises which are unknown to their en-
ployers.
Ineist that all such claims and prom
ises be put in writing, with the nam
of the firm attached. If this is refuses
it is not safe to buy. An order is a con
tract and the buyer should see that it j
not 90 worded that the nurseryman ma
substitute if he wishes. The nursery
. man often takes this liberty, hence tn
words, "no substitution allowed" shoul'
be inserted, and another clause might b
entered in the contract which shoult
specify that list of such articles as can
not be furnished should be sent to tn
buyer within two weeks from the tim
e the order is given. Keep an order @
all trees and plants ordered, with pric
and size, or ages.
In selecting varieties it Is not safe +
4 invest in any high price novelty. TAX
: old varieties OF known merits, only. an
= do not be csjoled into paying fanc
= prices for trees propagated by specis
methods nor because they are said t
o have certain merits not possessed b,
trees offered by other nurserymen. !
au agent makes statements which seen
t to be extrsvagant, submit them to som
one who is experienced in such matters
: and if the agent is found to be lyin
i about one thing it is safe to infer tha
i he may in others.
Do not be deceived into believing tha
the small home nursery has no assort
ment of varieties. Most likely it ha
just what you want and at half the pric
asked by the agent.
. If the nearby nurseryman does NJ
j have all the cracked-up new sorts, it
e proof that they are untested. Th'
home nurseryman can procure anythin
which he does not have as well a
the agent can, for if it has merits
will be in the general trade. On tn
whole, it is better before buying to hav
talk with some nurseryman of reputa
tation, as we'll as with fruit growers o
experience. A little caution and com.
mon sense in buying trees will save lot
of future trouble.