Mower County transcript., 1903-02-04
S. NJ. HORTICULTURAL.
Papers Read Before the Recent Meet
Ing of the S. M. horticultural
Society at Albert Lea.
Criticisms of Nurserymen.
E. F. PECK, AUSTIN.

I find that one meaning OF the
word "criticise" is to examine and
Judge with attention to beauties and
faults. I could hardly use this at this
time for have never known nursery
man that could justly lay any claim to
beauty, and it would not be character
istic of the Intelligent farmer to enter
tain an argument with but one side. |
have also found that "to pass judg-
ment on with respect to merit or
blame" is also used as a definition of [
the term "crlticism." This being the |
case 1 infer that to the person whose
conduct is such as to invite criticism,
criticism may not always come in the
guise of a compliment. And it may
not be out of place right here to ven
ture that he who is able and willing to
gracefully accept just criticism as it
comes need lose little and may gain
much that is of real value.
It is an open secret that between the
farmer and the nurserYman there is a
strained relation something like that
which exists between the mother and
the daughter-in-law and the friction
thus caused is menace to the greatest
development Of the horticultural in
terests of the northwest. From its
effect I will turn to some of the causes.
1t is estimated by some who have
given it careful attention that only
! about ten per cent of the nursery
stock planted on the farm comes to
| full fruiting age. The blame does not
always lie with the nurseryman. The
planters neglect often destroys the
! greater part of the trees, shrubs vines
and plants before they have been given
a chance to demonstrate whether or
not they possessed any real value.
MThis condition of affairs does not
materially affect the nurseryman. True
he has been compelled to out law few
varieties but you find him today
heralding to the ignorant and innocent
farmer glad tidings of evergreens that,
live Fruit. trees that bear fruit.
Hardy stock for the Northwest Trees
that grow Dakota peaches, tree
strawberries, the Bismarck apple with
fruit as large as pumpkins on trees less
than two feet in height, barberry hedge
etc and as a result his business is in
creasing year by year and the country
f. is deriving little benefit. There is
something radically wrong, when the
best part of the middle west dis
tinguished for the intelligence of it's
sons and the fertility of it's soil proves
so ungrateful to the labors of the hus
bandman along horticultural lines.
l. The most fruitful cause perhaps of
disappointment to the farmer, comes
= to him through the purchasing of trees
and plants that are not true to name
When new variety is found to be of
value strong temptation is offered the
nurseryman to put upon the public
spurious varieties that have no value
l. and for which there is no demand Civ
!. ing it the name of the popular variety
~ There are thousands of instances where
8 the farmer has thus been imposed up
3 on and after years of waiting he finds
10 that which has cost money and valuable
q. time is entirely worthless. If the tree
or vine lives to come into bearing tht
fruit is off in color, quality and size ano
Is next to worthless.
L. There is no living thing Of Gods
2, creation that will adapt itself to al
J. conditions of soil, location and environ
ment. When experience pounds in
formation into mans understanding
it may be safely considered reliable
and when nurseryman tells my neigh
Dor that of all spots on earth he has tn
ideal soil and all the conditions neces
y sary for successful orcharding, ant
! then crosses the river to my place
. where everything is the exact reVers'
and sings me the same song, dom
stop to consider whether he is exposing
his ignorance or trying to expose mine
4 but Immediately, there and there los'
"a faith in my fellow man.
# The world does move and all thes
]. things have come to pass within rang
e. of my recollection and the motal in
fluences to say the least have not beer
great. The Editor of the. Farmers
Review has had a prominent nursery
man and fruit grower in the sweat bo.
and elected from him some valuabl
d information. He pleads extenuratin
IT circumstances and prophesies genuin
, reform in the near future.
= From Farmers Review: The edito
y of the Review desires reasons VIII
y nurserymen should propagate onl,
d. from bearing trees Of known fruitinj
ability. A careful study of bud viii
n show that the objection to progagatin
~ through long series of years fron
young and untested buds from nurser
rows is we'll founded. A bud contain
the life germ and a perfect embryo tire
- possessing the same vascular system @
TX the tree or plant upon which it grows
l~c~ u L