Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-23
NURSERYMEN IN
ANNUAL SESSION
Business Declared to Be Es-
sential to Nation During
Time of War

A score of prominent nurserymen
met yesterday afternoon at the Har-
risburg Club in the annual conyen-
ton of the Pennsylvania State Nur-
serymen's Association.
The session was called in the early
afternoon by the president, b. n
Farr, of Wyomissing. After review
ing the work of the association dur
ing the past year, Mr.. Farr referred
to the future of the nursery indus
try. Among other things Mr.. Farr
said: The nursery business, with
many other industries, is suffering
because of the senseless suggestion
mat certain lines of trade are mon
essential" No sane man will con-
slder the nursery business as nom
essential in the present struggle If
he is careful to look into the subject
before making such a, statement.
Fruit of all kinds is a food OF the
highest value, but the supply of such
food depends primarily on the nur-
sefyman who must grow and fur
nish the trees. Nor can America af-
ford at this time to overlook the
value and necessity of planting shade
trees, evergreens. towering shrubs,
the beautiful roses whose colors
irises, peonies, phloX, whose blooms
supply the fragrance and beauty
needed to cheer and comfort those
whose friends are engaged in grim
war. The gardener needs the rest
and relaxation that comes from an
intimate association with all these
growing things"
To Protect Stock
A proposed national law to pro-
hibit the importation of nursery
stock was discussed at length. The
contemplated bill is aimed to pre-
vent the entrance into the United
States of the many serious plant dis
eases and insect pests that are now
prevalent in certain foreign coun-
tries. Some of the numerous seri-
Gus pests that have entered Amer
lea are the gypsy moths which are
practically destroying the elns of
New England; the citrus canker
which seriously menaces the orange
and lemon groves of the western
coast and the south; the San Jose
scale which is found on all kinds of
fruit trees. A new insect, known
as the Green Beetle" has been
found in this country during the
three past years, and is supposed to
have been brought here in the soil
packed around the roots of plants
imported from Japan.
At the close of the routine busi-
ness Professor ]. G.. Sanderson, state
entomologist, told the nurserymen
of the work that his department is
doing to control and destroy in
furious insects and fungus diseases
that prey on fruit and ornamental
trees and soft wooded plants. The
members of the association are thor
cughly in sympathy with Professor
Sanders work and expressed them
selves as believing that he is accom-
plishing a great deal of good through
his methods of dealing with the
various subjects that go through his
departments.
The meeting adjourned in the
early evening after electing the fol-
lowing officers: President, Adolf
Muller, Norristown, Pa; vice-presi-
dent, J. H. Humphrey, Chestnut Hill,
Pa; secretary, Henry Moon, Norris
Vile, Pa; treasurer. Thomas Rake
straw, Kennett Square, Pa.
Among the prominent firms rep
resented were Hopes Bros. & Thomas
Co., West Chester, Pa; B. H. Farr,
Wyomissing, Pa; Adolf Muller, Nor
ristown, Pa; B. f. Barr, Lancaster,
Andorra Nurseries, Chestnut Hill;
]. w. Thomas & Bro, King -of-Prus-
sia, Rakestraw-Pyle Co., Kennett
Square; VIM. H. Moon &c Co., Nor
risville; Thomas Meehan &c Son,
Dresher; A. w. Root, Lancaster;
Berryhill Nursery Co., Harrisburg; /;
G.. e. Stien, East Prospect; Penna.
Nursery Co., Girard.