The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-03
|NURSERYMEN SEEK
TO CURB PEDDLERS
Prof. Gardner Urges Public to
Deal Only With Reliable
Licensed Nurserymen

Ga1 appeal 70 ule plant ana Tree.
buying public to beware of irres.
ponsible peddlers, and to deal only
with reliable licensed nurserymen,
is issued by Prof. M. E. Gardner,
head of the horticulture depart
ment at N. c. State college. Cheap
nursery stock is the most expen-
sive investment that can possibly
be made by the farmer or home
owner, he declared.
Prof. Gardner said that it was
agreed at the recent Nurserymens'
Short Course held at State college
to conduct a campaign to acquain1
the public with some of the evils oil
the unlicensed, "cure-au' peddler
of nursery stock, and remedies for
diseases and insects. In this con.
nection, the horticultural leader
said:
There r some people, known
to nurserymen as peddlers, who
either buy inferior or cheap nur-
sery stock, or collect plants from
the woods, and sell them without
regard to their quality or real val
ue. YoV no doubt have bought a
white dogwood when you thught
you were buying a pink dogwood.
1t takes several years to discover
this, and then you regret that you
did not purchase the plant from a
reliable nurseryman. The same
thing is often true when buying va
rieties of fruit trees"
"Ali persons or firms in North
Carolina are required by law to
have a license in order to sell nur-
sery stock. This license is intend
ed to be somewhat of a guarantee
to the customer. In buying from
a licensed nurseryman, the Gus
toner is assured that the plants
have been rigidly inspected for in
sects and diseases. A reliable nur-
seryman is always willing to re-
place within a reasonable period
stock which dies after having been
cared for as directed.
Nursery Business Is Exacting
Most people would not think of
buying milk from an u~n-inspected
dairy, yet they seem willing to buy
nursery stock from almost any
source as long as the price is right.
The nursery business is an exact
ing one. 1t takes time and consid-
cradle expense to propagate and
grow plants to salable size. Your
Eurseryman is a business man
just the same as your grocer, and
he should receive the same con-
sheraton"
Prof. Gardeners warning is espe-
cially timely, since much of the
promiscuous buying is done in the
early spring when the urge comes
to cultivate the ground and plant
something. He suggests that it
would be much better to make
plans far enough in advance that
a reliable nurseryman could pre-
pare the plants and deliver them
at the best time of the year.
The horticulturist also. caution
ed against buying ~"cure-all rene
dies for the control of diseases
and insects, and the rapid promo
ton of growth. irresponsible per-
sons who 60 about Offering such
remedies usually state. that they
have developed a formula which.
it injected into the tree, will pro-
mote some growth factor, or else
eliminate insects and diseases en-
tirely. These people probably act
in good faith, but their remedies
are Of no value" Prof. Gardner de-
clared.
In some instances fruit trees are
sold to farmers by statesmen who
promise to come back and prune
and spray them for two or three
years. The State college leader
says he knows of numerous cases
OF this kind, land after the stock is
sold and planted, the farmer rare
ly ever sees the salesman again."
Suggestions To Nurserymen
Prof. Gardner says that nursery
men frequently have calls from
who claim that they are
nursey statesmen, and ask for a
discount. He warns that
such people frequently have no
of nursery stock and
may only be buying for their own
use. He suggests that reliable nur-
take advantage of the ex-
law which requires that all
dealers of nursery stock obtain a
IF nurserymen would re-
4uire such dealers to show their
before allowing a dis
count, this evil would soon van
.sh and the nursery business would
oe placed on a much higher
he stated.
In conclusion, Prof. Gardner
said: Remember, your local nur-
is your best friend when
you are in the market for orna-
nentals or fruit plants. In addi-
ion to selling you inspected plants
lie is always glad to advise with
concerning the proper methods
# pruning, fertilization, and in
'ect and disease control"