630 BOARD OF AGUiCULTUKfi. 



(liiioiis and inclinations of their fathers in their occupations. Theu there 

 were the Llrunsons and tlie Wallace Brothers (John and Thomas W.), 

 who were truly pioneer fruit and tree growers near Richmond. Reuben 

 Brunson was the father of Stearns Brunson, who later (himself a pioneer 

 in that section) located at Mishawaka, in St. Joseph County, and after a 

 time spent in tlic nursery business in that place, had the foresight to rec- 

 ognize in Western Miclii^an the conditions necessary to successful peach 

 growing. He cons(Minontly, in the early tifties, removed to what is now 

 Benton Harbor, Micliigan, wlieiMj he w^as again a pioneer in the great en- 

 terprise of peach growing- in that favored section. 



Near Centerville, in Wayne County, Avas the home of Lewis Jones, wiio 

 was temporary chairman at the organization of lliis Society, in October, 

 18tiO, and wlio remained with us until 1877, when death separated us by 

 ills removal. To Ins memcrj the world owes much for his intelligent, un- 

 tiring industry and persevering success in promoting the cause for which 

 we lai)or. He was the originator of many varieties of apples of value in 

 his day, as he who carefully i-eads Warder's Pomology must learn. 



To a later generation of Waj'ne County horticulturists may be assigned 

 Thos. B. Morris, Walter G. Stevens. John J. Conley, J. C. and C. S. Men- 

 denhall, J. C. Ratliff, E. Y. Teas and many others not now recalled to 

 mind, some of whom we are still privileged to "meet and greet in the 

 tiesh." Two of the above named, Thos. B. Morris and E. Y. Teas, were 

 present .'it the organization of this Society on the evenings of October 18 

 and 19, 18G0. Hai)py are -we in their prolonged and useful lives. 



Perhaps Levi Cook, a native of South Carolina, who began a nursery 

 in Gx'eensboro, in Henry County, in 1824, was the pioneer nureseryman of 

 that county. But many worthies of later generations have contributed to 

 her interesting horticultural iiistory by following in his footsteps. Among 

 these, one who still lives in a distant State is especially worthy to be 

 classed. I refer to John C. Teas, who also participated in the organization 

 of this Society. 



The pioneer nurseryman of Marion County was Aaron Aldridge, who 

 established and conducted an extensive nursery within what is now the 

 city limits of Lidianapolis, from the early thirties until about 1852. He 

 was a man of intelligence, zeal and enterprise in his calling, and 

 was one of those worthy pioneers who, in 1840, originally organized the 

 Indiana Horticultural Society. As colaborers in that good work-with Mr. 

 Aldridge, I can oidy name a few of the leading spirits. Doubtless the 

 first of these Avas Henry Ward Beecher, w^hose encouraging efforts through 

 the columns of the Western Farmer and Gardener, of which he was 

 then editor and proprietor, called together in the autumn of 1840, and into 

 the organization tjien effected, such men as James Sigerson and George 

 W. Merritt of Hendricks County, Reuben Ragan of Putnam County, 

 Joshua I-indley of Morgan County, Cornelius Ratliff and Andrew Hamp- 

 ton, of Wayne County, and James Blake, James M. Ray, A. S. Willard, 



