EARLY HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE. 341 



At an early day, about; 1836, Mr. Charles Hastings started a nursery on his 

 farm in Troy, Oakland county. After a time Mr. A. 0. Hubbard became inter- 

 ested in this nursery, and the firm was then Hastings & Hubbard. Subse- 

 quently, Mr. B. M. Davis was admitted a member of the firm. Then, for a 

 short time, the firm was Hastings, Hubbard & Davis. After a few years, the 

 health of Mr. Hastings having failed, he withdrew from the firm. 



Messrs. Hubbard & Davis purchased some land on the Porter farm, on what 

 was then known as the Porter road, in Springwells. That road is now known 

 as 24th street, Detroit. They moved their nursery from Troy to this location, 

 where it has remained ever since. 



Mr. Hubbard died in the autumn of 1871. The nursery is now owned by 

 B. M. Davis. The extensive greenhouses are now owned by Davis, Taplin & 

 Co. Mr. Taplin was an employe of the late firm, but he is now a partner. 

 Mr. Davis has charge of the nursery, and Mr. Taplin the greenhouses. 



OTHEK NURSERIES. 



Mr. T. W. Dunham had a nursery four and a half miles south of Kalamazoo 

 as early as 1840. He called it the Kalamazoo Nursery. 



In 1844 Mr. J. B. Noble had a nursery at Ann Arbor, where he sold fruit 

 trees and ornamental shrubbery. 



About 1840, Mr. Willis started a nursery at Battle Creek. lu the autumn of 

 1835 I passed through Battle Creek. About the only business going on at this 

 place then was the building a canal to lead the water from one river to the 

 other, so as to utilize it in the running of maclynery. 



In 1840, Mr. White, familiarly known as Variety White, had a nursery at 

 Monroe. 



THE FIRST HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF MICHIGAN". 



The first Horticultural Society in Michigan, of which I have any knowledge, 

 was partially organized at the Northern Hotel, in Detroit, on the evening of 

 March 5, lb41. At that meeting there were present, Wm. Adair, John Ford, 

 J. C. Holmes, Thomas Hall, M. Howard Webster, John Lumsden, John B. 

 Piquette, Robert Eadford, Robert Stead and Henry D. Hastings. J. C. Holmes 

 was called to the chair and Henry D. Hastings appointed Secretary. Having 

 adopted a preamble and constitution, and appointed a committee to draft by- 

 laws, the meeting adjourned to meet at Mechanic's Hall on the evening of 

 March 16th. 



On Monday evening, March 16, the Society met according to adjournment. 

 Permanent officers were elected and by-laws adoi)ted. 



The officers elected were : 



President — John Winder. 



Vice. Presidents — John C. Holmes, B. C Stimson. 



Corresponding Secretary— M. Howard Webster. 



Recording Secretary — John Lumsden. 



Treasurer — Thomas Hall. 



COMMITTEES. 



On Fruits. — Adrian R. Terry, William Adair, Samuel Barstow, George Duf- 

 field. 



On Indigenous Plants. — Bela Hubbard, John B. Piquette, F. F. Mereerou. 



On Trees and Shrubs. — George V. N. Lothrop, Lewis Hall, Bela Hubbard, 

 J. E. Schvvarz. 



