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HOKTICULTURE 



December 18, 1909 



DEATH OF WILLIAM K. HARRIS 



Respected and beloved of his neigh- 

 bors and the trade of the entire conti- 

 nent, Wni. K. Harris of Philadelphia, 

 has entered into rest after a long 

 period of suffering. Other pens have 

 lovingly recorded on this page tributes 

 to his memory that tell the story so 

 much better than we are able to that 

 we refrain from any extended obituary 

 notes. Personally, we have lost a very 

 dear friend and our heart is filled with 

 emotion as we glance reminiscently 

 of more than a quarter of a century 

 back over a very intimate friendship 

 with this genius and philosopher and 

 feel honored that it has been our privi- 

 lege to share 



"That best portion of a good man's life, 

 — His little, nameless, unremembered acts 

 of kindness and of love." 



Although a keen and shrewd busi- 

 ness man, Mr. Harris never was known 

 to intrude questions of trade or bar- 

 gain into the social hours which he 

 enjoyed so much in the company of 

 his friends. His was a unique per- 

 sonality, a sunshiny temperament, a 

 big, kindly heart, a well-spent life 

 devoid of selfishness or guile. He was 

 an honor to his profession. 



Robert Craig's Story of Mr. Harris' 



Life. 



Wm. Kennard Harris was born March 

 10th, 1S38, in Philadelphia. He went 

 to work at the age of ten years for 

 Robert Dunk, who lived in the "Neck" 

 in the southern part of Philadelphia, 

 who was a grower of herbaceous plants 

 and who had probably the best collec- 

 tion in the state at that time. He was 

 also a raiser of small fruits and garden 

 truck. Mr. Dunk was a basket-maker 

 and taught the art to young Harris, 

 who became very expert at the work 

 and at about twenty-five years of age 

 started in business on his own ac- 

 count. At the age of twenty-nine he 

 gave up basket-making and started in 

 the greenhouse business, buying out 

 Wm. Hobson, who had three small 

 greenhouses at 55th street and Darby 

 road; the houses were in poor con- 

 dition and Mr. Harris having little 

 capital had a long struggle before he 

 got the business in a prosperous con- 

 dition, but it did finally grow so that 

 Mr. Harris was able to start in a larger 

 way at his present location, 55th street 

 and Springfield avenue. He became 

 one of the best commercial plant grow- 

 ers of Philadelphia and has been a 

 noted specialist for the last thirty 

 years. 



He was one of the earliest to grow 

 in quantity Ficus elastica and Panda- 

 nus Veitchii. He raised many new 

 seedling chrysanthemums, introducing 

 many standard sorts. He also intro- 

 duced Li Hum Harrisii. He was a great 

 observer and quick to detect the merits 

 of a new plant. No one grew zonal 

 geraniums better than he did. About 

 twenty-five years ago he grew by the 

 houseful the then new varieties such 

 as Madame Lemoine, Marie Lemoine, 

 New Life, etc. He also raised many 

 seedlings, one of the best of which 

 was Bishop Wood. He was probably 

 the foremost man in this country in 

 growing the once famous tri-color ger- 

 aniums, of which Madame Pollock was 

 a good example. 



-As to his personal traits, he was 

 noted for his strong common sense and 

 good business qualities. His word 

 "was as good as his bond," and he was 

 withal kindly and considerate. He 

 was a good bowler, a good shot and 

 an all-round good fellow. 



He died at 9.30 a. m. on the morn- 

 ing of December 13, in his rocking 

 chair, passing away as one falling 

 quietly into sleep. 



ROBERT CRAIG. 



John Burton's Reminiscences. 



There are few of our readers who 

 have not known or heard of Wm. K. 

 Harris, and all who have known him 

 will be grieved to hear of his death. 

 We of Philadelphia do not yet know 

 what we have lost. His great person- 

 ality in his business and social life 

 made its impression on all who met 

 him. 



It was the writer's good fortune for 



William K. Harris 



d number of years to be one of his 

 near friends. A week rarely passed 

 that we did not meet once or twice 

 and with other of his friends spend an 

 nour or so in a social game of bowl- 

 ing, or talk over old times, or matters 

 of interest to our local or national so- 

 cieties, often having supper together 

 afterwards, when our discussions would 

 be renewed, at times reaching the 

 point of argument but always ending 

 in good nature on William's part; for, 

 while positive in his views, he was 

 always ready to listen to the other 

 fellow. 



He would occasionally speak of his 

 childhood and tell of his struggles as 

 a youth. When ten years old he ran 

 away from a brutal farmer and with 

 one penny in his pocket, and twelve 

 hours without eating, bought two small 

 cakes, one of which he gave to an- 

 other little fellow who seemed just as 

 hungry as himself. This he after- 

 wards considered the greatest act of 

 generosity of his life. His generous 

 actions did not stop with his child- 

 hood, Init he never spoke of them. 



Though without much early educa- 

 tion, he read a great deal and had his 

 favorite writers, one of whom was 

 Goldsmith. I once heard him say, "I 

 can understand and learn more from 

 one page of Goldsmith than a whole 

 chapter of Emerson," though he be- 

 lieved Emerson the greater writer. 



Mr. Harris had been a sufferer for 

 years with a chronic trouble, but he 

 rarely complained and never when it 

 might interfere with the pleasure of 

 his friends. He was confined to his 

 home for several months, but was un- 

 able to gain strength, slowly getting 

 weaker. He said a few days before 

 he died, "I am too tired, John." This 

 was the last time I talked with him. 



I thank my old friend for having 

 added to my pleasure in life. 



JOHN BURTON. 



George C. Watson's Word. 

 William K. Harris belonged to an 

 older generation than the writer. 

 A respectful diflidence restrains any 

 strong expression of opinion as to the 

 place Mr. Harris will finally hold when 

 the history of horticultural achieve- 

 ment for his generation comes to be 

 finally written — that is, it does not 

 seem modest or proper for a younger 

 man like the writer to size up a man 

 like Mr. Harris. That duty is left to 

 abler pens and more matured judg- 

 ment and experience. One thing may 

 be said with propriety, however, he 

 was a big man! Strong in personal- 

 ity, strong in will power, keen as a 

 business man, far-seeing, .saving, in- 

 dustrious. In his personal relations, 

 simple and innocent as a child; kindly, 

 charitable, impulsive, full of good hu- 

 mor and sociability. A close associa- 

 tion extending over twenty years 

 served only to deepen and accentuate 

 the bonds of amity and admiration. 

 This is a personal word and is given 

 in all sincerity and with love and rev- 

 ''rance to the memory of our dear 

 fiiend, "The Deacon." We do not get 

 many original and unique characters 

 like him in a life time. He shed lustre 

 on the horticultural profession in many 

 ways, and we believe his name will be 

 remembered in history. 



GEORGE C. WATSON. 



John Westcott's Tribute. 

 I have lost a dear, personal friend 

 in the passing away of William K. 

 Harris. I grieve not only for myself, 

 but for the horticultural community 

 of Philadelphia and the country at 

 large. He gave us many good things 

 in his time. He gave us Lilium Har- 

 risii, he gave us Ivory chrysanthe- 

 mum, he gave us Mrs. Wood geranium, 

 he gave us branched rubbers and 

 countless other good things; but to us 

 who were closely associated with him 

 he gave of himself — a pearl without 

 price — the finest personality I think 

 that I have ever had Ihe fortune to 

 meet during my life time. He was 

 the truest, kindest, best of friends, and 

 no one can ever tell my sense of per- 

 sonal loss — so I will not attempt to 

 speak of it. It is certain that horti- 

 culture has lost one of its brightest 

 stars in the passing away of William 

 K. Harris. JOHN WESTCOTT. 



