Popenoe: The Work of E. O. Fenzi 



217 



As we rambled over the hills back of 

 his house, I was impressed immedi- 

 ately by two things: first, the extraor- 

 dinary courage of the man in coming 

 to this dry and forbidding spot and 

 attempting to grow upon it delicate 

 tropical plants which require vastly 

 more moisture than could easily be 

 supplied them; secondly, the huge 

 fund of information which he pos- 

 sessed on the plant life of all the world. 



BIOGRAPHICAL OUTLINE 



Doctor Fenzi was born in Florence, 

 Italy, March 12, 1843. He studied at 

 the University of Pisa where he 

 received the degree of Doctor of Laws. 

 Even as a youth he was greatly inter- 

 ested in plant life, but the business 

 interests of the family kept him from 

 indulging his tastes along these lines 

 except in an amateur fashion. After 

 leaving the University he was instru- 

 mental in establishing the first electric 

 car line in Italy. At his country place 

 near Florence he formed an arboretum 

 containing many rare trees which are 

 to be seen at the present day. He 

 also did a great deal for the betterment 

 of olive and grape culture in Italy, and 

 on an estate near Rome belonging to 

 one of his relatives he brought together 

 from all parts of the world a large col- 

 lection of rare plants. At difTerent 

 times he contributed horticultural and 

 botanical articles to the Italian press. 



In 1893 Doctor Fenzi removed to 

 California with his family. In Los 

 Angeles he met the late J. C. Harvey, 

 one of the pioneer horticulturists of 

 California; the elder Mr. Howard; 

 Edmund D. Sturtevant; and other 

 plantsmen. A year after his arrival he 

 moved to Santa Barbara, where he 

 entered into partnership with C. F. 

 Eaton for the purpose of raising nur- 

 sery stock, especially ornamental 

 palms. After a short period the 

 partnership was terminated, and Doc- 

 tor Fenzi (who was, as above men- 

 tioned, known in California as Dr. F. 

 Franceschi) developed a nursery busi- 

 ness of his own. He built up an exten- 

 sive correspondence with botanic gar- 



dens, horticulturists, and plantsmen in 

 all parts of the world and received from 

 them seeds and cuttings of all sorts. 

 In 1895 he published his "Santa Bar- 

 bara Exotic Flora," a small volume in 

 which were described briefly the exotic 

 plants then growing in Santa Barbara 

 gardens. This book remains to the 

 present day one of the most interesting 

 and valuable on the subject of Califor- 

 nia horticulture. Later he organized 

 the Southern California Acclimatizing 

 Association, which was dissolved in 

 1909. One year previous to the 

 breaking up of this organization, he 

 published a catalog which contains the 

 most extensive series of new plants 

 which has ever been offered in Califor- 

 nia. 



The cost of bringing in plants from 

 all over the world and the limited 

 demand for this sort of material made 

 financial disaster inevitable. During 

 his twenty years' residence in Califor- 

 nia, Doctor Fenzi invested thousands 

 of dollars of his own money in this 

 altruistic work. His contribution to 

 California horticulture, therefore, was 

 not alone one of patient and intelligent 

 effort, but also involved a great finan- 

 cial sacrifice. 



In July, 1913, he returned to his 

 native land, taking with him his wife 

 and daughter, but leaving two sons in 

 California. He had not been home for 

 twenty years and there were grand- 

 children awaiting him as well as many 

 old friends whom he wished to see once 

 more. His return was, therefore, an 

 extremely pleasant one, though his 

 departure from California left the 

 plantsmen of that state without their 

 master. He has been greatly missed 

 by all who were accustomed to see him 

 at the various flower shows which he 

 frequented and to receive inspiration 

 from his enthusiastic and untiring 

 devotion to horticulture. 



DR. FENZl's WORK IN LIBYA 



After living for two years in seclu- 

 sion in the Riviera and preparing the 

 manuscript of a book entitled "Frutti 



