BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENT 



MADE ON THE 



FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 



OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 



MOUNT HOPE NURSERIES. 



We take especial pleasure in addressing our patrons at this time, for this year we celebrate the fiftieth 

 anniversary of the establishment of our Nursery. Beginning with a few acres and no capital except 

 industry, perseverance and a determination to succeed, we made progress slowly at first. On two occa- 

 sions fire destroyed all of our buildings and hail ruined our stock, and so very discouraging was the out- 

 look that we were on the point of giving up the business ; but, after carefully considering the matter, we 

 resolved to make another attempt, and starting anew, put forth all our energies, and from that time, suc- 

 cess crowned our efforts. Space will not permit or we could give many interesting facts and experiences 

 which would show conclusively that success was only achieved by years of hard labor, mental and phy- 

 sical ; but being young, strong and ambitious, we did not take into account labor, so long as we accom- 

 plished what we set out to do. 



The history of the progress and development of the business cannot be shown in any better way than 

 by quoting from our catalogues issued at different times, as the demands of our business required. In 

 the preface to our catalogue issued in 1846, six years after starting, the following statement is made : 



" Our Nursery grounds are quite extensive. "We at present occupy FIFTEEN acres and are prepared to plant 

 six more the ensuing autumn. Our purpose is, and has been since the formation of our establishment, to make 

 here in Western New York, a collection of fruits unsurpassed by any in the country, embracing every valuable 

 variety oE either native or foreign origin, adapted to our soil and climate ; with this end in view, we have been 

 gathering from time to time from every quarter, such varieties as we have found to be held in high estimation in 

 their respective localities. Two years hence we shall have a superb list of American fruits; our extensive per- 

 sonal acquaintance with the principal fruit growers and nurserymen in England and on the continent has enabled 

 us to make arrangements to receive annually any new and valuable fruits that may be brought to notice. Our 

 practice is to plant a specimen tree of every variety cultivated in order to test it under our own observation; our 

 specimen grounds now contain upwards of two hundred varieties of apples, one hundred and fifty of pears, sixty 

 of cherries, fifty of plums, &c. " 



We invite particular attention to this reference to our experimental orchard, which, as will be seen, 

 was commenced early in the history of our establishment. This experimental orchard has been a con- 

 spicuous feature of our business. No other similar attempt on so broad a scale has been made in this 

 country, either by individuals or the government. From the moment we started, to the present, we have 

 spared no time, labor nor expense to maintain this orchard, in such a manner as to derive from it the 

 greatest amount of good ; and now after so many years of experience we can testify that nothing in con- 

 nection with our business has been productive of such satisfactory results as the important information we 

 have acquired from the tests in those grounds. It has enabled us to determine by our own observations 

 the fruits best adapted to this country, and the lists of varieties now published give evidence of the care- 

 ful labor performed. 



In addition to the grounds devoted to the trial of fruit, we have always given much space to specimen 

 ornamental trees, shrubs, &c. Our collections embrace everything that has been found suitable for plant- 

 ing in this and similar climates ; and we annually add every novelty which appears to have merit. These 

 collections have always been well cared for, correctly labeled, and open to the inspection of the public. 



In the preface to our catalogue published in 1847 it was stated we had enlarged our Nurseries to a con- 

 siderable extent, in order to be the more fully prepared to meet the increasing demands of the public for 

 nursery productions. "They cover at present twenty-three acres of land, and ten acres more, now in 

 complete readiness, will be planted the ensuing fall and spring. We state these facts to show that we 

 are earnestly endeavoring to carry out our designs of making this the largest, most correct and complete 

 in the Union." 



