eties, and Mr. Lovett's experience in this di- 

 rection, for he personally cares for these 

 grounds, has placed him as an authority con- 

 trary to whose judgment few " new variety " 

 men care to go. Ever ready to invest money, 

 time and knowledge in the introduction of new 

 varieties of merit, JMr. Lovett insists on test- 

 ing under ordinary care and culture, on his 

 own grounds, every new variety offered, be- 

 fore consenting to publicly indorse it. As a 

 result of this policy, the pubhc is indebted to 

 this establishment for the introduction, among 

 others, of the following army of stars in the 

 fruit world: Of strawberries, Gandy, Shuster 

 Gem and Lovett; good old Cuthbert, Golden 

 Queen and Lovett raspberries; Erie and Lov- 

 ett's Best blackberries; Lincoln and Abund- 

 ance plums; Fuller quince. Wonderful peach 

 and Carlough apple. 



In 1887 the Monmouth nurseries had so in- 

 creased in strength that they absorbed the old 

 Rumson nurseries, and with this change came 

 the coupling of the names by which the estab- 

 lishment is now known. Thus, after many 

 years, the head of the concern found himself 

 one of the possessors of the establishment he 

 had entered as a boy. 



With the addition of the business and stock 

 of the Rumson nurseries, the scope of the 

 combined concern was enlarged, and the grow- 

 ing of ornamental trees and shrubbery and 

 the enlargement of the branch of landscape 

 gardening came about naturally. Locally, 

 these nurseries have a wide field in which to 

 show their skill in landscape work. From 

 Red Bank 20 miles south to Point Pleasant, 

 covering the well-known resorts of Long 

 Branch, Elberon, Ocean Grove, Asbury Park, 

 Avon and Spring Lake, is a field which is fast 

 becoming known for the beauty of its land- 

 scape gardening. That the J. T. Lovett Co. 

 have had a hand in the beautifying of this 

 wide area cannot be doubted. 



Vast quantities of ornamental stock are also 

 shipped to all parts of the country, and the 

 establishment is fast gaining a high standing 

 in this branch of its business. Some 50,000 

 feet of glass, consisting of seven structures, 

 are devoted to the propagation of the various 

 seeds and plants necessary to be started or 

 grown under glass. It is interesting to note 

 a few of the prominent points in the manage- 



ment of these nurseries which have plainly 

 contributed in no small degree to their success^ 

 The proprietors are evidently firm believers in 

 the value of satisfied customers. In growing, 

 digging and packing, this idea has ever been 

 foremost. Large sums of money must have 

 been expended in perfecting the different sys- 

 tems in use. Every appHance which skilled 

 mechanism has produced for the handling of 

 trees and plants in the various stages of their 

 career is tested, and freely used if found of 

 value. The large packing-houses are arranged 

 for the reception of the stock after it is dug 

 and its careful treatment until it can be pack- 

 ed. A simple but accurate system of che 

 ing makes mistakes almost impossible, x.n 

 abundance of the best material and the em- 

 ployment of skilled packers complete the hand- 

 ling of the trees and plants, which, during the 

 busy season, are hourly shipped by boat and 

 train to all parts of the country. As far as 

 possible, everything used at these nurseries is 

 manufactured on the grounds. A well-equip- 

 ped printing-house turns out the " Guide to 

 Fruit Culture," the " Manual of Ornamental 

 Trees and Plants," and the quantities of price- 

 lists, circulars and other printed matter used 

 in the business. 



Considerable fruit is grown on the large 

 area, and the necessity for the use of many 

 crates and baskets resulted in the erection of 

 a factory for their manufacture. Mr. Lovett 

 is a cautious, progressive business man, and 

 has built up this business by careful attention 

 to the wants of his customers, by liberal but 

 intelligent advertising, and by indefatigable 

 effort and a constant personal attention to the 

 details of the business. 



American Gardening is pleased to show 

 its readers a likeness of the man whose name 

 is familiar to all fruit-growers and in present- 

 ing also the features of Mrs. Lovett we offer 

 no apology for the radical departure from 

 custom. We have long believed that too 

 little credit is given to the women who have 

 been the wise counsellors, and in many cases 

 the " safety-valves," to our most prominent 

 nurserymen and horticulturists. Together 

 Mr. and Mrs. Lovett have worked and plan- 

 ned, and now that in early middle life they are 

 enjoying the fruits of their labor, surely the 

 credit is due to both. 



