A PAGE OF PERSONALS. 



We regret to announce the death, in November last, 

 of James Cassidy, professor of botany and horticulture 

 in the Colorado Agricultural College, and formerly 

 florist to the Michigan Agricultural College. He was a 

 skillful gardener and an enthusiastic teacher. The va- 

 cancy in the Colorado College has been filled by C. S. 

 Crandall, for some years foreman of the gardens at the 

 Michigan Agricultural College, and a man worthy of the 

 place. 



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One of the newly established post-offices is Moreton 

 Farm, N. Y., known the world over as the residence of 

 Joseph Harris, the veteran seed-grower, writer and sci- 

 entific farmer. In a recent note Mr. Harris writes that 

 he has occupied Moreton Farm for nearly forty years. 

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Charles Gibb, of Abbottsford, Quebec, is visiting 

 India, China and Japan, and we may expect valuable 

 notes on the fruits of those countries on his return. 



He thinks that he may find some iron-clad fruits of 

 value in northern China and Mandchuria. 



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Dr. T. H. Hoskins, our friend and valued correspond- 

 ent, has lost the whole of his collection of seeds by fire. 

 He had bred many novelties of particular merit for our 

 northern borders, all of which are lost. He now ap- 

 peals to his friends to send him any seeds which they 

 can spare of his novelties they may happen to have 

 grown. In the interests of a better horticulture, this 

 request should bring many responses. Dr. Hoskins' ad- 

 dress is Newport, Vermont. 



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Charles Ellis Hitchings, of the firm of Hitchings & 

 Co., this city, died of pneumonia on December 31. Al- 

 though comparatively a young man, 36, Mr. Hitchings 

 had gained considerable reputation in connection with 

 the manufacture of boilers especially designed for flor- 

 ists' use. 



PETER HENDERSON. 



Peter Henderson, so widely known as a seedsman, 

 gardener and florist, died at his home on Arlington 

 Avenue, Jersey City, on Friday, January 17th, 

 ultimo. Although he had been suffering from an 

 attack of the prevailing influenza, his illness was 

 not regarded as serious until it turned to pneumon- 

 ia. On Thursday evening the symptoms became 

 alarming, and within twelve hours from that time he 

 died. He was born in 18Z3 in the Scotch village of 

 Path Head, near Edinburgh. His father was the 

 land steward of a gentleman in the neighborhood. 

 His early education was obtained in the parish 

 school, where he was successful in obtaining a num- 

 ber of prizes. He was always a close observer and 

 had the faculty of turning his observations to good 

 advantage. He early became interested in botany 

 and the arts associated with it, and before he was 

 eighteen years of age had twice obtained the medals 

 offered by the Botanical Society of Edinburgh for 

 the best herbarium. At sixteen he was apprenticed 

 to a gardener, and before he came to this country 

 at the age of twenty, he had already written for 

 some of the English horticultural publications. In 

 1843, with little capital excepting pluck, industry and 

 a strong constitution he came to this country, and 

 entered the employ of Thorburn & Co., Astoria, 

 Long Island. He also worked with the late Robert 

 Buist and Charles Spang of Pittsburgh. By 

 frugality he accumulated a small capital, and in 

 1847 he began business as a market gardener in 

 Jersey City. He worked hard and was success- 

 ful, and for upwards of twenty years this was his 

 principal business. He began the cultivation of 



ornamental plants, and the business became so great 

 that market gardening was gradually given up. A 

 little later he became a seedsman, and this soon 

 proved the most important part of his business; 

 at the time of his death he was accounted the 

 most successful and widely known seedsman in the 

 country. In 1865 the firm of Henderson & Flem- 

 ing began business as seedsmen in Nassau street, 

 and afterward it was moved to the present location 

 in Cortlandt, with the firm name so familiar to all 

 gardeners. He was probably the most widely read 

 on matters pertaining to his business of any writer 

 of his time. His contributions were always wel- 

 come to any horticultural publication and his books 

 among the best selling published. He always re- 

 tained an affection for his countrymen and garden- 

 ers in general, assisting many of them in different 

 ways. He was a busy man, but even> those nearest 

 him say they could hardly understand how he ac- 

 complished so much. He was indefatigable in his 

 efforts to extend his business, his sagacity was rare" 

 ly at fault, and his activity and observation were 

 ceaseless. His kindly nature and uniform courtesy 

 endeared him to those who met him, even casually, 

 and have been the inspiration of many a young 

 florist. Having a strong constitution by nature- 

 he rarely suffered from ill health, a circumstance 

 which he himself attributed to his practice of 

 spending some hours in the open air each day, 

 working about his grounds or superintending others. 

 Although careful, he was liberal, and many benefited 

 by his kindness. He leaves a widow, two sons and 

 two daughters. 



