FIRST 



ably short space of four years had acquired a very 

 thorough knowledge of the nursery business as it then 

 existed. 



In 1840 he moved to Rochester, N. Y. , where he 

 formed a partnership with George Ellwanger. The young 

 firm started business with seven acres of land, known 

 as the Mount Hope nurseries, and now of world-wide 

 reputation. The young horticulturists of to-day find 

 themselves the possessors of an inheritance secured to 

 them through the privations and vexations of years of 

 patient and persistent effort by the firm with which the 

 late Mr. Barry was identified. 



In those early days these pioneers found themselves 

 in a new country, possessing no collections of fruit, 

 with no telegraphic or cable facilities, with no railroads 

 or fast ocean steamers, and separated from the Old 

 World by a distance which then required almost as 

 many weeks to traverse as days now suffice. Neces- 

 sarily, therefore, many weeks and months were spent in 

 the effort to procure new stocks, both in Germany and 

 France, which, when gathered, were transported to the 

 sea-ports by stage coach, and thence conveyed by sail- 

 ing vessels to the New World. When the young firm 

 started to budding trees they were sneered at, and called 

 fools and lunatics for their pains. Such were some of 

 the difficulties encountered by these men in the efforts 

 to introduce new stocks into this country. But they 

 persevered, and Mr. Barry was identified with the 

 growth of horticulture to the present time, having suc- 

 ceeded in giving to the American people the most de- 

 sirable plants that can be successfully grown upon its 

 soil. Every new apple and pear was imported from 

 abroad and tested, in order to determine its quality and 

 adaptability to the climate, before it was placed upon 

 the market. It is safe to say that no other nursery firm 

 in the country pursued such a course ; nor, indeed, is it 

 now so necessary, since the United States government 

 and individual states, as well as some colleges, have es- 

 tablished experimental stations for the purpose of con- 

 tinuing just such work as the firm of Ellwanger & Barry 

 inaugurated forty years ago. 



Mr. Barry occupied numerous positions of promi- 

 nence and trust in the state and in the " Flower City," 

 and was identified with many enterprises which have 

 helped to make Rochester the prosperous city it now is. 

 For more than thirty years he was the president, and a 

 most liberal patron of the Western New York Horti- 

 cultural Society, and in his last communication to that 

 body, at its annual meeting in January last, he thus ex- 

 pressed himself: "And now a word as to the presi- 

 dency. You have given me this post of honor for a 

 very long period of years — I am no longer able to per- 

 form its duties, and lay it down with profound gratitude, 

 and with an affectionate regard for the society and 

 every individual member." But the assembled horti- 

 culturalists with one voice declared that so long as Pat- 

 rick Barry was able to write "yours truly," so long he 

 should be continued as their president. 



In an editorial, a Rochester paper thus referred to 



FRLITS. . 489 



Mr. Barry: "He was a man of exceptionally strong 

 character. The slightest contact with him elicited some 

 manifestation of personal power. He was straightfor- 

 ward in his methods, honorable in his purposes, and 

 of an integrity that would not tolerate even the sus- 

 picion of indiscretion. In private and public affairs he 

 was a stern, aggressive personality whose influence 

 went always for what was honest, genuine, and true ; 

 and in his loss the community loses not simply an in- 

 dividual life but a moral force." And the bishop of 

 the church with which Mr. Barry worshipped, as he 

 stood by his casket, thus beautifully made reference to 

 the dead horticulturist: "This man and the others 

 associated with him raised the occupation to which 

 they devoted their life work to the dignity of a liberal 

 profession, not manual or clerical, but a profession that 

 needed long years of study and careful application. 

 By intellectual labor and by extensive reading, he con- 

 tributed to make their profession worthy to be called 

 one of the liberal professions — raising those who were 

 engaged in it above their fellow men ;" and again " he 

 ruled in his household wisely, conscientiously, lovingly, 

 as a man should rule in it." 



Such was Patrick Barry, a man to whom every lover 

 of horticulture owes a debt of gratitude that can best 

 be acknowledged by constant efforts to perpetuate his 

 example. 



He leaves a widow, one daughter and three sons, 

 "children who are doing honor" to the name they 

 bear. — John Hall, Secrelaty lVt's/e?-i! N. Y. Horlini!- 

 tiiral Soiictv. . 



Patrick Barry has left a lasting impression upon 

 American horticulture. This is due in part to the 

 region and the time in which he lived, and in a much 

 larger part to his own energies. He entered the nursery 

 business when American horticulture was young, and 

 when there was need of a commanding personality to 

 make it known. Along with the Downings, Prince, 

 Parsons and others, he was a sort of pioneer in the 

 field. He helped to build up a great business, which 

 was not only a commanding financial success, but also 

 was an aid to all who undertook to grow fruits and 

 ornamental plants. The house of Ellwanger & Barry 

 has long been noted for its reliability, thoroughness and 

 straightforwardness, and much of its character is due 

 to the sterling integrity of Patrick Barry, He was also 

 well known as a horticultural writer. In his early 

 years his pen was prolific, especially in an editorial 

 way. He was once editor of the famous Horticulturist, 

 and later he was horticultural editor of the Genesee 

 Farmer. In his later years he became widely known 

 among pomologists from his work on the Fruit Cata- 

 logue of the American Pomological Society. This was 

 work in a new field. But he was probably best known 

 as the author of the Fruit Garden, a work which first 

 appeared many years ago, and which in its last edition 

 is one of our standard works upon pomology. His 

 memory will long remain a great inspiration to horti- 

 culturists. 



