THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
59 
C. H. PERKINS. A GARDENER’S PROTEST. 
The accompanying portrait is that of C. H. Perkins, of 
the firm of Jackson & Perkins, Newark, N. Y. Mr, Per¬ 
kins has for many years been the only activ^e partner of 
this firm, Mr. Jackson being incapacitated by e.xtreme age, 
and it is to his energy and business ability that their success 
is due. Mr. Perkins is also a member ?)f the firms of 
Peirson & Perkins, bankers, and C. H. Perkins & Co., 
wholesale produce and commission merchants, whose 
business comprises large transactions in California dried 
fruits and raisins and extensive sales of peppermint oil and 
evaporated fruits throughout all the countries of Pwirope. 
Mr. Perkins has all his life been an ardent lover of nature 
and much interested in all sorts 
of ornamental and decorative 
plants, and it was this love of the 
beautiful which led him into the 
growing of such stock as a busi¬ 
ness. He found it a pleasant 
occupation and relaxation. He 
has also for thirty years or more 
been closely connected with the 
fruit growing interests of the 
country, both through his owner¬ 
ship of extensive orchards in 
Kansas and Michigan and 
through his large business in 
green and dried fruits. • The 
latter having brought him into 
constant contact with fruit grow¬ 
ers, perhaps had something to 
do with his becoming interested 
in the nursery business. The 
intere.sting article on “ Cold 
Storage for Neighborhoods,” 
which Mr. Perkins read before 
the last meeting of the Western 
New York Horticultural Society 
showed his wide and diversified 
experience with all that has to do with fruit culture. 
Although he never practiced it, except as a pastime, Mr. 
Perkins is a landscape gardener of no mean ability, as is 
shown by the beautiful and tasteful manner in which the 
grounds about his residence are laid out. The grounds of 
the State Custodial Asylum for P'oeble-minded Women, at 
Newark, were laid out under the direction of Mr. Perkins. 
They are some forty acres in extent and very tasteful and 
beautiful. No public buildings in that vicinity are more 
beautifully situated. 
A. H. Griesa, Lawrence, Kan.— “ The paper deserves the 
support of the trade.” 
Isaac C, Rogers, Moorestown, N, J.—“We wish you success 
on your very popular and useful paper.” 
“A quiet member of the Berkshire county gardeners 
and florists club” in a communication to American Gjxr- 
dening says : “I think, in the interest of the gardening 
world, that it is about time to protest against the custom 
of some nurserymen of employing any and every kind of 
men as agents to represent them in soliciting orders. 
Berkshire county is apparently a haven for these men. 
They are here thick and torment and worry people who 
have little time to throw away. These men have the 
audacity to suggest what we ought to plant, and how to 
plant and treat them; in fact they know how to do and 
how to perform everything connected with trees on a 
private gentleman’s place, and 
I could name instances where 
these inexperienced agents 
obtain better consideration at 
the hands of the employer than 
* 
the gardener who may have 
devoted all his years to the 
study and care of such trees. 
I do not protest against reg¬ 
ularly trained men from calling 
and soliciting trade, but I do 
.emphatically protest against 
the ignorant, inexperienced 
agent. I do not care how 
beautiful his tongue' may be. 
I have had these agents come 
to me and say, ‘ If you can 
do anything to help me get a 
bill here. I’ll divide. ’ As a 
private gentleman’s gardener, 
I will say that a very large per¬ 
centage of gardeners are men 
who, although they buy what 
their rich employers have to 
pay for, are conscientious, and 
will, irrespective of proffered 
bribes, always be found to do their trading where the best 
value is given for the money. Every gardener knows all 
the best firms, and if they want to buy they know where 
to send ; agents should understand this. I will say in 
conclusion that if nurserymen must have agents, why 
do they not train men on their grounds.^ Most of them 
employ a large force ; let them learn the business and 
graduate one by one and send them out and not adver¬ 
tise for men, with ‘ no experience necessary ’ qualification, 
for I maintain that experience is necessary. ” 
The Nurseryman’s Protective Association of which 
George S. Josselyn, of I'redonia, is president, will meet at 
Niagara Imlls on June 8th. 
C. H. PERKINS. 
