THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
77 
CTinon^ (Broit^crs anb Dealers. 
Ethan A. Chase, of Riverside, Cal., is in the city. 
George Arnaudeau, of the Andre LeRoy Nurseries, 
at Angers, France, visited Rochester nurserymen on 
his return from the World’s Fair. 
M. A. Thayer, an abstract of whose paper before the 
American Association meeting is given in this issue, has 
done much in his capacity as president of the Wisconsin 
State Horticultural Society, to advance the interests of 
horticulture in his state. The origin of the plant dis¬ 
tribution in Wisconsin had its inception three years ago, 
when on Arbor day Mr. Thayer, in an address to the 
school children of his home in Sparta, offered to f^ive to 
each child who would come to his farm, two raspberry 
plants. Mr. Thayer expected that but a dozen or t^AO 
at the most would respond to his invitation. He was 
greatly surprised the following day to receive calls from 
about four hundred pupils who walked between three 
and four miles to receive the plants. Such was the in¬ 
terest awakened at his own home that Mr. Thayer de¬ 
termined further to test the matter by generously do¬ 
nating 6000 plants to be distributed under the auspices 
of the State Horticultural Society, to 1,000 children liv¬ 
ing in the state who would observe Arbor day. The 
interest taken in the matter became almost universal 
throughout the state and the 6,000 plants were entirely 
inadequate to the demands of the pupils. Mr. Thayer 
added over 3,000 plants more to his first donation. So 
great was the success resulting from the first distribution 
of plants that last winter Mr. Thayer offered 30,000 
plants to be given to 5000 pupils in the state and such 
has been the interest taken that as high as 700 applica¬ 
tions have been received by him in a single day. 
MENTION THE JOURNAL. 
Readers of the National Nurseryman when writ¬ 
ing to advertisers will confer a favor by mentioning the 
name of the journal. Scores of letters from gratified 
advertisers say that our columns bring them greater 
returns than any Give credit where it is due. 
COLONEL U. B. PEARSALL. 
One of the most popular nurserymen in the country 
was chosen as the president of the American Associa¬ 
tion of Nurserymen at the annual meeting in Chicago 
last month. Colonel Pearsall has long been known as 
a representative type of the enterprising Western busi¬ 
ness man. 
U. B. Pearsall was born July 17th, 1840, near 
Owego, N. Y. At the age of 18 he moved to Wisconsin, 
and engaged in the lumber business. He volunteered 
May 14th, 1861, as a private in Company “ H,” Fourth 
Wisconsin Volunteers, serving in the ranks until July 
1st, 1862, when he was promoted to the position of 2d 
COLONEL U. B. PEARSALL. 
lieutenant of his company. He was afterwards promoted 
from time to time, being colonel of the Forty-eighth 
Wisconsin Volunteers at the time of his muster out, 
December 30, 1865. He was brevetted brigadier- 
general March 13th, 1865, for meritorious services 
during the war. At the close of his service he settled 
near Fort Scott, Kansas, where he now resides. He 
has held there the position of county-treasurer, mayor 
of Fort Scott, a city of 15,000, and many other posi¬ 
tions of trust. 
He has been actively engaged in the nursery business 
since 1880. He is now secretary and one of the princi¬ 
pal stockholders of the Hart Pioneer Nurseries of Fort 
Scott, Kansas, which is one of the leading firms west 
of the Mississippi River. This firm has about 600 acres 
devoted to the growing of nursery stock of various kinds, 
and bears a high reputation among nurserymen gener¬ 
ally. Colonel Pearsall is also secretary and treasurer of 
the Western Association of Wholesale Nurserymen, 
which position he has held for the past two years. He 
is an experienced presiding officer, an able speaker, and 
thoroughly conversant with the nursery business in all 
its phases. He is earnestly devoted to the business ; 
he is well known, possesses good social qualities, and 
has the friendship and esteem of his brother nursery¬ 
men. 
Looking back over the long line of predecessors 
one finds an unbroken record of able and faithful presi¬ 
dents and there is. assurance that Colonel Pearsall will 
preserve the high standing already established. 
