The National Nurseryman. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK. 
CopyrigM, 1893, by the National Nurseryman Publishing Co. 
VoL. HI. ROCHESTER. N. Y., APRIL, 1895. No. 3. 
RUSSIAN NURSERIES. 
Remarkable advance in the business in the land 
OF THE CZAR DURING THE LAST DECADE—DUTIES ON 
IMPORTED STOCK FOSTERED HOME PRODUCTION— 
Quality of stock superior to that in America— 
The work of noted Russian horticulturists— 
From the capital to the Crimea. 
Hugo Lilienthal, a nurseryman from Warsaw, Russia, 
came to the United States two years ago to attend the 
World’s Fair. He has remained here since. He is a 
young man of considerable experience in the nursery 
business and is well informed concerning the nursery 
interests of Russia. He has been connected with leading 
Rochester nurseries most of the time since the World’s 
E'air. In conversation with a representative of The 
National Nurseryman, Mr. Lilienthal said: “I 
believe I am the only Russian nurseryman in this 
country. During the Chicago Exposition I was employed 
in the agricultural and horticultural departments and at 
the state buildings under commission of the governments 
of Missouri and EYorida. I have had opportunity of 
observing the methods of American nurserymen and 
horticulturists and am able, I think, to make an intelligent 
comparison between them and those employed in my 
native country. To be frank, I must say that the nursery¬ 
men of Canada and the United States do not devote to 
the propagation of nursery stock the time and care which 
are given the business in Russia. T. hat which is lated as 
the best class of nursery stock in America would scarcely 
pass for second class stock in Russia. Now I do not 
wish to appear critical. I have not the slightest object in 
saying this, other than to give you what I believe to be 
facts. I wish you could see stock of all kinds in nursery 
rows in Russia, every tree of uniform caliper and height, 
the result of the most painstaking care for each young 
tree. Labor is cheap in Russia and its application is not 
spared. In America when a nurseryman receives an order 
he goes out to a block of trees and picks here and there 
to find those of the right size. In Russia the nurseryman 
fills his order by taking every tree in a row in regular 
order. Every tree is like its neighbor. 
“ American nurserymen are far behind those of Russia 
in growing stock. T. he idea prevails here that Ameiican 
grown nursery stock is the best in the world. But that 
is a mistake. American nurserymen are behind in matters 
of propagation. There are many methods in use by 
Russian nurserymen which are not known in America. 
A few general principles have always been practiced in 
America and all nurserymen adopt them ; few go any 
further. There is too little care in American nurseries in 
the use of the pruning knife. It is used like a machine 
cutting long and short alike, or all of one kind long and 
all of another kind short, regardless of the characteristics 
of the individual tree. In Russia the needs of each tree 
are studied and time is taken to do it. All European 
countries grow better stock than is grown in America. If 
the nurserymen would become better informed regarding 
the details of their business and would apply their knowl¬ 
edge persistently, they would be surprised at the results 
attained.” 
DEVELOPMENT OF RUSSIAN NURSERIES. 
“ What was the origin of the nursery business in Russia 
and how has it been developed ?” 
“ Ten or twelve years ago the planting of large com¬ 
mercial orchards began. Before that time fruit growing 
was confined to the wealthy class, the noblemen and those 
engaged in the practice of the professions. France and 
Germany furnished the nursery stock then, and much of it 
came from Sweden. Then the farmers started the growing 
of orchards. But the heavy duty which was placed on 
imported nursery stock prevented rapid extension of fruit 
growing among the medium class. A gold ruble on every 
100 pounds of stock brought into the country was the 
tariff. Then the Russians began to grow their own 
nursery stock, continuing, however, as they do now, to 
obtain their pear stock from France. And the greatest 
care in the growth of the stock was devoted from the first. 
As a result every tree in every Russian nursery is fit for 
exposition purposes. Russia now competes most success¬ 
fully with the French and German nurseries in supj)lying 
the demands of all other European countries for nursery 
stock. 
NURSERY CENTERS IN RUSSIA. 
“ What are the nursery centers of Russia ?” 
“ The great centers for nursery stock are Warsaw and 
Riga. The largest nurseries are those of Hoser Brothers 
and Gustav Ulrich in Warsaw and Wagner in Riga. 
Other large nurseries are those of Christer in Kiew ; 
Schoch in Riga; J. Kesselring in St. Petersburg and E'red 
Bardet in Warsaw. The largest of Russian nurseries com¬ 
prise from 300 to 400 acres. The great advance in horti¬ 
culture during the last decade in Rusna is largely due to 
the earnest work of Edmund Jankowski, of Warsaw, 
editor of Ogrodnik Polski. Since the death of Dr. E. 
Regel who was associated with Mr. Kesselring, Mr. Jan¬ 
kowski has been the leading botanist and horticulturist of 
that country, Peter Hoser, of Hoser Brothers, is also a 
prominent horticulturist and botanist. Mr. Jankowski 
