THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
117 
HERMAN BERKHAN. 
The subject of this sketch was born at Charleston, S. 
C., May 26, 1857. He left school at 14, and following his 
inclination started in to learn the drug business. He at¬ 
tended the Medical College of the State of South Carolina 
two years and graduated in pharmacy in 1877. He was 
in the retail business, at the head of the prescription de¬ 
partment in the one position until 1881, when he decided 
to seek a new field. He went to New York and took a 
position in a wholesale drug house, which he held until 
1885. He then accepted a position with a gentleman who 
represented several nursery firms, with whom he remained 
until 1893, calling annually upon the nurserymen and at¬ 
tending their conventions. 
In February, 1893, he resigned his position, formed a 
partnership with a former school¬ 
mate, also a druggist, and sailed 
the same month for France, 
visiting the principal cities, ex¬ 
tending his trip through Italy 
and Sicily, securing nursety agen¬ 
cies and returning in April, the 
partnership continuing until Feb¬ 
ruary, 1895, when he purchased 
his partner’s interest, assumed 
all obligations and continued 
business alone. 
Mr. Berkhan is agent for a 
number of old established reliable 
firms in France, Germany, Italy, 
Sicily, Turkey, England, Holland 
and Belgium, and is headquarters 
for the various goods produced 
in these countries, for which he 
takes import orders, among which 
may be mentioned: Nursery 
stock, gelatines, vanilla beans, 
opium, crude drugs, essential 
and olive oils, marrons, dried and 
candied fruits, gums, garden and 
flower seeds, etc. 
He is sole agent for the United States and Canada for 
Levavasseur & Sons of Ussy and Orleans, France, a first 
class, progressive and up-to-date house, growing their own 
stocks and supplying their trade from where they are 
grown to the best advantage and whose interests are ably 
and well looked after at this end by Mr. Berkhan, who is 
a hard worker and knows his business, and who is well 
known in all sections, having the confidence of and being 
on the best of terms with the nurserymen of this country 
and all others with whom he has dealings, making no 
promises which he cannot fulfill and gaining new friends 
and customers on each annual trip, which sometimes ex¬ 
tends as far as California for nursery stock, all other lines 
being confined to the importers in New York city. He 
has built up a good business and for his pluck and energy 
deserves the success which attends him. 
FRUIT GROWING IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
J. Van Lindley, Pomona, N. C., writes: “ More atten¬ 
tion is now given to fruit growing in North Carolina by 
far than ever before. At Southern Pines, in Moore county, 
this state, can be found some of the largest orchards and 
vineyards in the South. One peach orchard contains 
over 50,000 trees. Besides peach, pear, etc., there are 
nearly one million grape vines in bearing condition. This 
is comparatively a new fruit section, just coming into 
public notice. Peaches from Southern Pines have sold 
for more money per carrier in New York city this season 
than any other peaches on the market. Considerable in¬ 
terest is also being taken in apple culture in the moun¬ 
tains of Western North Carolina, where all the showy 
market varieties grow to perfection. There is no reason 
why Western North Carolina 
should not grow all the apples 
used in the South and it is only 
a question of time when she will 
do it.” 
A deputation of French nurs¬ 
erymen, members of the Lyons 
Syndicate, viz., Messrs. Antoine 
Rivoire, George Thibaud, Joseph 
Thibaud, Jaquier fils, Biersy, and 
Combier, have recently made a 
tour through Holland, Belgium 
and England, visiting such nurs¬ 
eries and public gardens as were 
likely to prove of interest. These 
gentlemen attended the usual 
monthly meeting of the French 
Horticultural Society of London, 
one of whose members, M. 
Delanoue, acted as their guide 
and interpreter during the stay 
of the deputation in the metrop¬ 
olis. M. A. Rivoire, in express¬ 
ing satisfaction at their visit, 
and approving of the work of 
the society, begged leave, in his own name and in that 
of the other members of the deputation, to become 
members of the society. This request was unanimously 
gran ted .—Gardener s Magazine. 
W. D. Chase & Son, Fitchville, O., write as follows to 
the Steelier Lithographic Co., the well-known nursery 
printers, of this city: “ We have received the last ship¬ 
ment of new plate books and must say they are the finest 
we have ever had from any firm. Agents are more than 
pleased with them. You may expect another order from 
Hon. E. B. Moses of Kansas, was elected president 
and Colonel Hines of California, secretary of the national 
committee of the National Irrigation Congress at Al¬ 
buquerque, N. M., on September 16th. Phoenix, Ariz., 
is the place of meeting next time. 
HERMAN BERKHAN. 
