THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
JOHN WRAGG. 
John Wragg was born at Clifton, Penn , December 2, 
1832. Losing both his parents when he was thirteen 
years old he was forced to rely upon himself from that 
time. He spent seven years as clerk in a country store 
and in the lumbering business. He went to Iowa in 
1853 anti entered land in Clayton county, where he shap¬ 
ed and improved his first home. In 1857 he married 
Hannah McManus, who for nearly forty years has aided 
in his great life work of making home homelike. With a 
natural love for trees and flowers he sold his farm in 
1863 with a view to settling at a point farther south in 
the state, which at that time was thought to be more 
favorable for fruits and flowers. After careful investiga¬ 
tion he bought the farm on which 
he has since resided at Waukee 
in Dallas county. Here he at 
once began to follow his natural 
inclinations for growing trees, 
shrubs, and flowers. As his sons 
grew up the home surroundings 
of fruits, conifers, ornamental 
trees, and shrubs made home 
attractive, and they naturally 
decided to aid in the good work, 
leading to the starting of a nur¬ 
sery to supply the local trade. 
As the demand for trees in¬ 
creased the nurseries were ex¬ 
tended ; special attention being 
given to the best native and 
foreign conifers needed for the 
protection and adornment of 
prairie homes. In this line Mr. 
Wragg and his sons were pio¬ 
neers and leaders for many years. 
They deserve special credit for 
their labors in directing public 
attention to the merits of the 
Eastern Colorado conifers, the 
Red pine, the Dwarf Mountain 
pine, the White spruce, etc., at 
a time when they were little known. 
The Central Nurseries now have friends and patrons in 
every state of the Northwest, and in many of the older 
states, east and south. In a quiet way Mr. Wragg has 
also been a pioneer in introducing ornamental trees and 
shrubs adapted to the climate, and at all times he has 
been ready to say a good word for any variety of orchard 
fruits or smaller plants that appeared to do well in his 
section, without regard to commercial interests. He has 
also been equally prompt in condemning any variety 
showing defects, without regard to the sayings or doings 
of commercial dealers and propagators. 
In the state horticultural society Mr. Wragg has been 
an active member and worker since 1875, and in the an¬ 
131 
nual reports, and the pages of the press, he has at all 
times urged the merits of promising varieties and species, 
and the varied needs for varied soils, exposures, and ele¬ 
vations. Among the new things of value he has intro¬ 
duced, the Wragg cherry is now known across the conti¬ 
nent and the Stoddard plum is ranking high in the native 
list. 
With advancing age Mr. Wragg is now feeble, but the 
sons are proving worthy to sustain all parts of the work. 
The mission of his life has been the making of a beauti¬ 
ful home and exhorting and aiding others to do the same. 
His many friends wish that he may long live to enjoy his 
well-earned reputation as a true man and lover of nature, 
and one who has planted and propagated trees, shrubs, 
and flowers, because he loved and admired them. 
The illustration represents Mr. 
Wragg, his son and grandson. 
A bulletin of the New York 
Agricultural Experiment Station 
says, as the result of the season's 
experiment: Among purple rasp¬ 
berries the Columbian was the 
most productive. Its manner of 
growth and fruiting is much like 
the Shaffer, but it is more vieor- 
ous and was injured less by the 
winter. As comparetl with the 
Shaffer the fruit is larger, firmer, 
and a .<=:hade lighter in color. It 
yields a larger per cent, of its 
crop late in the season than does 
the Shaffer. 
As a commercial apple the 
Duchess leads them all, and is 
probably the surest bearer of all 
the early summer varieties, says 
a writer on apples in Iowa. If 
grown near the cities the trees 
always pay well even when 
planted in considerable sized 
orchards. A new venture is now 
being entertained by some fruit growers, the features of 
which are the planting of a large acreage of this sort 
alone and then throwing the fruit into cold storage to hold 
for later markets and even for winter use. If perfect 
storage is possible this will prove quite profitable when 
winter apples are scarce, or where there is a bare market. 
The Duchess will generally lose but one crop in five years, 
and a single crop, if marketed at the high price that often 
prevails, will make the average growing of this sort profit¬ 
able. The Duchess is salable quite young and immature, 
and its comparative cheapness during the berry and cherry 
season gives it a market in competition with these 
dearer fruits. It is often bought and appreciated at $i a 
bushel. 
JOHN WRAGG. 
