THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
33 
ALEXANDER PULLEN. 
A NURSERYMAN’S PROMOTION. 
The subject of this sketch was born near Hightstown, 
N. J., November 28, 1841. He was educated in the local 
schools in the English branches and subsequently attended 
an institute to acquire a knowledge of the German lan¬ 
guage. Early in life he became practically familiar with 
all the details of the nursery business, as Hightstown at 
that time was a nursery centre. During 1863 and 1864 
he was salesman in a prominent New York city store. 
Having an offer of a position in the quartermaster’s office 
at Washington, D. C., he served in that capacity during 
1865. 
In 1866 Mr. Pullen contracted for the budding of large 
nurseries near Chestertown, Kent County, Md. The fol¬ 
lowing year he contracted with Lukens Pierce of Coates' 
ville, Pa., for the budding of his 
- » 
nurseries, then located at Dover 
Lincoln and Bridgeville, Dela 
ware. Having performed this to 
the mutual satisfaction of all 
parties concerned, he then as¬ 
sisted Lukens Pierce on his nur¬ 
series and fruit farm located at 
Lincoln, Del , until January, 1870, 
when, with the Hon. John W. 
Causy of Milford, Del., (now ex¬ 
congressman) the now well-known 
Milford Nurseries were estab¬ 
lished. 
This co-partnership extended 
until 1876, when the business was 
continued under the present man¬ 
agement. 
Mr. Pullen has been fairly suc¬ 
cessful, having a commodious 
home within the city limits, a 
fruit farm of one hundred acres 
located eight miles south of Mil¬ 
ford, in Sussex County; also a 
fruit farm and the nurseries, one 
mile north of Milford, in Kent 
County. He takes a personal pride in the business, and 
in the matter of new fruits all are tested on ample fruit¬ 
ing grounds. 
During the season of 1895, 800,000 peach seedlings in 
one block were successfully budded with the most desir¬ 
able new and old standard sorts, preparatory for the 
autumn of 1896, as well as large blocks of Japan plums, 
etc. 
Mr. Pullen is a member of several orders and organiza¬ 
tions, including the Masonic fraternity, and has much 
pride in the welfare of the Knights Templars. 
He married on February 17, 1869, Miss Clara Russell, 
an estimable young lady, the only daughter of a widow, 
at Toms River, Ocean County, N. J. By this union there 
were six children, of which two sons, now young men, 
and one daughter survive. 
William Falconer has been appointed superintendent 
of the Pittsburgh park system. The selection is an ac¬ 
knowledgment of Mr. Falconer’s comprehensive knowl¬ 
edge of horticulture, floriculture and forestry, acquired 
through study and practical experience. He was born in 
1850 at Invernesshire, Scotland, and commenced his hor¬ 
ticultural career in the establishment of John Grigor & 
Co., of Forres, the owners of the largest forest tree and 
general nursery in the north of Great Britain. After 
serving an apprenticeship there, he was connected with 
some of the leading gardens in Scotland and England, 
and assisted in the laying out of Alexandra Park, Man¬ 
chester, Eng. Subsequently he entered the Royal Gar¬ 
dens at Kew, and in 1872 joined the staff of the London 
Garden , where he remained for 
two years, and did much valuable 
work for the paper in describing 
the methods of the London 
market gardeners. 
Mr. Falconer came to America 
in 1874 and was employed by 
the late F. L. Ames at North 
Easton, Mass. Then he went to 
Texas and engaged in the nur¬ 
sery business. In 1876, at the 
urgent request of Professor Sar¬ 
gent, he accepted the post of 
superintendent of the botanical 
garden at Harvard University. 
In making this appointment Pro¬ 
fessor Sargent was prompted by 
the late Dr. Asa Gray, who had 
met Mr. Falconer in England, 
and was cognizant of his capa¬ 
bility for the work he would have 
to undertake at Harvard. Mr. 
Falconer remained there until 
1883, when he went to Dosoris, 
Glen Cove, Long Island, to 
superintend the estate of Charles 
A. Dana, proprietor of the New York Sun. Under his 
charge Dosoris has become one of the Meccas for Amer¬ 
ican horticulturists. During his residence in America 
Mr. Falconer has contributed largely to the leading 
magazines and technical press. 
Never before did the first of March find the peach buds 
of the Delaware and Maryland Peninsula in better condi¬ 
tion than at present, says the Delaware Nezvs. 
The British Columbia Commtrcial Journal alleges that 
that province has the most extensive fruit testing expe¬ 
riment station in the world. It is located at Agassiz. 
The Journal believes British Columbia has untold possi¬ 
bilities in the way of fruit culture, and urges a great 
extention of the business. 
ALEXANDER PULLEN. 
