THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
'39 
ROBERT CRAIG BERCKMANS. 
The subject of this article is the second son of Prosper J. 
Berckmans and was born at Augusta, Ga., in 1863. After a 
three years course at the celebrated Richmond Academy, he 
remained two years at the Bingham Military Institute in N. C., 
and another two years at the University of Georgia, where he 
followed a course of civil engineering, chemistry and agricul¬ 
ture. Upon the termination of these studies he traveled 
extensively in Europe, visiting the leading horticultural estab¬ 
lishments of France, Belgium, Germany, England and Scotland, 
and upon his return to America became a member of the firm 
of the “Fruitland Nurseries” which his father established in 
1857. His two other brothers, Louis A. and Prosper, J. A. Jr., 
being also associated with his father. 
Under their management the business has steadily increased 
in both area and diversity of products. Four hundred‘acres 
are closely planted in fruit and or¬ 
namental trees. There are now 30 
acres in roses to which the soil and 
climate is especially adapted; Mare- 
chal Niel, all budded upon Manetti, 
being a leading sort. The green¬ 
house department covers 50,000 
square feet of glass, more than half 
of which is devoted to palms. 
Camellias and azaleas are grown 
very extensively, as are also camphor 
and other economic plants for sub¬ 
tropical countries. In addition to 
their extensive home trade they also 
transact a large export trade to 
South America, South Africa, 
Mexico and West Indies. 
The subject of this sketch an¬ 
nually attends the sessions of the 
American Association of Nursery¬ 
men, and for the past two years has 
been a member of its executive 
committee. 
the province. It is largely used in the central jail, where the 
fruit is carefully grown, and considered to be one of the most 
wholesome foods for prisoners. It is not generally known, 
however, that the large fleshy root of the plant, sometimes 
weighing nearly twenty pounds, can be cooked and eaten like 
a yam. 
A JADOO CONSERVATORY. 
VEGETABLE PEAR. 
The conservatory at Eastcliff, Teignmouth, Devon county, 
England, differs from all others that have hitherto come under 
our notice says the Gardener's Chronicle , in that all the pot- 
plants used in it are grown, not in soil or earth of any kind, but in 
Jadoo fibre, which, as many of our readers know, is peat-moss 
boiled in certain chemicals. The plants grown in the hanging 
baskets are in the same material, which, being only half the 
weight of ordinary mould, permits of baskets being used in 
conservatories, the rafters of which 
would not be strong enough to bear 
the weight of baskets filled in the 
usual way. There is nothing par¬ 
ticularly novel or uncommon about 
the plants u sed, if we except a 
basket filled with Asparagus Spren- 
geri, which has an exceedingly light, 
graceful character. Jadoo fibre is 
reputed to improve the color of 
flowers grown in it ; this was very 
noticeable in the display of blooms 
in this conservatory, where the 
purity and brightness of the cqlors 
were very unusual. 
The chocho, or vegetable pear, is 
a well-known plant in the West 
Indies, but it has only of late years become at all popu¬ 
lar in the East, where efforts have been made to naturalize it 
and distribute it, says the Gardener's Magazine. This curcur- 
bit—Sechium edule—is not unknown in Covent Garden, as 
the fruits are frequently sent there by some growers who cater 
for those desiring novelties. In Mysore the natives have taken 
up the cultivation of the chocho with considerable spirit as 
shown in the recent report on the government gardens and 
parks of that presidency. The report states that one practical 
outcome of the Nundydroog nursery is that the cultivation of 
chocho has been taken up in several villages at the foot of 
hill. The laborers who are occasionally employed from these 
villages will, in all probability, utilize'other garden products in 
the same practical manner. Chocho is now quite established 
as a popular vegetable in Bangalore and the adjacent villages. 
The fruit has also been widely distributed to other towns in 
ROBERT CRAIG BERCKMANS. 
gan, 
Dr. Maxwell T. Masters says : 
“Fairchild, a nurseryman at Hoxton, 
was the first on record to raise a 
hybrid pink ; indeed, this is the first 
artificial hybrid of any kind on 
record, and it dates from 1719.” 
State horticultural societies will 
hold annual meetings as follows 
Indiana, at Indianapolis, Dec. 1 
Minnesota, at Minneapolis. Dec. 1 
Missouri, at Marceline, Dec. 8 
Kansas, at Topeka, Dec. 9 : Michi- 
at Grand Rapids, Dec. 1 ; Ohio, at Athens, Dec. 2 ; 
New Jersey, at Mt. Holly, Dec. 6 ; Illinois, at Springfield, 
Dec. 29; Delaware, at Milford, Jan. 6 ; Pennsylvania, at Al¬ 
lentown, Jan. 29 ; Wisconsin, at Madison, Feb. 9. 
Observations by a naturalist show that the growth of plants 
during certain periods of the day and night is as follows : 
From 6 a.m. to 9 A.M., 8f per cent, of growth ; from 9 a.m. to 
midday, i| per cent.; midday to 3 p.m., no growth ; 3 p.m. to 
6 p.m. no growth ; 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. per cent.; 9 p.m. to mid¬ 
night, 3-f per cent.; midnight to 6 a.m., 83 per cent. From 
these figures it is concluded that more than 90 per cent, of 
growth is made during the night. Numerous plants were used 
for these experiments, and the amount of growth varied ac¬ 
cording to the different kinds. 
An eastern fruit dealer estimates the apple crop of the 
United States this year at 70,000,000 barrels. 
