THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
133 
NELSON BOGUE. 
The founder of the Batavia Nurseries was born in Elba, 
N. Y., in 1844. His first efforts in life were to obtain a 
thorough and practical education. After graduating at the 
State Normal School in Albany in 1865 he taught school for 
three terms, and then began to lay the foundation of one of 
the most complete and best equipped nurseries in the state. 
Not owning a rod of land he leased an acre here and there and 
commenced planting. Business kept growing and acres kept 
increasing until there are now several hundred drawn on for 
nursery purposes. 
His collection of large and small fruit is very complete and 
his trial grounds are intended to take in specimens of every 
thing desirable, of both old and new sorts. The object is to 
test and to hold the good and discard the bad. Here also 
have been grown for many years a high grade of ornamental 
trees and shrubs, for park and boule¬ 
vard planting, to supply a trade of 
immense proportions. 
Mr. Bogue has not been content 
with a careful observation and study 
of the methods of the American 
nurseryman ; but has traveled exten¬ 
sively in England and on the conti¬ 
nent, with a view of getting more 
knowledge covering the selecting, 
propagating and growing of superior 
nursery stock. 
He has been prominently connected 
with both the agricultural and edu¬ 
cational interests of his county and 
state ; has served as secretary and 
president of the Genesee County 
Agricultural Society and as member 
of executive committee of the New 
York State Agricultural Society, and 
is now and has been for several years, 
member of the executive committee 
of the Western New York Horticul¬ 
tural Society. When Mr. Cleveland 
was governor he appointed Mr. Bogue 
a trustee of the State School for the 
Blind at Batavia for a term of six 
years, and he is now serving his sixth year of a like appoint¬ 
ment from Ex-Governor Flower. 
Mr. Bogue is a lover of rural life and rural things, and 
although personally directing the management of his large 
nursery interests has found time to gratify his desires to engage 
extensively in the breeding of the light, trappy and beautiful 
Morgan horse, and to add to his surroundings, deer-parks, 
fish-ponds and other features to make his home attractive and 
happy. He enjoys life none the less because he is a bachelor, 
for care rests lightly upon his shoulders. 
is of brick and stone with metal roof and is practically fire 
proof. The dimensions are 60 feet east and west by 102 feet 
north and south. It is one and one-half story, the first story 
being 12 feet high, the second 9 feet. Each floor comprises 
about 4,000 square feet of space, making in all 8,000 square 
feet. The first floor is devoted exclusively to the offices of 
the company, the second floor being used for the storage of 
records, files and the vast assortment of stationery, circulars, 
fruit books and reading matter annually sent out by the com¬ 
pany to farmers and fruit growers in every part of the world. 
The plan of the building comprises one main large room 
40x60 feet in extent, with front and rear wings; the former 
16x32 feet the latter 30x32 feet. Another wing added to the 
rear, 8x17 feet, contains 3 divisions—a rear hall and the two 
closets. The front wing is occupied by C. M. Stark, E. W. 
Stark and W. P. Stark, respectively the president, vice-presi¬ 
dent, secretary and treasurer of the firm. The large room con¬ 
tains the offices of Judge Eugene 
Stark, Eugene Duncan, the heads of 
the different departments and all the 
mailing clerks and subordinates. 
The rear wing is divided into 3 
parts; a fire proof vault 12x20 feet, 
a ladies dressing room 10x12 feet, 
and the printing room 20x30 feet. 
A MODEL PARK. 
NELSON 
Peter Barr, the noted botanist of 
England, a Victorian medalist, who 
is making a tour of the world, visited 
Rochester nurseries and parks last 
month and highly praised their many 
attractive features. 
Of Highland park in which Ellwan- 
ger & Barry have been especially 
inteiested, Mr. Barr said : “ I visited 
it three times in three days, and if I 
were to stay here six days longer I 
should visit it six times more. It is 
an inexpressible pleasure. Those 
beds of flowering shrubs arranged 
in some fifty odd families, with all 
the varieties and species that can be 
___ I venture to say that there is not 
another place in the United States or out of it that will compare 
with it. I was fairly startled by it. Its natural conformation of 
hills and dales all tumbled about is charming. The effect is 
beautiful, and what will it be ten years hence ? Every year it 
will go on improving. There are many rare coniferae there, 
and if additions are continued you will have a pinetum per¬ 
haps unequaled in the world. You have the men with the 
knowledge, if they are only provided with the means. 
A PLEASANT ANNIVERSARY. 
BOGUE. 
secured are 
remarkable. 
STARK BROTHERS’ NEW OFFICE. 
The increasing business of the Stark Brothers’ Nurseries 
and Orchards Company made necessary large office accomo¬ 
dations. The company has just settled down in its new office 
building at the home grounds, Louisiana, Mo. The structure 
Eighty-two years ago, on December 2d, George Ellwanger, the 
w r ell-known senior member of the firm of Ellwanger & Barry, 
was born in Germany. In 1835 he came to Rochester, N. Y., 
unknown. The observance, this month, of the anniversary of his 
birth, participated in by some of the leading citizens of the 
Flower City, was made most enjoyable by the good cheer and 
interesting reminiscences which prevailed. The veteran nur¬ 
seryman and financier is daily at his desk and enjoys his con¬ 
stant association with his life work. 
