THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
365 
Deans of the Nursery Business 
M. Hobbs, Ibe bead of Ibc firm of (b M. Hobbs & 
Sons, bef^an liis eareer al Paoli, Orange (iOnnty, Indiana, 
.Inly 201 b, 18i7. 
('onnnon sebool advantages \v<‘re poor at lliat date. He 
was fortunate in liaving a few terms of seliooling at Illue 
Itiver Aeademy, a prominent Friends’ sebool, near Salem, 
I ml. His mother was a lover of out of doors and was 
espeeially fond of the garden and the flowers. The sub¬ 
ject of tliis sketeb eannot remember when it was not a 
pleasure to assist bis mother in the garden. 
Near Blue River Aeademy were two small nurseries, 
that of Abram Truel)lood, known as the Salem Nursery, 
Hobbs formed a partnership and took up the business, de¬ 
veloping graduallly the largest nursery interest in the 
state. As a (inn, both took an active part in the .\mcrican 
Association of NurscMynum. They att(M>ded the first regu¬ 
lar meeting of that body. Mr. Albertson was president of 
the convention ir» later years and sened on important 
committees. Mr. Hobbs served as vice j)resident at differ¬ 
ent times and on im])ortant committees. 
This firm has never missed having some one in attend¬ 
ance annually from the first meeting held by the society. 
In 1907 Mr. Albertson sold bis nursery interest to C. M. 
Hobbs and removed to Whittier, California, where he is 
C. M. Hobbs, Senior member of the firm of 
C. M. Hobbs (b Sons, Bridgeport, Indiana. 
and that of Oliver Albertson, known as the Canton Nur¬ 
sery. Mr. Hobbs’ first experience in the nursery, was 
following a winter’s term of school. The spring and sum¬ 
mer he was em})h)yed in the Salem Nursery,—the follow¬ 
ing winter in school and the following summer traveling 
salesman for the (kinton Nursery. This alternate attend¬ 
ing school and working in Ibe nursery and selling nursery 
stock continued for three or four years. In 1875 Oliver 
Albertson removed to Bridge])ort, Indiana, establishing a 
small nursery and fruit farm. Mr. Hobbs acting as fore¬ 
man. In 1876 be was married to Anna M. Albertsoii, 
daughter of Oliver Albertson. Oliver Albertson deceased 
1879. A year later, bis son^ Emery Albertson and C. M. 
engaged in growing citrus fruits. C. M. Hobbs took in 
his two sons, Oliver and Harry, and formed the company 
of C. M. Hobbs ik Sons. This company owns 312 acres of 
land devoted to growing nursery stock. 
In recent years they have been increasing their plant¬ 
ing of shade, evergr(*en shrub and hardy perennials. Lo¬ 
cated only six miles from the limits of Indianapolis, gives 
them a good home market for shade and ornamental stock. 
Mr. Hobl)s, Sr., has been actively interested in the horti¬ 
cultural work of the state for more than half a century. 
Was secretary of the State Horticultural Society for a 
number of years and its president for nine years. He is 
also interested in several large commercial peach and 
