The National Nurseryman. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK. 
Copyrighted 1903 by The National Nurseryman Publishing Co.. Incorporated. 
Vol. XII. ROCHESTER, N. Y., NOVEMBER. 1904. No. 11. 
SKETCH OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NURSERY 
BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA. * 
F. A. MILLER, SAN FRANCISCO. 
In giving the readers of The National Nurseryman a 
sketch of the historical development of the nursery business 
of California, I must base my attempt entirely on my recol¬ 
lections, which are somewhat deficient at my advanced age. 
The first general nursery of ornamental as well as fruit 
bearing trees and shrubs was established by Mr. A. P. Smith 
about 1852 on the banks of the Sacramento river, near Sacre- 
mento city, the state capital of California. Mr. Smith cultivat¬ 
ed a very meritorious collection of ornamental and fruit bearing 
trees, shrubs and vines, which would be considered a credit 
to his state at the present time. The undertaking, un¬ 
fortunately was “ahead of the times/’ This very select stock 
had plenty of admirers, but the early pioneers came here for 
gold and had no time nor humor to cultivate plants. True, 
his first ripe peaches were sold at $1.00 each and his roses in 
pots and in bloom, which he transported under difficulties 
to the mines brought $10 to $15 each at auction in Nevada 
city in my presence. The nursery was not a financial suc¬ 
cess and Mr. Smith failed after a few years hard struggle. 
Some of his fine Camellias, which made a phenomenal growth 
in the open, to the height of ten feet to twelve feet, were dug up 
and removed to San Francisco by Mr. E. L. Reimer who 
sold the flowers, produced by the hundred, at $1.00 each. 
From 1855 to 1865 several ornamental stock nurseries were 
established in San Francisco; Golden Gate Nursery by Mr. 
Walker, another by Mr. E. L. Reimer and a third one by Mr. 
Henry Sontag, all of which have gone out of existence years 
ago. During the same period a number of nurseries were es¬ 
tablished in the rural districts of California with ornamental 
as well as fruit bearing stock. The most prominent of them 
were Mr. West of Stockton, Mr. Fox of San Jose, Mr. Burbanks 
of Santa Rosa and Mr. E. Gill of Oakland. 
The most profitable ornamental trees during the period 
were Araucarias, Acacias and Eucalypti in many varie¬ 
ties; Pittosporums, Leptospermums and other evergreens 
from Australia, all of which are well adapted to this clim- 
! ate, but not as much in demand now as they were then. 
The most popular evergreens introduced during the same time 
were Pinus insignis (Monterey pine)and Cupressus macrocarpa 
(Monterey Cypress) both of them natives of California. 
I The first lot of Cupressus lacrocarpa, four to five feet high, 
sold at $5.00 each; the same size to-day sells at 25 cents 
each, or $15.00 per 100. The demand for them has in¬ 
creased from 500 per season at that time to 25,000 to-day. 
In 1875 the first horticultural society was formed, several 
very fine exhibitions were held, but the people would not sus¬ 
tain them. 
In 1884 the largest general nursery was established at Niles. 
It consisted of 500 acres under the management of Mr. John 
Rock, and is known up to this date as the California Nursery 
Company. Mr. Rock died July 20th. He was a remarkable 
man, closely identified during a long and useful career, with 
the inception,' development and final establishment of an 
enlightened horticultural practice in California; a personality 
at once pronounced, broadly human, intensely serious, pat¬ 
riotic, imbued with a healthy ambition, and a broad civic 
pride in the state and country of his adoption; a trained hor¬ 
ticulturist, a man of integrity and honesty of purpose in every¬ 
thing he said or did. 
To-day we have about 140 nurseries in the state, all of them 
in a fairly prosperous condition, about 30 of them are en¬ 
gaged chiefly in propagating citrous fruit trees, about 35 in 
fruit bearing trees and shrubs generally and about 75 in stock 
of all kind, mostly ornamental. 
THE NEWER FRUITS. 
AIKEN APPLE. 
Sometime ago the National Nurseryman drew attention to 
a number of new fruits which had received special mention in 
the report of the United States Promologist. Among these 
was the “Aiken” apple. Recently samples of this apple came 
to the editor’s table. The specimens examined are of medium 
size 3 inches in lateral diameter by 2f inches in axial 
diameter. The form is regular with obscure ribbing; color,a 
yellow ground, almost entirely covered with a bright red 
shading into crimson. One of the characteristics of the 
variety is its large dots which are plentifully scattered over 
the surface. The cavity is of moderate size and flaring. The 
basin is shallow and wrinkled, with a small closed eye. The 
flesh is yellow, firm, juicy, pleasant subacid of rather melting 
texture. The core is small but open. The seeds are small 
and plump. Altogether this is a very attractive winter variety. 
It suggests lack of spiceness and aroma when fully ripe. There 
are also hints that it has not proved a prolific bearer. 
If the tree proves satisfactory and if it finds its place of 
adaption, it ought to prove a very valuable acquisition to the 
Middle West where the lack of a handsome winter apple of 
good quality seems to be sharply felt at the present time. 
THE FRUIT MARKS ACT OF CANADA. 
It is announced that in the future the Fruit Marks Act is to 
be more rigidly enforced. If a few packages in a shipment of 
fruit are found to be improperly graded the whole shipment 
is to be thoroughly inspected. The time is ripe for the tak¬ 
ing of such a step. The act has now been long enough to 
force to leave no room for any excuse^on the part of shippers 
that they are not acquainted with its provisions. 
It seems there are a number of packers who still resort to 
dishonest methods in the packing of their fruit in the hope 
that at the most only a small part of their shipments will be 
