THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
285 
PFHER S. PETERSON. 
The American Florist publishes the following sketch of a 
well-known nurseryman : 
Peher S. Peterson, than whom there is no more widely known Scandi¬ 
navian in America, was born in Sweden, June 15, 1830. Until thirteen 
years of age he remained at home, attending the schools of his native 
town, but he early manifested a love of nature and his youth was given 
to acquiring a practical knowledge of horticulture. After five yeart 
in the gardens of his native land, he spent three years on the continent, 
in leading horticultural institutions at Hamburg, Erfurt and Ghent, as 
which latter place he was with Louis Van Houtte. 
Coming to Toronto in 1851, he soon saw that the most open chances 
for success lay in the United States, and he went to Rochester, then, as 
now, the center of the nursery interests of the country. He obtained 
employment with Frost & Co., beginning at $8 a month and board. 
Within three years he had not only acquired the English language 
but was wmrking for Ellwanger & Barry at the large salary, for those 
days, of $100 a month. Thinking to obtain liches faster by digging 
for gold than by delving in nursery rows, in 1854 he went to California 
via Panama, but aside from budding a lot of fiuit trees, which still 
grow on Vancouver, the venture was productive of little save ex¬ 
perience. 
In 1856 Mr. Peterson established the present business, the Rose Hill 
Nursery, on a small piece of rented land then some miles outside of 
Chicago. In the next year a ten acre tract of woodland was purchased 
and has since been added to until it now amounts of 496 acres, the 
largest piece of acre property in Chicago, for in 1889 the entire holding 
was annexed to the city. It lies seven miles northwest of the City 
Hall, and on it is one of the finest collections of ornamental stock in 
America, for here, in the course of years, Mr. Peterson has found the 
gold he failed to find in California. 
His attainments in horticulture have found appreciation at home and 
abroad, aDd have been recognized by many scientific societies. He is 
the second in over half a century to be voted an honorary member of 
the Horticultural Society of Stockholm, and the King of Sweden has 
on several occasions shown him signal honor, having created him a 
Knight of the Vasa order. In 1865 Mr. Peterson married Mary A. 
Gage, of Boston. Their only child is William A. Peterson, a member 
of the firm and its manager since 1895. Since retiring from active 
business Mr. Peterson has spent most of his time abroad. 
PRUNES IN WESTERN EUROPE. 
In a bulletin of the United States Department of Agricul¬ 
ture, Edward R. Lake, professor of botany and horticulture 
in the Oregon State Agricultural College, says in regard to 
prunes in Western Europe : 
In the Pacific Northwest the peach is the common stock for the 
plum, though during the past few years the Myrobolan plum has been 
used to some extent. In France, Germany and Austria all plums are 
grown on plum stocks, and occasionally this stock is used quite exten¬ 
sively for the peach. The common stock for the Agen is the St. Julien ; 
for the “ quetsches, ” St. Julien and White Damson ; for the Mirabelle, 
St. Julien and Myrobolan. This latter is not regarded by the growers 
as a desirable stock, but nurserymen prefer to use it, and if the stock 
is not specified this is the one usually sent out. Growers assert that 
trees on Myrobolan stock are much shorter lived than those on St. Julien 
stock. How much real weight can be attached to this statement is not 
known, as well authenticated experiments have not been conducted 
along this line. French horticulturists give as their reasons for using 
the plum stock generally for the peach, that it is a deeper feeder, lives 
longer, is hardier, more vigorous, and less susceptible to adverse soil 
conditions, and for planting near houses it is to be preferred to the 
peach, because it will send its roots deep into the cold earth below the 
basement walls and thus develop a crop under conditions in which the 
peach would barely live, except it should feed entirely from the ad¬ 
jacent border, which is desired for other crops. When it is known that 
a very large proportion of the peach trees of France are grown at 
espaliers on high walls and sides of buildings, the force of the position 
taken by the French growers and propagators is apparent. 
IRecent publications. 
U. S. Department of Agriculture—Bulletins— “ Field Work 
of the Division of Agrostology,” by Cornelius L. Shean; “Fall Army 
Worm and Variegated Cutworm,” F. II. Chittenden. 
Dr. Ephraim Porter Felt, state entomologist of New York, has issued 
a bulletin on scale insects of importance and list of species in New 
York state. It is illustrated with colored plates and is of value to all 
who have to do with horticulture. 
Old Time Gardens— Newly set forth by Alice Morse Earle, author 
of “ Stage Coach and Tavern Days.” A delightful excursion into the 
archaeology and lore of flowers and gardens. Profusely illustrated from 
rarely beautiful photographs collected by the author. Cloth, crown 
8 vo., $2.50. Also a limited edition de luxe, 350 copies, photogravure 
plates, $20.00. New York: Tiie Macmillan Co. 
Country Life In America —The first number of this new monthly, 
edited by Prof. L. H. Bailey, has appeared. It is intended for all 
lovers of nature and beautiful places. It is profusely illustrated, and 
is handsomely printed on heavy paper. Among the contributors to the 
initial number are Samuel B. Parsons, Jr , Prof. Waugh and William 
Scott. $3 per year ; 25 cents per copy. New T York : Doubleday, 
Page & Co. 
G. L. Taber, proprietor of the Glen St. Mary, Florida, Nurseries, has 
issued another up to date catalogue, upon the occasion of the twentieth 
anniversary of these southern nurseries. Thirty pages of the catalogue 
are devoted to description of desirable fruit and ornamental nursery 
stock. Then follow directions as to planting and finally a word to 
customers as to prices for stock. The description of varieties is 
arranged in such a manner as to make this catalogue of special value 
for reference. 
The Delineator —The Christmas number of The Delineator is 
about the first of the special Christmas issues. It is a beauty. The 
cover is a most artistic production, showing a beautifully gowned 
woman standing gracefully in a brilliantly lighted salon. Two charming 
love stories, one by Cyrus Townsend Brady, plenty of advice regarding 
Christmas Gifts, timely pointers on cookery, winter-time care of 
plants, all the fashions of the day interpreted into simple language 
can be found in the Christmas number of The Delineator. 
The Youth’s Companion —Among the names of those wlio will 
write for the Youth’s Companion in 1902 are Hon. John D. Long, Secre¬ 
tary of the Navy; Hon. David J Brewer, of the Supreme Court; Post¬ 
master General Charles E. Smith; Bishop Henry C. Potter; Lillian 
Nordica; Gen. A. W. Greely; Right Hon. James Bryce, M. P.; the 
Duke of Argyll; Sir Edwin Arnold; Wiuston S. Churchill, M. P.; 
Julian Ralph; Booker T. Washington; Rider Haggard; Gen. Charles 
King; Frank R. Stockton; Caroline Hazard. An illustrated announce¬ 
ment with copies of the paper free. Subscription, $1.75. Boston: 
The Youth’s Companion. 
Our National Parks. —This book deals with outdoor matters on a 
large scale. It sweeps vast regions; treats of mountains, forests, rivers, 
and canons of greater and more impressive proportions than any others 
in the world. The author, John Muir, is a scientist of international 
reputation, one of the most daring and enthusiastic of travelers, but 
one whose love of accuracy has never interfered with his hearty delight 
in the beauty of tree, flower, mountain and valley. No one else knows 
our great Western parks as he does, and his book is as lull of enthu¬ 
siasm as of knowledge. 
Mr. Muir writes of the Yellowstone, Yosemite, General Grant, and 
Sequoia National Parks, their trees and flowers, birds and beasts, foun¬ 
tains and streams and mountains, w T ith a scientists accuiacy and a 
nature lover’s fondness. The book is illustrated fiorn photographs, 
many of which were taken by Mr. Muir himseif. Boston, New York, 
Chicago: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. 
The Greeley Nurseries, Greeley, Colorado, Oct. 26, 1901. 
“ We enclose you a two dollar bill to carry us another year. We can¬ 
not do without your journal any more than we can go without dinner. 
Send it along.” 
