THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
275 
and dwarf varieties. The side branches will not require 
much pruning, merely knifing in those that have a tendency 
to make the ]>lant unshapely. 
Pines, Spruces and Firs, if properly grown, require little 
if any pruning except to correct a fault such as a lost leader 
then it is necessary to shorten in the top tier of branches to 
force out another one. 
In the case of the Firs a new leader may be made by tying 
up one of the side branches but not so with the Spruces or 
Firs. 
bituary 
MISS MARTHA G. LEAR 
The Morris Nursery Company, of West Chester, Chester 
County, Pa., lost a valued and much esteemed official in 
the death of Miss Martha G. Lear, Secretary of the Com¬ 
pany. Miss Lear died on May 29th. She was well-known 
to many nurserymen, who will hear of her death with deep 
regret. 
Miss Lear was a daughter of the late Charles B. and 
Margaret Palmer Lear, and had spent her entire life on East 
Chestnut Street, West Chester. 
After finishing at High Street Friends’ School she entered 
the employ of the Morris Nursery Company, where by 
strenuous application she became familiar with the details 
of the work and made herself invaluable to the firm. At 
the time of her death she was Secretary of the Company, 
and in charge of the office on Maple Avenue. 
THOS. J. O’HARA 
Thomas J. O’Hara, general manager of the Huntsville 
Wholesale Nurseries, at Huntsville, Ala., died May 22 at 
his home. Death came as a result of Bright’s disease. He 
was 42 years old, and had been connected with the same 
firm for a number of years. He was a native of New York 
state. He is survived by a widow and two daughters. 
THOMAS WILDE 
Thomas Wilde, one of the pioneers of western Michigan, 
died at the home of a daughter in Ottawa county. May 17, 
aged 79 years. Mr. Wilde was known as the originator 
of the flush strawberry and was one of the first to practice 
cross fertilization of plants in this country. He was also 
known as a raiser of fine apples. He was bom in England 
and came to America when 14. Mr. Wilde was a life mem¬ 
ber of the Michigan state Horticultural Society and a charter 
member of the Grand River Valley Horticultural Society. 
He is survived by seven children. 
spent his early life upon a farm on the east shore of Cayuga 
Lake, N. Y. He early became interested in agriculture 
and horticulture, and a careful study of these lines over a 
large area of the United States and Canada gave him an 
acquaintance with its technique and an education possessed 
by few other living men in like pursuits. 
Years ago, when it became apparent that Geneva was 
destined to become a great center of horticultural enterprise, 
Mr. Willard was induced to locate there and made that 
city his residence until the time of his death. Mr. Willard 
believed that a nurseryman should also be a fruit grower, and 
that the commercial orchardist should not pin his faith too 
strongly upon the production of any one of the many fmits 
that can be grown so successfully in western New York. 
^ Hence, he grew more or less of cherries, quinces, peaches 
and pears, as well as many of the smaller, fruits. He was 
the first to plant the Kieffer pear as an orchard tree in 
New York State and had ever been a strong advocate of 
this variety as a profitable orchard fruit. 
Mr. Willard took a prominent part in forming the New 
York State Fruit Growers’Association in 1901. He was a 
State Fair commissioner from 1890 until 1908, having 
charge of the fruit, flower and vegetable departments. He 
served several terms as a vice-president ’of the Western 
New York Horticultural Society and was one of its oldest 
members, remembering well when, at the opening sessions of 
its earlier meetings. President Barry would call the house 
to order with 20 to 25 members present, and the first busi¬ 
ness on the program would be to put through an assessment 
to cover the deficit sure to appearjn the treasurer’s annual 
report. 
Bvsines5 Movements. 
The F. W. Brow Nursery Company of Rose Hill was 
incorporated recently with $25,000 capital, practically all 
of which is subscribed. It will operate one of the largest 
nurseries in Central New York. 
The company, which has been in process of organization 
for several months, has 140 acres of excellent land at Rose 
Hill which has been planted and it is expected that the 
acreage will be greatly increased next year. 
The company will do a general nursery business, specializ¬ 
ing, however, in fancy fruit trees. Mr. Brow is a practical 
nurseryman and has had charge of W. & T. Smith Company 
nurseries in Geneva for nearly 6 years. 
The directors of the company are Mr. Brow, Frank B. 
Mills of the Mills Seed Company and C. Albert Weeks of 
Skaneateles. 
SAMUEL D. WILLARD 
The death of this well-known nurseryman and fruit 
grower occurred on May 23, at his home at Geneva, N. Y., 
after a few days’ illness, in the 78th year of his age. Mr. 
Willard was bom in 1835, of New England parentage, and 
The Convention Hall at the Hotel Multnomah was 
beautifully decorated with palms and vases of flowers by 
the Portland Floral Society. The delegates were abun¬ 
dantly supplied with all the loose flowers they could carry 
with them. 
