THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
59 
This school is probably the first one of its kind in this 
country. Most of the European nations have such schools 
established, as Germany, for instance, which has several, at 
least two of them being private institutions, charging a good 
round fee for tuition. In the Pennsylvania school, the 
expenses appear to be $425 per year, of which $125 is a 
tuition charge. The principal of the school is Miss M. O. 
Collins, and the instructor in horticulture. Miss E. D. Varley. 
It is directed by a board of twenty directors, mostly from 
Philadelphia. A school of this kind has an important place 
and mission, and its success will undoubtedly depend upon 
the policy of the directors, the tact and ability of the in¬ 
structors. The fact that many women are considering 
opportunities in floriculture, in vegetable growing, and in 
landscape art, emphasizes the need of an institution of this 
type. 
The action of the New York State Fruit 
Growers’ Association at its last meeting, 
GUARANTEEING in providing a fund for the prosecution 
NURSERY of nurserymen who sell stock which is 
STOCK not true to name, establishes a rather 
unusual precedent. On the face of it, it 
would appear that the Association is, if the resolution is to 
amount to anything, entering upon a somewhat troublous 
period. The fact of the matter is that the nurseryman is no 
oftener a wilfuljsinner, nor a scalawag than the planter. 
There is no more exacting and difficult business in the world 
than that of the nurseryman. Let him be ever so honest, 
conscientious, and careful, mistakes are bound to creep in. 
Errors, owing to carelessness of workmen, or reasonable 
exigencies connected with the conduct of the business, are 
sure to occur from time to time. This condition makes the 
guaranteeing of nursery stock as to its trueness to name a 
very difficult, and we may say unsafe, practice. 
It seems to us that a nurseryman can only exercise his 
best care to preserve his stock true to name; and of course he 
need have little doubt in the majority of cases, as, for in¬ 
stance' with the standard lines of the leading fruits; but 
with new and little known varieties, the condition is very 
different. In this view of the situation, why should a 
nurseryman do more than the official state inspector, who 
says that he has examined the trees and finds them “ap¬ 
parently free from injurious insects, etc., etc.?’’ The nur¬ 
seryman uses his best endeavor in propagating his stock, 
and can send them out under the belief that they are true 
to name; but it is almost impos.sible to guarantee the ab¬ 
solute integrity of the run of a season’s business. No 
nurseryman is omniscient, or can be omnipresent, and 
without these two qualities, and being dependent upon 
the best assistance he can get, the case falls outside of his 
absolute control. 
We are certain that the State Fruit Growers’ Association 
in taking this step, if it is to mean anything, is borrowing 
trouble which it will probably regret; for there is frequently 
as much or more blame to be laid upon the planter than 
there is upon the nurseryman. The movement may have 
some educational influence, and we trust this will be the 
case; but we do not like the inference that nurserymen as a 
class are a body that must be watched. 
Obituary 
C. P. ROTHWELL 
The death of this gentleman, so well known in fruit-growing 
circles, occurred in Florida early in January. Mr. Rothwell’s home 
was in Martinsburg, West Virginia. He has been secretary of the 
International Apple Shippers’ Association for the last two years and 
an active promoter of apple-growing interests. His passing is 
deeply deplored. 
FRED DORNER 
In the death of Fred Dorner, the country has lost a man who for 
nearly twenty years has had a tremendous influence on the florists’ 
trade through his carnation productions. Having come from his 
home in Baden, Germany, when eighteen years old, he obtained 
employment with a florist in Lafayette, Indiana, and remained in 
that work during nearly the whole of his life in the city in which he 
began it. His death, which occurred on December 29, was due to 
pneumonia, which he was not able to combat successfully, having 
been in poor health for nearly a year. 
CHARLES P. BRASLAN 
Mr. Charles P. Braslan of San Jose, California, a man still in the 
prime of life, succumbed to a severe attack of pneumonia on Decem¬ 
ber third. Beginning his business life with John Breck & Sons of 
Boston, he became, when in his twenties, a member of the seed house 
of Northrup, Braslan, Goodwin Company of Minneapolis. In 1897, 
he went to California where his business prospered till, at the time of 
his death, he had a farm of some 4000 acres given over to seed 
raising. For some years it has been he who has supplied the govern¬ 
ment free seeds. A man of genial disposition, enthusiastic and 
forceful, he will be sorely missed by many who knew him as “Charlie” 
and “The Major.” 
ROBERT BUIST, JUNIOR 
On December 13th, Robert Buist, Jr., of Philadelphia, passed 
away at the age of seventy-three, thirty years after the death of his 
father, who lived to be seventy-five years old. The time of the 
father’s coming to this country from Scotland, 1828, may be said to 
be the date at which the great advance in horticulture began in this 
country, and Mr. Buist, Sr., had no small part in bringing about the 
progress. Robert Buist, Jr., began to be known as a seedsman when 
but twenty-one years of age, and all through life he strove to im¬ 
prove his business by keeping thoroughly posted on matters horti¬ 
cultural by means of reading and travel. The Robert Buist Com¬ 
pany, incorporated, will be continued by the other members of the 
corporation. It has extended its business far and wide, especially 
in the South and there will be many who will regret to learn of the 
passing of Mr. Buist, who up to a short time before his death was 
still full of vigor and in excellent health. 
DEATH OF A NOTED NURSERYMAN 
Samuel C. Moon, one of the most prominent nurserymen in the 
country, died yesterday afternoon at his home near Morrisville. 
He was in the 57th year of his age and had been ill only a short 
time. 
Mr. Moon was the son of Mahlon 'Moon, the pioneer nurseryman 
of Bucks County. He was born at the old Moon homestead, where 
he passed away. The nursery conducted by Mr. Moon has been in 
operation since 1848 and contains many rare plants and shrubs, 
including the largest purple beech tree in the United States. A 
born mirseryman, Mr. Moon was devoted to his profession.^ 
A widow and one daughter. Miss Jane C. Moon, survive. Two 
brothers, William H. Moon and James M. Moon also survive, both 
of them being nurserymen. 
The funeral will take place next Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 
o’clock.—Trenton Sunday Advertiser, Jan. 22, nii. 
Mr. Moon has long been recognized as an authority on conifers of 
which he had a very large collection. At the Rochester meeting of 
the American Association he presented an able paper on this 
subject. A refined, cultured gentleman, a true plant lover, his loss 
to nursery growing interests is heavy. 
