THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Obituary. 
PROF. W. A. KELLERMAN. 
Professor William Ashbrook Kellerman, head of the 
department of botany at Ohio State University, died in 
the jungles of Guatemala, March 8, of malarial fever. 
In company with a number of students, he had left for 
Central America, December 17, to study the botanical 
features of that region. Professor Kellerman was born 
in Ashville, 0 ., 57 years ago, and was a graduate of Cornell 
University. He was the founder and editor of the Journal 
of Mycology and Ohio Mycology, and the author of several 
botanical works. 
MR. WILLIAM OWEN. 
Mr. William Owen, of the Greenbank Nurseries, North- 
wich, died a few days ago at the advanced age of 74 years. 
He was a most successful orchid cultivator, and was held 
in high esteem as a judge of horticultural produce. 
E. D. DARLINGTON. 
E. Dillwyn Darlington, for twenty-five years connected, 
with the firm of W. Atlee'Burpee & Co., died at his home in 
Doylestown, Pa., March 26, after a brief illness with pneu¬ 
monia. His many friends were much shocked by the 
entirely unexpected news of his death. 
Mr. Darlington was the eldest son of the late Henry T. 
and Susan Darlington, and was born in Doylestown, Novem¬ 
ber 20, 1858. 
Mr. Darlington had a wide knowledge of plant life and 
was a recognized authority on many varieties of vegetables 
and flowers. Besides writing numerous leaflets and books 
for W. Atlee Burpee & Co., he contributed-quite frequently 
to the different horticultural magazines. 
WILLIS GRANT JOHNSON. 
Professor Willis G. Johnson, Associate Editor of the 
American Agriculturist, died at his home in New York 
City on March 11. Professor Johnson was well-informed 
on agricultural topics and fruits and especially on fruit tree 
pests, having formerly served as state entomologist of 
Maryland. He had a very wide acquaintance and the 
news of his death in the midst of his usefulness will be a 
severe shock to a large circle of friends. Professor Johnson 
was an earnest, self-reliant, always busy man, courteous 
and companionable in manner and a ready talker on every 
phase of farm and garden work. He leaves a wife and two 
children. 
MAJOR EDWARDS H. PRATT. 
Major' Edwards H. Pratt, president of the T. S. Hubbard 
Nursery Company, and for 21 years a resident of Fredonia 
died at his home on Central Avenue here last night. Major 
Pratt had been ill only since Saturday suffering from an 
attack of pleurisy, complicated with neuralgia. Dr. 
Stockton, the Buffalo specialist was summoned, but arrived 
too late to be of service. 
165 
Major Pratt was in his seventieth year. He was a 
native of Dansville, and had been engaged in the nursery 
business almost continuously since the close of the Civil 
War, first at Dansville, then at Geneva, and next at 
Rochester, from which place he came to Fredonia. 
Always actively interested in church, educational and 
political affairs, Major Pratt will be much missed here. 
He served two years, in 1893 and 1894, as village president. 
He was junior warden of Trinity Church for several years, 
and then succeeded upon the death of the late Judge Barker 
to his place as senior warden, which place he held at the 
time of his death. He was one of the organizers and first 
president of the Monday Club. He was also a member 
and greatly interested in the state organization of fruit¬ 
growers, and the national organization of nurserymen. 
Major Pratt organized a company at Dansville early 
in the Civil War, and served with it through the early 
campaigns of the Army of the Potomac until after Gettys¬ 
burg when, with his command, he went South and saw 
service at Chattanooga. During rquch of the time he was 
a member of the staff of General Hooker. 
He is survived by one brother, A. D. Pratt of Pittsford, 
and two sisters, one Miss Anna M. Pratt living in Geneva, 
and the other being in South Africa; also by three daughters 
Misses Carrie and Fannie B. Pratt, teachers respectively 
at Hampton and Richmond, Va., and Mrs. Albert W. Atwood 
of New York City. 
E. J. CASTLE. 
The English trade papei's record the death of E. J. Castle 
on March 4, at the age of 39. Mr. Castle was at one time on 
the editorial staff of “The Gardener.’’ He was an able 
writer, having a thorough knowledge of practical and scien¬ 
tific gardening and allied subjects. 
WILLIAM H. SPOONER. 
Wm. H. Spooner, for many years a leading horticulturist 
of Boston, died on Saturday, March 21, in his 75th year, 
after one week’s illness. Up to the time of his final sickness 
Mr. Spooner was in his usual health and spirits. At the 
time of his death Mr. Spooner was the accredited representa¬ 
tive of this society in the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture. 
Some forty years ago Mr. Spooner was associated with 
the late Francis Parkman in the exploitation of fancy 
nursery stock and roses. He then became a member of the 
firm of W. C. Strong & Co., nurserymen and florists, and, 
about the year 1872, on the dissolution of this firm, he took 
the Boston store of the concern on his own behalf and con¬ 
ducted same until bought out by W. J. Stewart, who had 
been in his employ as manager. He then took up the busi¬ 
ness of hardy rose importing and growing, which he con¬ 
tinued for many years at Jamaica Plain, Mass., afterwards 
disposing of it to J. F. Shea. 
Mr. Spooner was a man of kindly, sympathetic disposi¬ 
tion, beloved by a large circle of friends in horticultural 
circles. He served in the Massachusetts legislature for two 
terms and was a constant advocate and friend of agricultural 
progress and legislation. A faithful, conscientious man, he 
will be missed and mourned. 
