THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
195 
are less frequent. In the West, therefore, the low-headed 
tree is in favor. 
It is safe to say, however, that there has been a distinct 
change of front among growers of stock and planters of 
stock in the East with reference to this same question. 
The cause is of different nature. The great necessity of 
spraying for the suppression of pernicious insects and 
injurious diseases; the newer ideas on pruning; and the 
introduction of tillage implements, which enable the culti¬ 
vator to cover all the ground irrespective of the height of 
the head of the tree, has induced the eastern grower to 
lower the head very materially. In general, therefore, the 
tendency is towards a comparatively low-headed tree. We 
are of the opinion that for the long lived winter variety of 
apple, a reasonably low head is best in the East. If the 
head is branched low, it simply means that in later years we 
must prune up the branches to prevent them resting on the 
ground; and in our opinion a tree with branches starting 
quite close to the ground is not as stable nor mechanically 
as strong as one with a stem four or five feet in height, from 
which the branches start and are distributed at suitable 
distances. But the tendency is to look for immediate 
results. Whether we are short-sighted in this is a question 
which the future only can answer. 
THE NURSERY BUSINESS IN NEW ENGLAND AND 
THE OLDER STATES. 
It appears from historical records that the Massachusetts 
colony was greatly indebted to Governor Endieott, for en¬ 
couraging the propagating of fruit trees. He set the 
exatnple himself, for we learn that in 1648 he exchanged 500 
apple trees of three years’ growth for two hundred and fifty 
hundred acres of land. 
The name of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, is derived from 
the very early planting of apple trees in that vicinity. 
Governor Stuyvesant, of New Amsterdam (New York), 
planted a grafted pear tree in 1647 at a place which was 
afterward corner of Third avenue and Thirteenth street. 
This produced a small crop of pears as late as 1856, but was 
broken down a few years later by a careless drayman. 
Sweet cherry trees were planted at Yonkers, N. Y., in 
1650, and grew for more than two hundred years. 
Top-grafting of the wild apple in Virginia with cultivated 
varieties occurred as early as 1647. 
In 1768, the Society for Promoting Arts at New York 
awarded a premium of ten pounds to Thomas Young, of 
Oyster Bay, for the largest nursery of apple trees, the num¬ 
ber being 27,123. 
The first nursery in South Carolina is credited to John 
Watron, which was established before the Revolution. The 
Lombardy poplar is said to have been introduced into this 
country by William Hamilton, of Philadelphia, in 1784. 
In early days, nursery trees were commonly top-buckled 
or top-grafted, either in nursery or orchard. 
The most important nursery of its day, and the first 
independent enterprise of the kind', was founded by William 
Prince, at Flushing, L. I., about the middle of the eighteenth 
century. This was continued by four generations of the 
Prince family. A catalogue of the Prince Nursery, pub¬ 
lished in 1825, contained lists of 116 varieties of apples, 108 
of pears, 54 of cherries, 50 of plums, 16 of apricots, 74 of 
peaches, and 225 of geraniums. This catalogue contains 
the following account of the establishment of the garden. 
The Linnasan Garden was commenced about the middle of 
the last century by William Prince, the father of the present 
proprietor, at a time when there were few or no establish¬ 
ments of the kind in this country. It originated from his 
rearing a few trees to ornament his own grounds; but, find¬ 
ing, after the first efforts had been attended with success, 
that he could devote a portion of his lands more lucratively 
to their cultivation for sale than to other purposes, he com¬ 
menced their culture more extensively, and shortly after 
published a catalogue, which, at that very early period, 
contained several hundred species and varieties, and hence 
arose the first extensive fruit collection in America. 
The elder Prince died in 1802, at an advanced age. 
Among the pioneer nurseries established a half century 
or more ago and still continuing are Ellwanger & Barry, 
Maxwell & Bros., W. &. T Smith, and E. Moody & Sons, of 
western New York, and Parsons & Co., of Long Island. 
In Pennsylvania the Meehan House and Hoopes Bros. & 
Thomas remain. In Georgia the firm of P. J. Berckmans 
Company is in business. 
THE NURSERYMAN A BENEFACTOR.- 
The observant traveler rarely visits a section where a 
good nurseryman or firm of nurserymen is located without 
observing the influence of these men on the life of the 
community. More fruit trees are planted, more door-yards 
and lawns are supplied with decorative plants. If the 
right type of nurseryman resides there the farming of the 
community is improved, because the intensive methods of 
the nurseryman are imitated. 
Jn writing these lines we have in mind a striking example. 
More than half a century ago there came to western Wayne 
County, New York, a young man who had fruit growing 
proclivities, an intelligent, active mind, and progressive 
tendencies. He settled at the little village of Walworth, 
established a small nursery and began the growing and 
selling of nursery stock in that region. If one visits that 
region at the present time the influence of this man and his 
sons, who died just recently, is to be seen in the great 
orchards now approaching maturity, in the trees and shrubs 
planted on the lawns, and in the general improvement of 
farm conditions which prevail in the region. Through the 
influence of these men, the Yeomans family, there grew up 
the great evaporating industry of Wayne County, which has 
developed such dimensions that more apples are evaporated 
in Wayne County than in all the rest of the United States 
put together. 
But this is only an example, and there are many others. 
Visit Rochester and you will immediately see the influence 
of the Ellwanger and Barry firm; in Philadelphia, the Mee¬ 
hans; the Berckmans in Georgia, and Van Lindleys in 
Cat'olina. The nurseryman has a great field and a tre¬ 
mendous opportunity. Gratifying, is the thought that 
many of them are measuring up to their opportunity. 
