108 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Obituary. 
* 
MRS. C. A. SIMPSON 
The many nurseryman friends of G. A. Simpson, of 
Ilu‘ Simpson Nursery Company, Monticello, Florida, will 
be sorry to hear of the death of his wife. Mrs. Simpson 
died on March 16. 
J. FRED FERRER 
Mr. .1. Fred Ferber, of Rochester, New York, died at 
his home at the age of sixty years. Mr. Ferber was a 
nurseryman formerly in the employ of Chase brothers 
Company, but retired from active business several years 
ago. 
JAMES F. RRYANT 
March 6th. James F. Rryant died at his home. Danville, 
N. Y., at the age of seventy-one years. Mr. Rryant was 
associated with his brother, \V. C. Rryant. forming the 
firm of Rryant Rros., for the past fifty years. 
HECTOR F. HILLENMEYER 
Mr. Hector F. Hillenmeyer, of the firm of 11. F. Ilillen- 
meyer and Sons. Lexington, Kentucky, died at his home. 
Mond ay, March 5th, at tin? age of seventy-four years. 
Mr. Hillenmeyer was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, 
August 28th, 1849, his father and mother coming from 
Eastern France and settling in that part of the country 
in 1840, buying a tract of land, the land upon which the 
nurseries were situated forming part of the original pur¬ 
chase. 
Mr. Hillenmeyer comes from a family of Nurserymen, 
his father being apprenticed to the business, as a young 
man, in France. 
He acquired an education in the public schools, later 
attending St. Mary's College, Marion county, Kentucky. 
Me spent several years in France, the home of his ances- 
try and travelled widely elsewhere. 
His love of nature and horticulture led him to engage 
in the nursery business and he established the present 
firm of H. F. Hillenmeyer and Sons. He became a close 
student of meteorology and kindred subjects and wrote 
extensively, weather condition, soils, crops and topics 
connected with out-door life. 
Mr. Hillenmeyer was highly esteemed in the com¬ 
munity in which he has lived. He was a director of the 
First City National Rank. Central Kentucky Natural Gas 
Company and the Lexington Water Company and is sur¬ 
vived by his widow and six children. 
While his nursery interests were never large, meas¬ 
ured in present day standards, still within the state’s 
borders there were very few men better known and re¬ 
spected. Ilis was a rather trying nursery period, pioneer¬ 
ing from 1873 to his retirement from active service 
twelve years ago. He often spoke of his earlier days, the 
practices in vogue then, the difference of methods of 
growing stock, and the varying requirements of his cli¬ 
entele. 
Perhaps Mr. Hillenmeycr’s forte, in his later years at 
least, was his weather observations. Since boyhood he 
kept a rather complete record of all precipitation, maxi¬ 
mum and minimum temperatures and any meteorological 
phenomena occuring during the year. His work ante¬ 
dated the present weather bureau service many years, 
and his records for forty odd years prior to the establish¬ 
ment of the local Government observatory have been 
taken as authentic. His was a wonderfully retentive 
mind, recalling immediately without reference to his rec¬ 
ords numerous weather freaks or unusual occurances 
and invariably he was correct. His fruit and crop esti¬ 
mates were always very accurate and were respected as 
such. In all things an optimist—and after a killing frost 
or spring freeze when all others were predicting dire 
ruin, his opinion always had a cheering ring—and usual¬ 
ly right. 
His writings—in the main just short weekly “Crop 
Philosophy contributions in the local papers, attracted 
unusual attention. The ordinary and extraordinary came 
within the scope of his pen, and many explanations and 
enlightenments of lay readers on agricultural topics de¬ 
lighted a host of his followers when he was able to con¬ 
tribute to the local papers. 
He occupied an unusual position for not alone was he 
solicited for information on agricultural and weather 
topics, but his great fund of information brought him 
scores of inquiries on divers subjects. He was always a 
student, as well as observer and his writings though | 
short, reflected his characteristics and capabilities. There 
were very few subjects indeed that he could not discuss 
in any company. 
As a business man he was succesful and held many 
positions of responsibility, honor and trust. His accurate 
and keen judgment was everywhere respected. He was 
always retiring in demeanor, never sought to advance his 
personal interest at the expense of the public. He led a 
decidedly simple and retired life with and near his fam¬ 
ily. His counsel was sought by all classes and all done 
without thought of recompense. He seemed to leave a 
lasting impression on those that talked with him and 
after his retirement innumerable visitors to the nurseries, 
invariably inquired for him. He always had something 
pleasant to say and possessing a subtle humor he made I 
friends by the score. 
Perhaps the esteem in which he was held was best re¬ 
flected in the numerous tributes, telegrams, letters receiv¬ 
ed from all sources and hundreds of automobiles loaded 
with friends called to pay their last respects. At his fun- I 
eral all walks of life were represented in the assemblage 
that gather in veneration of one who had served them 
cheerfully, gratuitously and to the end. 
I he Association of Kew Gardeners in America expect 
to hold their annual meeting and dinner at the Hotel 
Rrunswick, Roston, Mass., Saturday, April 7. 1923 at 
6.30 p. m. 
The president of the Kew Guild, Mr. E. H. Wilson, is 
expected to give a talk on his recent travels. 
