324 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
to get directly in touch with Manager Rockwell, at 
Bridgeton, N. J, 
* 
THOMAS RAKESTRAW 
Thomas Rakestraw, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, 
president of the Rakestraw-Pyle Company, died at his 
home on November 9th, at the age of seventy-four. Mr. 
Rakestraw had been ill for about six months so that his 
end was not entirely unexpected. 
He was one of the old time nurserymen and his death 
will he very much regretted by a great number in the 
trade who knew him. His sterling character won him 
a place in the hearts of all who ever met him. With his 
death there passes one of the outstanding figures in the 
life of his community. He had been identified with all 
that was good and progressive in public life and with 
many close friends, both in the trade and the community, 
where he was such a force for good. 
He was active as director of local banks and business 
organizations and was one of the prime movers in the 
early temperance work in his section. 
When a young man. he went to Kennett Square to 
work with his uncle, who with Josiah Pyle had founded 
in 1886 the Willowdale Nurseries and of which Mr. 
Rakestraw subsequently became head. The business 
was incorporated under its present name in 1910. The 
original partner, Mr. Pyle, died only a few years ago. 
Mr. Rakestraw was president of the Pennsylvania Nur¬ 
serymen’s Association. The association sent a floral piece 
and several members attended his funeral. 
He is survived by three children, Arthur G.. of Phila¬ 
delphia; Robert M., of Marshall street, West Chester, and 
Genevieve R., wife of Arthur Pratt, of Willowdale, Penn¬ 
sylvania. 
JULIUS ROEIIRS 
Julius Roehrs, President of the Julius Roehrs Com¬ 
pany, died Wednesday, October 31st. The Julius Roehrs 
while perhaps more closely associated with the florist 
trade than with the nursery, was well known through¬ 
out the country in both lines of business and his death 
will be a sad blow to his many friends. 
He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, March 4, 
1878. After completing his education in the public 
schools of New Jersey his father followed the old coun¬ 
try custom of sending him to one of the nurseries to 
acquire a knowledge of the business. He worked in 
some of the best establishments in Europe, including that 
of Sander Sons, at Bruges, Belgium, and St. Albans, 
London, England; Robert Seiderholm in Germany and 
other leading establishments. On his return from Eur¬ 
ope he went with his father in the Julius Roehrs estab¬ 
lishment, succeeded him on the event of his death, which 
occurred in 1913. 
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elsie Koch Roehrs, 
and four children. He was interred in the Cedar Lawn 
Cemetery, Passaic, New Jersey. 
FREDERICK H. HORSFORD 
Frederick H. Horsford, Charlotte, Vermont, died on 
November 4th of cerebral hemorrhage, following a long 
illness. 
Mr. Horsford was born July 21, 1855. He is survived 
bv his wife and two sons, Cyrus P. and Earl F., both 
of Charlotte. 
Mr. Horsford was known to the nursery trade as a 
grower of hardy perennials and bulbs. In these plants 
he did a large retail trade. 
For a time he was in partnership with Edward Gillett 
at Southwick, Mass., but gave up this partnership to es¬ 
tablish the Horsford Nurseries in 1893. 
The business will be continued under the management 
of the younger son, Earl F. Horsford. 
JOHN DAVEY 
John Davey, Kent, Ohio, died November 8th, at the 
age of seventy years. Mr. Davey, although not a nur¬ 
seryman, was well known to the trade, in fact to the 
entire horticultural world through his connection with 
tree surgery. Mr. Davey developed tree repair work into 
an art and has been a great power in educating the peo¬ 
ple in the conservation and care of trees. Without ques¬ 
tion he has added millions of dollars to the tree value of 
the United States by educating people to know their value 
and promoting their conservation. 
He was born in England in 1846 and came to the Unit¬ 
ed States in 1873, where he erected a greenhouse and 
went into landscape work. 
In 1919 the present 'well known Davey Tree Expert 
Company was incorporated, with Mr. Davey as president. 
Mr. E. P. Smith, of the Eastwood Nurseries, Estacada. 
Oregon, is going to specialize on a distinct variety of 
Thuya Occidentalis, which grows native at Gresham, 
Oregon, and according to good authority is found no 
where else in the United States. Mr. Smith thinks ha 
has a good thing. 
Robert Hamilton is starting a nursery at Ben Avon. 
Pennsylvania, and expects to grow a general line of or¬ 
namentals including rhododendrons. 
bituary. 
