4o6 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Obituary 
BENJAMIN CHASE 
Benjamin Chase died at his home in Derry Village, Sep¬ 
tember 27th, following a period of illness dating back nearly a 
year. He had been able to be about his home and even to 
walk in the village until within the past month. His wife died 
Jan. 7 last and since that time he had not enjoyed good 
health. Mr. Chase was one of the most highly respected men 
of the town. 
He was bom in Auburn, Aug. 18, 1832. He grew to 
manhood on the paternal 
estate in Auburn attending 
the district school in his 
boyhood and youth. Sub¬ 
sequently he attended for 
several winter terms a 
select school at Lee, where 
he profited by the instruc¬ 
tion of that magnetic and 
progressive educator, the 
late Moses A. Cartland. 
With only brief inteirup- 
tions he aided his father in 
the work upon the home 
farm and in the millwright 
for agricultural pursuits, 
he was encouraged by his 
father in a free use o f' the 
mechanical tools in the 
home work-shop, and de¬ 
veloped much skill in that 
line, so that at the early 
age of 15 he began to en¬ 
gage in mechanical work by 
the day. At the termina¬ 
tion of his period of school¬ 
ing he gratified the craving 
to go to sea that is felt by 
many a country lad, and 
made a voyage before the 
mast from Boston to 
Mobile, Ala., and thence to 
Liverpool, England, which 
experience was a very practical and beneficial graduation into 
life’s higher school. On his return he continued further 
mechanical service in conjunction with his father until 
1855, after which he was employed as a millwright in 
various textile manufactories in New Hampshire and Mass- 
achsuetts until 1867, when he laid the foundation of a manu- 
factiuing business in Derry. 
He established the plant-stake and reed factory here and 
for many years did a successful business, conducting all its 
interests imaided. The original mill stood on the site of the 
present structure. It was burned in 1883. He rebuilt and 
fire again destroyed the entire set of buildings Dec. 8, 1910. 
Mr. Chase was of a very ingenious nature and to him is 
due the credit of originating and inventing the intricate 
machinery that is now used in the company’s plant. He 
made no pretentions to being an inventor, yet his skill in the 
line of originating and perfecting the machinery that he 
needed in his own mill was remarkable. He was the first to 
make the printed wired label in 1883. 
On June 17, 1875, Mr. Chase married Harriett D. Fuller 
of Dunbarton. An only child, Mrs. Charles E. Newell, and 
three grandsons survive. 
BENJAMIN CHASE, 
IMPORTERS’ NOTES 
Most of the requirements of the new “Plant Quarantine 
Act’’ which went into effect Oct. ist, fall on the New York 
Import Houses who have 
been too busy the last 
month procuring permits, 
instructing their foreign 
houses how to comply 
with the new Rules and 
Regulations and other 
matters relating to the new 
law to attend to regular 
business. 
French Fruit Stocks 
have had a good clean 
up this season. Apples and 
Mahalebs being the only 
stocks still available in any 
quantity. Ornamental 
Stock is in large demand. 
In Holland stock there is 
as usual an almost inex¬ 
haustible supply. Roses 
are cheaper, except Baby 
Ramblers; Rhododendrons 
and Boxwood are plentiful, 
Norway Maples are espec¬ 
ially fine this season. 
All European stock will 
be better than the average 
this season, prices are a 
little higher than last 
season on the average and 
the total value of imports 
will be up to the high water 
mark of last year. 
STRANGE BLIGHT KILLS TREES 
Hundreds of magnificent sugar maples at Palmyra, N. J., have died 
during the last two years from a disease that tree experts of the State 
have been unable to explain or cure. T. Winfield Land, member of the 
Shade Tree Commission, expresses the opinion, following his investiga¬ 
tion of the tree malady, that the maples are affected with a trouble that 
is a sort of first cousin to the chestnut blight, which is destroying the 
chestnut groves of the State. 
Only the sugar maples seem affected by the disease, and the com¬ 
mission has recommended that Norway maples be substituted where 
the dying trees have been removed .—Public Ledger. 
Yours truly, 
McHutchison & Co. 
