THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
3i7 
A View in the Cherry Hill Nursery, West Newbury, Mass 
CHERRY HILL NURSERIES 
WEST NEWBURY, MASS. 
This is one of the oldest nurseries in this state, having 
been established in 1832 by George Thurlow, father of the 
late Thorftas C. Thurlow. The nursery was located in West 
Newbury, in the northern part of Essex county, about 
thirty miles north from Boston. In those days extensive 
orchards were planted in this section, and George Thurlow 
decided to enter that line of business. The general custom 
was for orchardists to gather seed from natural apples, or 
cider apples as they were called, and do his own budding. 
Mr. Thurlow set out thousands of trees but made the mis¬ 
take of planting them too closely together. Any surplus of 
stock which he had from year to year he sold to his neighbors, 
and gradually his trees came to be known for twenty or 
thirty miles around. 
In 1857 his son, Thomas C. Thurlow, then a young man 
of twenty-five, broke down 
in health, and decided to 
travel through what was 
then known as “the West,” 
or Iowa, Illinois and Mis¬ 
souri. While in Missouri 
the banks suspended, owing 
to the panic of ’57 and he 
was left without money. 
As he had learned the 
science of budding and 
grafting he found employ¬ 
ment in one of the nurseries 
in that state and was sent 
out as an agent. A year 
later, fully recovered in 
health, he returned home, 
visiting the Geneva and 
Rochester nurseries, learn¬ 
ing of the demand which was beginning for ornamental 
stock. 
When he reached home he found his father much dis¬ 
couraged because of the inroads of the canker worms which 
had killed half of his too thickly set orchards. Said he, 
“The country is full of trees and the nursery business is no 
longer profitable.” His son, however, had faith in the 
“unprofitable nursery business, and resolved to embark 
in that business, beginning on about two acres of land, 
and raising fruit stock, and a few ornamentals, principally 
Sugar Maples. His weak lungs disqualified him for the 
Army, and so during the years from 1861 to ’65 he raised 
a stock which he disposed of readily at good prices, after 
the war. There was a large demand for fruit stock at 
this time, especially pear trees, and a good part of 
a 0 f German Iris One Year from Division. The loamy land of the Cherry Hill Nurseries is especially suited for 
‘ them as is shown by the splendid growth. 
