THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
5 
stock began to be largely propagated. At this time the need of 
an expert propagator was felt, and Mr. E. A. Miller, who had 
been trained in the practical schools of Germany became 
associated with the firm with special charge of the nursery 
and propagating branch. 
From an area of thirty acres, the business has grown 
until it now occupies a tract of 300 acres in New York, sup¬ 
plemented by 60 acres in California. The firm’s interest 
in roses developed the Pacific coast branch. 
- The field work includes a general line of nursery stock 
with the rose, clematis and lawn ornamentals as specialties. 
PROPAGATING FEATURES. 
An important feature of this wholesale enterprise is pro¬ 
pagating roses. There are some 35,000 feet of glass in 
Newark and 7,000 to 8,000 feet in Orange, Cal. The ranges 
in Newark are largely used for propagating the rose and cle¬ 
matis. In these two lines Jackson & Perkins Co. are lead¬ 
ers in the United States, and the quantity of young plants 
coming on is a source of wonderment to the occasional vis¬ 
itor. Among the many varieties of roses which they have 
been instrumental in bringing to pubilc notice is one of their 
own origination. This is the Dorothy Perkins, a cross be¬ 
tween R. Wichuriana and Madam Gabriel Luizet. The 
color is a beautiful shell pink and it has much the same 
habit of growth and manner of blooming as Crimson Rambler. 
It is a very desirable companion rose to the latter. About one 
hundred varieties of roses are grown each 
year. In 1904, at Newark, N.Y., approximately 
400,090 plants were propagated from cuttings, 
and 125,000 from buds. This number was in¬ 
creased by the addition of 400,000 propagated 
in California. 
Of clematis and climbers, the stock is large 
and complete. The propagating list of the large 
flowering varieties of clematis for 1904 amounted 
to 135,000. Of these, Clematis Jackmani Mad¬ 
am Andre and C. Iienryii are leaders; of the 
small , flowered varieties C. Paniculala heads 
the list and was propagated the past season 
to the extent of a stock of 125,000. Japan 
Ivy (Boston Ivy, Ampelopsis Veilchii ) is an 
important item, something over 100,000 hav¬ 
ing been propagated last year. 
In the line of ornamental shrubbery, the work 
is conducted on an equally extensive scale. 
In 1904, approximately 235,000 plants were 
propagated. Of these, 100,000 were Hydrangea paniculata 
grandiftora, 25,000 were viburnums, 15,000 spireas in variety 
\ 
Fig. 9. The cosy interior of the offices of Jackson & Perkins Co. 
Fig. 9. Business headquarters of Jackson & Perkins Co. and The G. H. Perkins Co., 
Newark, N. Y. 
Fig. 10. Plenty of horse power’ahead of [the digger in the plum blocks. 
Jackson & Perkins Co. 
and 10,000 weigelas. 
The labor employed in the Jackson & Perkins’ field 
and greenhouse work varies from twenty-five employ¬ 
ees in the winter, to seventy-five in summer. Day 
labor is mostly supplied by Italian workmen. Com¬ 
petent English and German foremen are retained. 
THE FERTILITY PROBLEM. 
In growing ornamental and other stock which re¬ 
quires strong land to bring it to salable age in the 
shortest possible time, a careful and systematic manage¬ 
ment of the soil must be practiced. The fertility ques¬ 
tion is a difficult and expensive one. Some of these 
difficulties are obviated by this firm in the same man¬ 
ner as by Stuart & Co., viz: by manufacturing their 
own fertilizer. This is done by importing western 
cattle (stockers) and feeding these on the home farm. 
