136 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Captain Jones raised for sale some pear and apple trees, 
but never developed a general nursery and death closed his 
labors. Mr. Burr became discouraged at Port Lavaca, and 
removed to north’Texas, Waco, I believe, where he could 
succeed with material already developed by more northern 
culture. In 1870 I considered my nursery business suf¬ 
ficient to warrant an appeal for public patronage. In 1874 
I brought out my first edition of Hand-Book and Catalogue, 
and was then operating the only nursery in South Texas 
west of the Colorado River and south of latitude thirty; 
and my nursery was situated farther pouth than any other 
nursery in the United States at that time, while William 
Watson was then well under way with a thriving business in 
Washington county about one and a half degrees farther 
north, and at much greater elevation. 
A railroad was built running eight miles east of me and I 
removed to the road in 1882 wheje I started a station and 
began a nursery there, calling the place Nursery, eleven 
miles north of Victoria. j 
Failing health drove me out of the business in 1896 when I 
sold to my foreman, John F. Lhyd, the nursery inte est of 
the G. Onderdonk Company. Nr. Loyd is still continuing 
the business, with myself as professional corresponding 
secretary. 
I have given an account of oir early nursery enterprises 
arid brought the history down t< dates for which there are 
many living witnesses, from whm you can readily obtain 
the informath. relating to later iems. v 
Nursery, Victoria Co., Texas. G. Onderdonk. 
LAMAR COUITY. 
The first nursery started in ,amar county four miles 
east of Paris was by J. Q. A.Walker, about the year 
1858, which he ran successfully abut twenty years an honest 
man now dead. Stell & Warliclc, parted the second nursery, 
known as Home Nursery ,in 187. Some two years after 
Dr. W. W. Stell sold out to Warlic. He then started Paris 
Nurseries, on a large scale, whichie ran until 1891. Then 
he sold one-half interest to H. L. (ark, firm being known as 
Stell & Clark. Two years later Ckk became the sole owner 
and has been running Paris Nursees ever since, though on 
a smaller scale. This is the only rrsery here. 
Paris, Texas. H. L. Clark. 
In April 1879 I visited Dr. F. j Yoakum, in Palestine, 
Texas, where he had just retired om the very successful 
conducting of the nursery business or a good many years 
near that city, in connection with n extensive practice as 
a physician. 
He was one of the most intclligei pioneer horticulturists 
in Texas. In answer to a letter b me to his son, B. F. 
Yoakham, now of New York and onof the leading railroad 
men of the United States, I received e following statement: 
My Dear Sir :— I am in receipt otours of December '1st 
concerning my father, Dr. F. L. Voaklm, who, in connection 
with his profession, gave a great dealf attention to the ad¬ 
vancement of horticulture, I regret caiot give you the data 
you desire, further than to say that it as possibly about ten 
years prior to the time you refer to £ communicating with 
him at Palestine in 1879, after he had tred from business. 
71 Broadway, New York. B. T. Yoakham. 
At this time, 1S79, Mr. William Radam, was conducting 
quite an extensive flower and nursery business at Austin, 
Texas. 
At this time I also visited the nursery of William Watson 
at Brenham, Texas, which was quite extensive—then the 
largest in the state. At Houston I found at this time Mrs. 
S. E. Byers, and Mr. A. Whitaker, each doing a thriving 
flower and plant business—both gone now. Mr. Henry E. 
Lockett was also doing a good flower and plant business at 
Brenham, and continued some years later. 
EARLY HISTORY AT GEORGETOWN. 
I commenced the nursery business at Georgetown, in 1868, 
have not been in any company, combine or had a partner at 
any time. I have carried a general nursery sotck. 
William Watson, at Brenham, was selling trees in spring 
of 1868, but was not growing anything. I went there at 
that time to get some ideas but found nothing, 
Ramsey of Burnett county started about that time or in 
1869. He can speak for himself. That is all I know of the 
nursery business in the sixties. 
Georgetown, Texas. .J. M. Shell. 
THE BONHAM-NURSERIES. 
Bonham Nurseries were established in the year 1869 by 
T. B. Stimpson, of Bonham, Texas. In the year 1872 E. H. 
Adams purchased a half interest, and the firm name was then 
Stimpson & Adams. The partnership thus formed continued 
until the year 1876 when J. C. Adams, a son of E. H. Adams 
was admitted to the firm, and the style was then Stimpson, 
Adams & Son. In 1878 E. W. Adams, a son of E. H. Adams 
bought out T. B. Stimpson, who retired to the farm, and the 
firm name thereafter was E. H. Adams & Son. In the year 
1892 E. W. Adams retired from the business to deal in cattle. 
In 1895 B. L. Adams, youngest son of E. H. Adams became 
connected with the business, and at the death of E. H. Adams, 
in 1899 became sole owner, and still continues as such. 
The business has gradually increased, and is larger now 
than ever before. A general line of stock is grown for the 
retail trade. 
Bonham. B. L. Adams. 
THE WORK OF FORMER PRESIDENT KIRKPATRICK. 
In response to your kind inquiry concerning my 
horticultural work, I beg to say I began the propagation 
of trees in 1872, near Whites Grove, Collin county, Texas. 
In 1874 I established the McKinney Nurseries, at Whites 
Grove, Texas. In 1884, I moved my nurseries to McKinney, 
Texas, where the business was conducted until January 1, 
1900, when I organized the Texas Nursery Company, which 
is continued until the present and located at McKinney, 
Texas, Sherman, Texas and Durant, Indian Territory. 
I planted my first orchard in Texas in 1855, at the age of 
ten years. Mr. Oliver Bush on Rowlett Creek, Collin county, 
Texas, imported and propagated the first budded fruit in 
Collin county in 1866. Mr. M. W. Wilmeth, near McKinney, 
Texas, established the first nur ery in Collin county in 1868. 
McKinney, Texas. E. W. Kirkpatrick. 
I beg to say that I began to propagate trees for my own 
use in 1860, in a small way, but did not sell any nursery 
stock until 1874. 
From that year up to the present time I have been in the 
business with variable results. I have never changed my 
