grower, and a great admirer of everything floral. While occupying a responsible position with one of the largest industrial corporations in Worcester, he found time for and took pleasure in the affairs of the horticultural society of his city, being its secretary for a number of years, and retaining the position to this day. Mr. Midgley, as an amateur, was a success. His love for flowers led him at the time I speak of to merge his interest with a company that had built a range of greenhouses and that had become known as the Worcester Conservatories. A few years later, he bought out the interests of the other members, and conducted the business on his own account, although still under the name of the Worcester Conservatories. At present he grows for the wholesale market, shipping his output to Boston and other New England points.
Other New Englanders
G. H. Sinclair, whom I have known for the past twenty years, is an "Old Englander." After landing in this country, about twenty-two years ago, he entered the employ of the late L. E. Marquisee, of Syracuse, N. Y. A few years later, he drifted towards New England, and secured a position with the late Mr. Howland. Here he demonstrated his ability in a manner that convinced Mr. Howland of the fallacy of following the hide-bound custom of conservatism; he introduced numerous innovations in the matter of growing high-grade stock. He was the first one to show that Chrysanthemums grown to the single stem would be appreciated by the public, and would be eagerly bought at a higher price. A yellow Chrysanthemum, the result of his own hybridization (Miss Josephine by name, if I remember rightly), was grown very successfully for a number of years locally.
Upon the death of Mr. Howland, Mr. Sinclair purchased his place, where he is carrying on his business today very successfully. About five years ago, he purchased a fifty-acre farm, and built a range of greenhouses, which his son, an able young man giving much promise, conducts admirably. His magnificent home, built upon a cliff, is one of the show places in that section.
Gallivan Brothers, whom I met at a much later period, are progressive young men, as well as successful growers. Their place at Smith's Ferry is under the able management of Mr. Schwartz, at one time connected with Pitcher & Manda, and later with A. N. Pierson, of Cromwell, Conn.
C. Warburton, of Fall River, Mass., is another of my old-time friends, whom I have known for nearly a generation. In 1902, Mr. Warburton introduced the Cressbrook Carnation, a variety that was grown very successfully in many sections, and principally around New England.
Mr. Warburton has enlarged his place, and is today among the most successful growers in New England.
New England's Progress in Introducing Roses and Carnations
It is generally conceded that in no section of the country has the florist business flourished more than in New England. In fact, many are of the opinion that in this respect New England still stands at the head. The best Roses, it is claimed, are grown there. The best Carnations come from that section. Be that as it may—for I am neither prepared to verify nor to deny these statements—the fact of the matter is that the New England grower is more quick to take a chance on a new variety, and thereby encourage enterprise in that direction, than his Western brother florist. My own business experience during these many years will bear out my assertion. Time and again a new variety of Carnation, for example, in which I had the utmost faith myself, would meet with little success in so far as its introduction was concerned in the western part of the country, while in New England,
