The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-24
OLD TIME FLORISTS.
APAPER SHOWING THE HISTORY
 OFTHE TRADE IN THIS CITY.

Given Before Recent Meeting of the
 New Haven Horticultural Society by
 H. Clih-FlOraI Displays Cultivate a
 Taste for Flowers Among the People
 Interesting "Reminiscences.
 The first store for the sale of flowers and plants was established about 1850 on Chapel street by Jacob D. Walters, who was succeeded by his sons, John J. and James w. Walters, who in turn sold out to Robert Veitch in July 1, 1854 The business was continued until lS73 when the name was changed to Robert Veitch & Son, which firm re- mained in the same stand until 1899. A peculiar circumstance was the fact of the store having three numbers during that time, first No. 49 Chapel street. then beginning at York street, and numbered eastWardly; next, 42S, begin ming at Quinnipiac river. Charles Stormont started an establishment on State street, near Wall street, about 1856, and continued till 1861, when he enlisted in the army, Frederick Lund- berg had quite range of greenhouses on Grand avenue, near Franklin street, keeping up the business from about 1865 till nearly 1880. Lundberg and Townsend started a large commercial place in Fair Haven about 1880, but abandoned the business after four or five years. Mr. Townsend after opened g store on Chapel street, below Union, but gave 1t up in a few years on. ac- count of poor health, George A. Dick erman had number of greenhouses near Morris Cove about 1873, and later opened store in the City Market, fol- lowed by store on Chapel street, near the Elliott house.
 Probably the first nurseryman in New Haven was Edward Mugford, whose place was on Whalley avenue, near Norton street, the period extended from 1S45 to 1850. Then comes James Mona ghan, who had nursery on Chapel street, near what Is now Ellsworth ave- nue. This was about 1855 to 1865. Later Francis Trowbridge of Milford had a sale place on Wooster street, corner of Brown street, where he dealt in fruit trees, strawberry plants, etc; also started the manufacture of Trowbridge grating wax. which name is still re- tained, though he abandoned business over thirty years ago.
 F. 8. Platt about 1870 opened a seed and florist store in the Journal and Courier building, then moved into the store. corner Pitkin lane, last year nov ing into a fine new building nearer Chapel street, on State street, all the time increasing size of store and floor space. Rosien and Henderson opened up greenhouses in Westville in 1883 and in 1885 opened up a store on Chapel street, near High street, which they kept about three years and then return ed to the wholesale business again, talk ing up the greenhouses of Mir. Lund- berg in Westville. George Heelass then took hold of the Chapel street store running same for about three years when he failed. In 1881 Jim Park @stspaed where Monro's old store was opposite Trinity church; later moving ito where Burwell's undertaking store is at present, where after short time he failed and retired from business
 About 1890 J. N. Champion opened up a store where Moore is at present, staying there five years, when he nov ed into his present quarters opposite Vanderbilt hall, which place he has been in for the past twelve years. Then about 1894 or 1895 s. Fl. Moore opened up the old store of Henderson, Rosien and Heelass, and staid there until Champion & Go. moved to t1eir present place, when he took their store. where he is at present. In the meantime MT. Munro opened up store on Chapel street, near Temple; Cox & HenZe on Church street, Ludwig Wolf on Mead ow street, Bruce on Kensington; also quite a few others which lack of space flinders me from mentioning. The Veitch & Go. retired in 1904, when Charles Munro took their stand, where he is at present.
 There was never a time in our his- tory when opportunities for exploiting our business was greater than to-day; never time when the public was so eagerly interested in horticulture and Horticulture; never 8 time when there were so many patrons of Horticulture,
 The cultivation of the taste for f1ow- CTS and decorations has become univer- sal It certainly has, and l am not only bold enough to state that the ten- dency of the public in that direction is greatly due to the influence exercised on same through the floral displays, decorations, and cultivation in up to date public parks and private grounds, but claim that but g. small percentage of the commercial florists of to-day, both growers and dealers, are ready and prepared to take advantage of the demand stimulated and created through same for their benefit.
 Calling to mind the various floral es- .tsblishments you have seen, you will remember many are dirty and unkempt. Sometimes there is a little ornamental front gate and show greenhouse, back of which there is an ill-looking potting shed banked up with rubbish of various kinds. Thus have the florists them selves by dirt and disorder often belied their own profession as beautifiers and decorators. There is much for us to do in this direction, We must not only clean up, repair and paint, but we must burn or bury the rubbish, and we must do more NC must have room for perennials and shrubbery as well as