Milford chronicle., 1930-06-06

when he went to California to open
a plant breeding station for the Gov
ernment. The work of half his life
time was destroyed by that unfor-
tunate move.
Talented In Many Lines
This genius was no mere garden
er. He was a world traveller, "a no
table plant breeder, a successful
physician, a skilled tavidermist,
well known ornithologist, an accom-
plished musician, widely known
writer, an authority on drug plants,
an able photographer and skilled
horticulturist. 1 quote the list from
Mr.. Mulford, who left out the fact
that he was newspaper correspon=
dent and an editor. ,.
His contribution to rose culture
has practically reVOlutionized tnat
industry, and his writings, it is SAID
will be studied for years to come by
those who feel the stimulus that
comes from the hope of a reward
for their labors as given by this
patent law.
often and often the seeding stock
that DR.. Van Fleet sold to nurseries
was allowed to die or got lost, and
he had his work to do all over
again. Like every genius, he was
man of angles and of positive likes
and dislikes, and yet his great and
enduring work, particularly in roses
had but one object in View-making
people happy and this old world a
nrettier place to live in. Such man
should have had his reward. How
can YOU measure it by the side of the
reward given to mechanical inven-
tOrsi
Every important plant breeder in
our national history from the ear
liest times has felt the need of some
sort of protection, and not having il
in law. has adopted such expedients
as he could find in the law to insure
him his rights. Many and many q
plant breeder, particularly among
the professional horticulturists, mas
let his new plants sink into ObllV'
ion because he saw no way to keel
the plant pirates from robbing him
! Delicious Apple, Niagara Grape
There are two notable cases
somewhat to the contrary-tht
Stark's Delicious apple and the MIA
cara crane. Stark is nurserymal
i in Missouri. In his orchard he prop
agated an apple that was different
as every one who has ever eaten
genuine Stark's Delicious knows
:, Understanding the ways of som'
I members of his trade, and KNOWN;
that he had made an important ant
profitable discovery, he insured tina
! tree; then he set guard over II
and finally he enclosed it all arounl
with barbed wire and all over witt
a wire mesh.
From this tree there came man
!; little trees, grated by Mr.. Star
onto other apple stock, and thes
seedlings he sold to the trade unde
a contract which forbid the buyer t
sell any of the wood to any nurser
or to graft it on other apple, stOc
himself. Of course, the contract wa
! Immediately violated. A fellow is nc
| SO stingy as to refuse a neighbor
few cuttings from his wonder appl
tree, or if a visitor should happe
? in and cut off a few twigs whe
/, ones back was turned, you'd neye
put him in jail.
!, In this loose, neighborly and dis
e honest way, some nurserymen &c
t hold of Mr.. Stark's Delicious stoc
: and have been selling it for year
= But still old man Stark keeps hi
= original tree insured, and guarde
: and covered with wire, and only th
t genuine Delicious stock comes frol
). it.
e If this law had been in effect z
b years ago when Mr.. Stark discover
It ed that delicious apple, he coul