|
Peter
Henderson
|
Circa
1884 4 |
Peter
Henderson was a market gardener, florist, seedsman and prolific
author. He was born in Scotland in 1822, came to America in
1843, and began market gardening in 1847. The
exact date that he started
his seed business is a bit murky. The company states
"Since 1847" in its seed annuals3.
Other sources list it as beginning in 18651
or 18712. |
| He
was a prolific writer contributing many articles to
horticultural and agricultural magazines, authored several very
important horticultural books, and wrote or dictated over
175,000 letters. |
| His
catalogs tended to have a substantial number of pages looking more
like a periodical. He incorporated the use of color very early
on. Peter
Henderson passed away in Jersey City, N.J. on January 17, 1890.
 |
 |
Notice of closure of Peter Henderson
& Co dated December 2, 1897
Donated by Esther Witmer |
|
Book
Titles Authored or Collaborated On:
-
Gardening
for Profit (1867) - Distinguished as being the first American
book addressing market gardening. 100,000 to 150,000 copies were
sold. Revisions were made in 1874 and 1887.
-
Practical
Floriculture (1868) - Written for the professional and not the
amateur.
-
Gardening
for Pleasure (1875)
-
The
Handbook of Plants (1881) with C. L. Allen
-
Garden
and Farm Topics (1884) with C. L. Allen - Reported that 250,000
copies sold.
Sources:
-
History of Horticulture - Henderson, Peter 1822-1890
-
Henderson, Peter (1822-1890)
-
1943
- Peter Henderson and Co. Annual
-
Garden
and Farm Topics
|
