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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Nurserymen, Fruiterers, Etc

Nurserymen, Fruiterers, Etc.

City Fruit and Flower Company (John Buttimore, proprietor), Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1902 by Messrs Carter and Green, and was acquired by Messrs Goodacre and Buttimore in 1904. All vegetables sold at the shop in Devon Street are grown at the company's gardens, which are five acres in extent, and are situated near the cemetery. All kinds of choice flowers and shrubs are supplied from the Morshead Nurseries, for which the company is agent. Seeds are imported direct from French and other well known growers, including Atlee, Burpee and Co.'s “seeds that grow,” from Philadelphia, United States of America.

Mr. Fred Goodacre, formerly Senior Partner of the City Fruit and Flower Company, was born at Melbourne, Derbyshire, England, in the year 1855. He was educated in Leicestershire, and was brought up to the boot trade. He subsequently came to New Zealand, and landed in Auckland from the ship “Assaye” in 1875. Mr. Goodacre was for fifteen years in business as a boot-upper manufacturer. He afterwards removed to New Plymouth, and was manager of the Egmont Boot Factory for thirteen years, when he retired owing to failing health. Mr. Goodacre has always taken an interest in horticultural matters, and in poultry rearing. page 110 While in Auckland he became one of the founders of the Poultry Society, and of the Newton Pigeon and Canary Club, of which he was the first secretary, Mr. Goodacre has won many prizes in Auckland, has also been an extensive exhibitor in New Plymouth and at other large shows, and has gained gold and silver medals for poultry, pigeons and canaries. He also acted as judge in Auckland, New Plymouth, Hawera, and Wanganui. Mr. Goodacre has been a member of the Elliot road board and the New Plymouth school committee, and is a Past Chief Ruler of Unity Tent, Independent Order of Rechabites, New Plymouth, and Permanent Treasurer. He married a daughter of Mr. James Hebourne, of Leicester, England, in the year 1874, and has one son and three daughter. On the 2nd of April, 1906, he retired from the City Fruit and Flower Company, having sold his interest to Mr. John Buttimore, who continues the business. When Mr. Goodacre left the firm he became travelling agent and reporter for the Poultry Journal published by the Star Publishing Company at Greymouth; a position for which he is well fitted by his experience as a breeder and exhibitor for over forty years. He has opened a poultry supply store next the Union Steam Ship Company's office, and carries a full supply of foods, seeds, and meat-meal, and is making a first class poultry grit. He also stocks Maggs Bros. roup pills, bronko paste, and pills, kanker kura, and numerous other lines required for poultry and cage birds, and is agent for nursery stocks and seeds. Mr. Goodacre is always pleased to show his yards and stocks to friends, who may require stock or incubators, or anything in connection with birds or poultry.

Duncan's Nursery, Westown, New Plymouth, Mr. Duncan's nursery consists of eight acres of freehold land, situated about two miles from Westown, with a long frontage to the main road. Shelter is obtained from hedges of macrocapa, pinus insignis, etc. Fruit and shelter trees, roses, climbers and flowering shrubs are grown. A specialty is made of saltwind resisting shrubs, such as escallonias and other hedge plants; timber trees, conifers, and shrubs are also grown. A special feature is a small portion of the grounds devoted to the testing of fruits in their relation to soil and climate. Mr. Duncan exhibits, and has taken prizes for roses and bulbs. Daffodils are a special hobby, there being over 150 varieties in the nursery.

Mr. James Robertson Duncan, Proprietor of Duncan's Nursery, was born in Christchurch, Canterbury, in the year 1869. After he was educated he entered an office in Ashburton, but retired in order to take up nursery and garden work. In 1891 he went to Melbourne to gain experience, and entered the service of a large florist firm,
Collis photo.Mr. J. R. Duncan.

Collis photo.
Mr. J. R. Duncan.

Mr. Duncan subsequently returned to New Zealand, and was employed by H. C. Gibbons and Co, of Wellington, for five years, having charge of the firm's glass houses at the Hutt. He then went to Hawke's Bay, and was for twelve months in the large fruit nursery of Mr. Goddard before establishing his present business. Mr. Duncan acts as judge at various flower shows in the Taranaki district, and was at one time captain of the Hutt Valley Swimming Club. He is married, and has one son.
Horne, John, Nursery Gardener, New Plymouth. Mr. Horne is a colonist of sixteen years' standing, and was born near Woburn, on the Duke of Bedford's estate, Bedfordshire, England. He is one of a family of twelve, being the eldest of nine boys, and was educated in the village of Solsoe. He was afterwards employed in the gardens of the Right Honourable Earl Cowper, and while there he gained much experience. After a course in the large London nurseries, Mr. Horne was for two years gardener to the Prince of Wales (now King Edward VII.) at Sandringham. He was then employed by Mr. Tait (of Tait Gallery fame) London, but finding that hot-house work did not agree with him, he decided to come to New Zealand. He landed in Wellington in December, 1890, and subsequently settled in Taranaki, where he took up a section of bush land at Tarata Inglewood. He remained there for twelve years, during which he transformed the wilderness into rich dairy land and beautiful gardens. Mr. Horne took a trip Home, and paid a visit to his birthplace, in the year 1900. He returned to New Zealand, and a year later sold his property at Tarata, and has since bought and sold several beautiful suburban properties in the neighbourhood of New Plymouth. He finally acquired fourteen acres of land at Westown, where he carried on business as a nurseryman and market gardener. Mr. Horne was one of the promoters of the Tarata Dairy Factory Company,
Collis, photo.Mr. J. Horne.

Collis, photo.
Mr. J. Horne.

and was for five years a director, and he was a promoter and is a director of the Inglewood Bacon Curing Company. He is also a member of a local governing board. Mr. Horne believes in co-operation, and has always advocated industrial co-operation for working men or farmers. While in England he wrote a treatise on co-operative agriculture, which was published in London, and has had a wide circulation.

Morshead Nursery Company . The main nursery, of ten acres, is situated on the South Road, and there is a branch nursery of two acres in Lemon Street. The business was established in the year 1880 by the late Mr. Joseph William Morshead, and is now conducted by the page 111 trustees in the estate of the late proprietor. Shelter, ornamental and fruit trees are largely grown, great attention being also given to the cultivation of carnations, azaleas, roses and camellias. The residence is situated on a rise in the grounds.

Mr. Joseph William Morshead, sometime Proprietor of the Morshead Nurseries, was born in Pelyat, Cornwall, England, in the year 1817, and was for five years gardener on the estate of Major T. T. S. Carlyon. He came to New Zealand in 1871, and settled in Canterbury. In
The Late Mr. J. W. Morshead.

The Late Mr. J. W. Morshead.

1872 he went as gardener-in-charge to the Glenmark estate, and in April, 1870, removed to Taranaki. About two years later he started the South Road Nurseries, which he developed to a considerable extent. During his residence in New Plymouth Mr. Morshead took a great interest in the work of the Methodist church, and was about fourteen years superintendent of the South Road Sunday school. He was also for several years a member of the Rechabite Lodge in New Plymouth. At his death he left a widow and five children.