Fordham, Alfred J., 1911-

Alfred J. Fordham was born January 22, 1911, in Roslindale, Massachusetts. . Fordham's father was the superintendent of the R & J Farquhar Company, a leading nursery and importer of rare plants that were introduced by Charles Sargent and E. H. Wilson. Following the advice of his father and E.H. Wilson, Al Fordham came directly to the Arnold Arboretum as a student trainee in 1929. He would continue his association with the Arboretum until his retirement in 1977, rising to the position of chief propagator. He focused on the study of dwarf and abnormal conifers, particularly seedlings raised from witches' broom seeds of various species of pines. Fordham studied barriers to germination of woody plants, seed dispersal, and techniques to speed up germination. He published more than 50 articles on plant propagation in various journals, and became a popular lecturer. In 1971 he received the prestigious International Plant Propagators Society Award of Merit, given at irregular intervals to individuals whose work is considered especially significant. He received numerous other awards as well. Mr. Fordham continued his involvement in plant propagation research and continued to share his knowledge through giving talks on horticultural subjects until his death in December 2000.