Davey Tree Flipbooks

30 The Davey Bulletin | January/February 2017 Most of us have heard the story about how John Davey, who founded Davey Tree in 1880, learned an invaluable lesson from his father Samuel and mother Anne about planting a potato the right way or not at all. The version most of us are familiar with is the abbreviated, third-person tale from the book Green Leaves: A History of The Davey Tree Expert Company published in 1977. Helen Davey, daughter of Jim Davey and one of John's grandchildren, shared a more detailed version of that iconic story – as told by John Davey himself – in a blog for Huffington Post titled "The Most Famous Man You Never Heard Of." She gave permission to The Bulletin to republish it here. From our personal family records, in his own words, my grandfather (John Davey) tells the story of the first important milestone in his life: I was nearly four years old. My father was planting potatoes, in front of our neat little cottage, on a fine May evening. I asked him if I could plant some. He opened up a trench at the end nearest the house. Then took a potato and said: "If I let you plant it, will you do it RIGHT?" "I will do what you tell me." Then, looking at me tenderly, he said, with a firm voice: "YOU MUST DO IT RIGHT, or NOT AT ALL." He then went into the house and brought out a big iron spoon, and remarked: "Here is your shovel; keep it clean." He then cut the potato in two and made a mark for each piece, telling me I must put the cut-side down, and went on to his work. I carefully laid the two halves in place, then took my shovel and looked at (what appeared to me) a big ditch that I had to fill! Well, by sun-down I had this huge hole filled, and father showed me where I could improve on the level, or grade. After saying my little prayers I retired, but father's voice was heard: "Do it right or not at all." In the morning I awoke, and still that voice was ringing, "Do it RIGHT, or not at all." Then came those long days of waiting. "Will they never come up?" A heavy rain packed the ground. Then I was presented with a new garden implement, a steel table fork; but it must be kept clean. With it I must keep the soil stirred. Finally a gentle rain came, and, next morning, the ground was cracking and mother told me, "Two little baby plants will be born." And the next day; what a miracle! It was not two plants, but two groups of TRIPLETS, six newborn plants! Then came the instructions, "never let the ground pack, keep it loose," and in hot weather, I would hear mother calling: "Johnnie, your plants are thirsty; come and give them a drink." Then she would get me a little pail with water, and a little tin cup, and oh! how my plants would drink! And they grew and went away ahead of any of dad's; and when the crop was dug, he had nothing that could compare with mine! I did it "RIGHT." And this, according to my grandfather, was exactly the day when a little scientist was born! Helen Davey writes often about her family's history. You can find her blog post archives on HuffingtonPost.com. ARCHIVES FROM THE THE STORY BEHIND 'DO IT RIGHT OR NOT AT ALL' John Davey, front row second from left, poses with an early Davey Tree crew. Helen Davey is the daughter of Jim Davey and the granddaughter of John Davey.

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