186 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



his studies cover the entire subject of the zoology of Illinios. In 

 his work he is ably assisted by young men who are budding into 

 scientific prominence. Profs. H. Garman, C. M. Weed, John 

 Marten and C. M. Hunt have already shown their ability to sec- 

 ond the efforts of their wise chief. With what has been done, and 

 what is now being done by our corps of scientific workers, we can- 

 not help but feel that Illinois stands at the head as a promoter 

 of scientific investigation and education. 



DEATH OF J. AMBEOSE WIGHT. 



BY THOMAS GREGG, HAMILTON. 



Mr. President: There died recently in another State, a gentle- 

 man who, perhaps, never in his lifetime was a member of this 

 Society, yet who, in the earlier years of our State, contributed 

 greatly by his energy, his influence and his pen, to its horticul- 

 tural development. 



The name of J. Ambrose Wight is familiar to all the elder 

 horticulturists of the State and the Great Northwest, as one of 

 the originators and first editors of that sterling pioneer among 

 the rural papers, the Prairie Farmer. He and his co-laborer, 

 John S. Wright, about half a century ago, began to issue that 

 sheet, at a time when the farming interests of these rich prairies 

 were in their infancy, — and even when the point at which they 

 lived was but a village; and Mr. Wight lived to see the former 

 assume gigantic proportions, and the latter to become avast city. 

 He was never, as 1 have said, identified with or enrolled as a 

 member of this Society, as he left the State before it had an 

 existence, for another field of labor. But for many years in the 

 past, when the fathers of many now present were active workers 

 on the stage, his influence was at work plodding, hewing, lead- 

 ing and developing in the vast field, which has produced such 

 immense results. His labors were co-equal, if not anterior, to 

 those of the Bryants, and Whitney, and LeBaron, and Dunlap, 

 and Hull, and Flagg, and many others, who, like him, have been 

 called to their reward, and whose names have graced our annals 

 and been preserved in our memorials. Through their labors — 

 through his labors — as contributors, and as editor to give them 

 place, this Great Northwest has been largely developed, and 

 brought from its rude state to the position of a mighty empire. 

 How many orchards, let us imagine, have been planted and cared 

 for — how many evergreens made to bless our prairie homes with 

 their living green — how many flowers caused to blush around 

 us, — under the devoted energy and influence of this noble man, 

 just now gone to his reward, and the co-laborers to whom we 

 have alluded. To his and their influence, it is no detriment to 

 say, we of to-day owe much of our knowledge of the " Art that 



