240 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [OCTOBER, 



sington by Mr. Goode, gardener to the Dowager Lady Ashburton, Melcbet Court, 

 Romsey, Hants, was by far the grandest which has yet been seen in public. This noble 

 specimen was originally bought as a single bulb at the price of three guineas, and has not 

 since been disturbed, but has been potted on as one entire plant. It had this year eleven fine 

 strong flowering stems, each about eight feet high, and bore on the whole 152 blooms, of which 

 about 130 were fully expanded when exhibited. The specimen was universally admired, no 

 less for its perfect cultivation than for tho beautiful condition in which it was shown, not a 

 flower being bruised or pollen-stained, even though the plant had been brought a distance of 

 80 milas on an open railway truck. This plant was worthily awarded a Lindley medal. 



• JFrederick Scheer, Esq., died at Northfleet, on the 30tb of December 



last, aged 7G. Mr. Scheer was born in the island of Eiigen, and the first part of 

 his life was spent in Eussia in mercantile pursuits ; but when still a young man, 

 he took up his residence in England as a City merchant, and for many years lived on Kew 

 Green, where his well-kept garden and greenhouse became filled with new plants imported 

 by himself ; and at that period he had one of the largest collections of Cacti in Europe. At 

 Northfleet he indulged in his favourite pursuits of botany and gardening to the full extent his 

 business occupations would allow. The Gesneraceous genus Scheeria is dedicated to his memory. 



ffilR. Eobert Thompson, of Chiswick, died on the 7th of September, 



aged 72. He was born at Echt, in Aberdeenshire, in 1798, and in 1824 entered 

 Chiswick Garden, where for a long period, before his retirement through infirmity 

 about two years since, he held the important position of Superintendent of tho Fruit Depart- 

 ment. There he acquired a knowledge of fruits and fruit-trees which has probably never 

 been excelled, and which enabled him to produce "The Catalogue of Fruits cultivated in the 

 Garden of the Horticultural Society of London," a most laborious work, and the standard of 

 pomological nomenclature up to the present day. " The Gardener's Assistant," an independent 

 production of his pen, is the best modern compendium of horticulture we possess ; while his 

 contributions to garden literature, including our own pages, have been very voluminous and 

 Taluable. Mr. Thompson was no less eminent as a meteorologist, the observations at 

 Chiswick having been conducted and recorded by him from 1830 lill within a few months 

 of his death. He was indeed one of the most accomplished and useful horticulturists of his 

 time, and one to whom the rising generation is largely indebted. When incapacitated a year or 

 two since by a stroke of paralysis, he retired from the service of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 on full pay. A testimonial fund, which amounted to some £-100, was about the same time 

 raised by subscription, in recognition of his services to horticulture. 



$ftE. James Veitch, of the Eoyal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, died on 



the 10th of September, aged 54, having been born on May 24, 1815. When a 

 youth he was sent to London for two years for improvement, and afterwards 

 devoted his great energies and abilities to the extension and improvement of the Mount Rad- 

 ford Nursery, which eventually became, through his exertions, one of the first establishments 

 of the day. In 1838 he became a partner in the firm of James Veitch and Son, and in 1853, 

 ■while still a partner in the business at Exeter, — which had then become famous as the first 

 English home of multitudes of new plants, introduced directly by the agency of Messrs. 

 "Veitch's collectors, the brothers Lobb, — he removed to London and took possession of the 

 Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea. Here he soon raised himself into a very influential position 

 in the gardening world, and built up a gigantic business, sufficient of itself to form a striking 

 monument of success. In 18G5 his two sons were taken into partnership, tho style of the firm 

 becoming James Veitch and Sons. To show how far our gardens are indebted to Mr. Veitch 

 ■would be to write a history of most of the new plants introduced during the last quarter of a 

 century by the Lobbs, Pearce, Hutton, John G. Veitch, and others. Mr. Veitch was a 

 thorough cultivator, and as an exhibitor he has had a large share in making our shows the 

 glorious monuments of cultural skill which they are. He died of heart disease, the premoni- 

 tory symptoms of which had induced him for the last two years to withdraw from active 

 business. Endued with indomitable energy, and blessed with a clear head and sound sense, 

 he acquired great personal influence, and placed himself in the front rank of horticulturists, 

 while his great-heartedness and keen appreciation of sterling worth, secured to him many 

 personal friends, who sincerely mourn his loss. 



