386 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [MAY 
Although to most readers of this sketch Mr. Canby is known only 
as a botanist or as a collector, he was all his life a most industrious 
business man. The mere mention of the various enterprises in which 
he was engaged shows that he was a man of much importance in his 
community. For many years he was engaged in railroad business as 
receiver, president, or director, holding the last position in connection 
with one of the branches of the B. & O. Railway at the time of his 
death. He was also a director in various banking and trust companies, 
and for twenty-four years had been president of the Wilmington 
Savings Fund Society, one of the most substantial institutions of his 
home city. As amember and president of the Park Commission of 
Wilmington for more than twenty years, he rendered most valuable 
service to the community, and the beautiful park system of Wilmington 
is said to be largely due to his efforts. In politics he was a Republi- 
can, but was elected to the city council as an independent for the pur- 
pose of doing away with public graft and a corrupt political ring. 
Mr. Canby early developed a love for botany, and as long ago as 
1858 began collecting plants, and for the- remainder of his life was an 
enthusiastic collector, distributing his material with a lavish hand to 
those who showed even the least interest in it. He traveled extensively, 
and always went prepared to care for rare or strange plants which he 
might find. His knowledge of the plant life of his own state and the 
“eastern shore” region of Maryland was very great. One of my 
pleasantest recollections of him is in connection with an excursion of 
several days in this region. His knowledge of the plants, their haunts, 
their names, their peculiarities, astonished me. His method of work 
was that of an enthusiast. Stopping at some good collecting ground, 
he would spend several hours gathering specimens, reaching the station 
just in time to make his train, spending the next hour or so in putting 
away his plants, and ready to repeat the operation at the next station. 
His most important work of this kind was that as botanist in charge 
of the Northern Transcontinental Survey of 1882-3. This was a 
survey undertaken by the Northern Pacific Railway Company, which 
planned a most extensive study of the natural history resources of the 
region through which the road passes. The railway company, how- 
ever, finally withdrew its support, and the survey was never completed. 
In the meantime a great mass of material was collected containing 
many new species, and the specimens were afterwards freely distributed 
to all the large private and public herbaria. 
The Canby herbarium was for many years one of the most impor- 
