392 
singing in chorus with friends, and, after settling at Clifton he 
took a great interest in the Bristol Musical Festivals. In oratorio 
music and orchestral concerts he found a particular pleasure. 
A marked idiosyncracy was his constitutional dislike for tobacco 
one effect of which was that he was never able to join the Bristol 
and Clifton Scientific Club which meets monthly to dine, and, 
after dinner, to read or to hear papers read, and to discuss them 
in a cloud of smoke." 
F. W. Burbidge.— Full and appreciative accounts of the life 
and work of this old Kewite appeared in several of the 
papers shortly after his sudden death, which took place on 
Christmas Eve, 1905 ; but the fidelity and generosity of the 
deceased to Kew deserve recognition here. 
io5 u ¥? g J T as born at Wymeswold, Leicestershire, on March 21, 
iW ' ; lus ^ther being a farmer and fruit grower. After spending 
some time in the gardens of the Royal Horri.-nlmral S.-u-iv. ;.r 
Chiswick, where he obtained many distinctions, he entered Kew, 
where he was equally successful. Enthusiastic in all branches 
'-,' lll i "'""ulrmv. a.i.l none the less a student of botany, he early 
developed considerable skill in wielding both pen and pencil, and 
part of his time at Kew was devoted to drawing plants for the 
general collection After leaving Kew in 1870 he spent several 
years on the staff of "The Garden," and in writing works on 
various horticultural and botanical subjects ; all of which were 
Tnl£° eiVe * £T$ th6Se Was his ilIu ^ated History, Ac. of 
to which Mr. J. G. Baker contributed a descriptive 
classification of all the species. In 1877-8 he was engaged on an 
r^n r ri m T°\ t( L N0rth B ° rneo on behalf Messrs. James Veitch 
nW?'- \ ° i e °u bemg the mtrod *ction of new and beautiful 
51™ ' I? whl f C \ he was hi S^J successful. Specially interesting 
*££?« ■ '' ™™ vario ™ «P ecies of 
A ;/;■ n, i including the giant N. Rajah, figured in the « Botanical 
endttl ^ Tl, r n atl T 6 ° f H S travels and acquisitions is in his book 
an throng ^h "ft 11 *}?* plants ' but be al «° dried a large number, 
setVmZf? hberallt y ^ Messrs. Veitch, Kew received the first 
£3 «Z\Z lth M me giVen b ? Burbid S e bim ^< to nearly a 
ffff R % s P e <^ bear his name, and Sir Joseph 
t fcEm "h? Bur ? ld 9 ea e ^tida (Botanical Magazine, 1879, 
HortSltui? w? IOn ° f ^ Burbid ge'8 eminent serv'iees to 
"' PhnS tl ^rf COlleCt ° r ln B ° rne0 ' ° r aS aUth0r ° f 
wWch sho left ' mr Pro P a ^tion and Improvement,' a work 
ZZ^JS^}^ ever y ^rdener's library." In 1879 Burbidge 
of Trinity College, 
sasw ¥m\ FB=£ - - 
numb?; of hortUu , r e . beld tiH his death - He received a 
of Arts Hp waa oi It'»»>ns ruusu. t| le d.-s?ree of Master 
^^l^^iJ^^ u ' Il '"'' ! <-'> Academy. 
snout nis career Burbidge was always faithful to Kew, and 
