The late HENRY ECKFORD, V. M. H., 

 Who died at Wem, England, December 5, 1905, aged 82 years. 



While other men, including his son, are doing good work on the 

 sweet pea, it was he alone who blazed the way for others to follow. 

 Born in Scotland at Stonehouse, near Edinburgh, on May 17, 1823, 

 he began as an apprentice in 1839 in the Gardens of Lord Lovat, 

 Beaufort Castle, Inverness. In 1854 he was appointed head gardener 

 to the Earl of Radnor at Coleshill, Berkshire, where during his stay 

 of twenty years he raised many new dahlias, pelargoniums and 

 verbenas. In the year 1870 he accepted the invitation of Dr. Sankey 

 to take charge of his gardens at Sandywell, Gloucester, with the view 

 of raising new seedlings of florists' flowers. At this time no one had 

 thought of any radical improvement in sweet peas and Mr. Eckford's 

 magnificent work was begun in 1879. 



As long as the sweet pea is cultivated the name of HENRY ECKFORD 

 will be cherished and revered. To few men is it possible to do so 

 much for their day and generation. 



