THUNIA 



THURBER 



1801 



ceolate, striate lvs. G in. long: raceme drooping at the 

 end of the stem, 6-12-fld.: fls. white, 3-4 in. across 

 when fully open; sepals and petals oblong-lanceolate, 

 acuminate; labellum shorter than the segments, not 

 manifestly 3-lobed, lateral lobes convolute over the 

 column, apex spreading, wavy and finely crisp. The 

 color of the labellum is white veined with purple in the 

 throat, with 5-9 purple or yellow fringed keels. Wings 

 of the column entire. April-Aug. Burma and S. Him- 

 alaya region. B.M. 3991. B.R. 24:33. P.M. 5:125. F.C. 

 3:125. R.H. 1874:450. Gt. 47, p. 233. -There are several 

 varieties of this species. The throat of the labellum is 

 often yellow. 



Bensoniae, Hook. (Ph&ius Bensonice, Benth.). Stems 

 fascicled, 1-2 ft. high, leafy: lvs. linear-lanceolate, 8-10 

 in. long: fls. like those of T. alba but of a pale purple 

 color; labellum large, 3-lobed, deep purple in front, 

 with a yellow crested disk, with 6-7 rows of fringe-like 

 golden yellow hairs; spur short, slender. India. July- 

 Sept. B.M. 5694. G.M. 31:557. -The most showy spe- 

 cies of the genus. 



Marshalliana.Reiohb.f. (Phuius Mdrshallim,Nichols.). 

 Closely related to T. alba. Stems somewhat stronger: 

 segments pure white, acuminate: labellum evidently 3- 

 lobed, with the lateral lobes surrounding the column, 

 middle lobe wavy and crisp. The color of the labellum 

 is yellowish white, with five orange-fringed keels in the 

 throat: wings of the column toothed. May-Aug. India. 

 R.B. 21:229. Gt. 47, p. 233. S.H. 2, p. 335.-A var. 

 ionophlebia, Reichb. f., has the center of the labellum 

 bright yellow, paler toward the margin. 



HEINRICH HASSELBRrNO. 



THURBER, GEORGE (Plate XLI), botanist, natur- 

 alist and editor, was born in Providence, R. I., Septem- 

 ber 2, 1821, and died at his home near Passaic, N. J., 

 April 2, 1890. He obtained his early education at the 

 Union Classical and Engineering School of his native 

 city. Afterwards he served an apprenticeship as phar- 

 macist, at the termination of which he began business 

 for himself in partnership with Joshua Chapin. Dur- 

 ing these years he devoted himself eagerly to the study 

 of chemistry and natural sciences in general, but 

 especially to botany, so that at an early age he was 

 already well known as one of the most prominent 

 botanists of the country. This brought him in close 

 intimacy with Drs. John Torrey, Asa Gray, George 

 Engelmann, Louis Agassiz and other eminent scientists, 

 whose warm friendship he enjoyed until his death. In 

 1850 he obtained the appointment as botanist, quarter- 

 master and commissary of the United States Boundary 

 Commission for the survey of the boundary between 

 the United States and Mexico. During the following 

 four years his botanical work consisted mainly in the 

 exploration of the native flora of these hitnerto un- 

 known border regions. His herbarium collected there 

 comprised a large number of species new to scientists, 

 some of which have been named after their discoverer, 

 Cereus Tliurberi being one of the most important; it is 

 now cultivated for its fruit in the desert regions of 

 North Africa. This historical herbarium formed the 

 subject of Dr. Asa Gray's important work "Plants? 

 Novie Thurberinanae," published by the Smithsonian 

 Institute. After his return to New York in 1853, Dr. 

 Thurber received an appointment to the United States 

 Assay Office, of which Dr. John Torrey was the assayer. 

 In this position he remained until 1856, when owing to 

 his strong sympathies with Gen. John C. Fremont, who 

 was the first presidential candidate of the Republican 

 party, he preferred to resign rather than sacrifice his 

 principles. This incident well illustrates his perfect 

 candor and characteristic, uncompromising spirit. Upon 

 being asked for a contribution to the Buchanan cam- 

 paign fund, he inquired: "Is this an invitation or a 

 demand?" He was informed that it was a demand, and 

 at once tendered his resignation. During the following 

 three years he was connected with the Cooper Union 

 and the College of Pharmacy of New York city as 

 lecturer on botany and materia rnedica. In 1859 he was 

 appointed professor of botany and horticulture at the 

 Michigan Agricultural College, which position he held 

 for four years. Here his wide and varied knowledge, 

 of which he had ready command, his alertness of Jjrain, 



clearness and vigor of speech, humor and enthusiasm 

 made him a successful and ideal teacher. Many of his 

 students and those who studied under his students 

 are now filling important professional and editorial 

 chairs throughout the country. This position he re- 

 signed in 1863 to accept — on the urgent invitation of 

 Orange Judd, the publisher— the editorship of the 

 "American Agriculturist," which he held to within a 

 few years of his death, when failing health prevented 

 him from continuing his ardent labors. In this position 

 he found his most congenial work and the real mission 

 of his life, for which his previous training, his vast 



2502. Thunia alba. (X %) 



and varied knowledge of natural sciences, arts and in- 

 dustries, his quick perception and rare judgment as to 

 cause and effect had fitted him so admirably. Few men 

 have exerted so powerful and effective an influence on 

 progressive horticulture and agriculture as has Dr. 

 Thurber. During his connection with the "American 

 Agriculturist " he was a most painstaking and scrupu- 

 lous editor and would not accept any article or statement 

 about the correctness and accuracy of which he was not 

 fully convinced. In order to convince himself to his 

 own satisfaction of the value of new plants, fruits and 

 vegetables, he established an extensive experimental 

 and botanical garden in connection with his home on 

 the Passaic river, which he named "The Pines," after a 

 clump of tall white pines growing in front of it. The 

 results of these observations and experiments formed 

 the basis of a regular and valuable series of "Notes 

 from the Pines." But in no part of his editorial work 

 has he taken so much delight as in the "Doctor's 

 Talks," and thousands of now gray-haired men and 

 women will long hold in grateful and affectionate re- 

 membrance "The Doctor," who through his letters to 

 the "boys and girls " has added so much to the delights 

 of their childhood days. Although Dr. Thurber was 

 never married and had no children, he was always fond 

 of young people and was never happier than when he 

 could teach and assist them in whatever lay in his 

 power. The amount of his writings in the "American 

 Agriculturist " during the twenty -two years of his con- 

 nection with it was enormous, but as his name but 

 rarely appeared with his articles it would be impossible 

 to estimate the aggregate, yet whatever he wrote bore 

 the stamp of accuracy of detail and naturalness of 

 style. While in Michigan he revised and partly rewrote 

 Darlington's "Agricultural Botany," which was pub- 

 lished under the title of "American Weeds and Useful 

 Plants." He wrote also the entire botany of Appleton's 

 "New American Encyclopedia." An important part of 



