THUNIA 



ceolate, striate Ivs. 6 in. long: raceme drooping at tlie 

 end of the stem, 6-12-fld.: fls. white, a-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 fiinly crisp. The 

 color of the labellum is whiter viim ,1 wiih'purple in the 

 throat, with 5-9 purple or \ .llmv ti iii^-.d keels. Wings 

 of the column entire. April-Au-. Huiuia and S. Him- 

 alava region. B.M. 3991. iS.li. Ui:;;^. P.M. 5:125. F.C. 

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

 varieties of this species. The throat of the labellum is 

 often yellow. 



B«nsoni8B, Hook. (PhAitis Binsoiiitr, Benth.). Stems 

 fascicled, 1-2 ft. high, leafy: Ivs. 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,Reichb.f.{P7i (litis Jfa>s7inni>, 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. Muy-Aug. India. 

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

 ionophl^bia, Reichb. f., has the center of the labellum 

 bright yellow, paler toward the margin. 



Heineich HasselbeinCt. 



THtTEBER, 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 iiij.iye.l until his death. In 

 1850 he obtained the appnintini lit as iMiianjst, quarter- 

 master and commissary ■■{ tli.- rnit.-d States Boundary 

 Commission for the survev d tin- ln.iuiilary 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 hitherto un- 

 known border regions. His herbarium collected there 

 comprised a large number of species new td scientists. 

 some of which have been named att. i tn. ii .\ :-.■,.■, . m-. 



Cereits Thnrberi heing one of thv ]tf' i ir i^ 



now cultivated for its fruit in tie ■ - .if 



North Africa. This historical lieihai iiini i -iiim.I tie- 

 subject of Dr. A-a CriN- iiN|..irrant work "Plautje 

 Novae Thurberina- • i ' ■ 1 by the Smithsonian 

 Institute. After 1,- i XiwYork in 1853, Dr. 



Thurber received an ui i r tn the United States 



Assay Office, of whieh In . .1. I rrevvn« the assayer. 

 In this position he reniaiih! . :1 l-''^ nhenowingto 



his strong sympathies will i . ! ' I remont, who 



was the first presidential . ■. i ■'<'■ Republican 



party, he preferred to resi-n la: e r I'l m 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 medica. 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 brain, 



THURBER 



1801 



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 tiling important professional and editorial 

 chui^ tlumuluHit the tountr\ This jmsition he re- 

 si.n 1 n 1 ■ 1 , It- n til ui.iiit mutation of 

 <ii 1 1 1 ul h 1, 1- il, lit , l,,p of the 



\i I ][ II 1 I will II II 11 II t ) within a 



t « h wli 11 1 uliii_ li dih prevented 



hini 11 m L 1 1 Ul, his uileutUliois lu thia position 

 lit touud hi_ lULst Luugenial work and the real mission 

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



2502. Thuniaalba. (X H) 



and varied knowledge of natural sciences, arts and in- 

 dustries, his quick perception and rare judgment as to 

 cause and eflfect 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 aud accuracy of which he was not 

 fully convinced. In order to convince himself to his 

 own satisfaction of tlie value of new plants, fruits and 

 vegetaliles, he e>talilislie<l an extensive experimental 



aiel liMtaiiiral ^lu.j.i ■- iiiii.rtieii with his home On 



tlie ra-si,,,. i;. , , I , ,, , . I, :,,,,,,, 1 "The Pines," after a 

 eliiiii|i nt tli! . ■! _ r-wiii- ill front of it. The 



results ,,f tie -I -I -. I III Mil, and ex|ieriinents 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. 1 at ii- I,;- name but 

 rarely appeared with his arti. I, ^ : i, mpossible 



to estimate the aggregate, y.-t i i unte bore 



the stamp of accuracy of iI.-mm mei m alness of 



style. While in Michigan he re\ i.e.l aiel paiily 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 



