i6o The Canadian Horticulturist. 



industry in this respect, the local horticultural societies of the Province of 

 Quebec, the Montreal Horticultural Society and the Dominion Horticul- 

 tural Society are all lasting monuments. 



Mr. John Craig, Horticulturist of the Experimental Farm, Ottawa, who 

 was a personal friend of Mr. Gibb's, writes in this connection as follows : 



" It may not be generally known that Mr. Gibb's last efforts were directly 

 in the interests of and for the advancement of Canadian Horticulture. The 

 journey, which may be looked upon as the indirect cause of his death, was one 

 that he had in contemplation for months previous to the time of starting, which 

 was in July, 1889. After spending some time in British Columbia, he took 

 steamer to Japan, where he studied the flora very thoroughly, especially of 

 the northern part, then proceeded to the mountainous regions of China. 

 Next we find him in India, Ceylon, and lastly Cairo. After reaching this 

 point he and his friends looked forward to a speedy reunion. From various 

 points along the line of travel he forwarded packets of seeds, and scions of 

 many forest and fruit trees which specially commended themselves to his 

 notice. There is now at the Experimental Farm, Ottawa, a valuable and 

 interesting collection of plants being propagated from this stock. Among 

 these are fruits which may prove valuable additions to our lists for southern 

 Ontario. There is little doubt that exposure, coupled with severe physical 

 strain through uncivilized lands and over mountain roads, weakened and 

 finally prostrated a frame never vigorous. These last tokens of his affec- 

 tionate regard for Canadian Horticulture will be faithfully and lovingly 

 cared for at the Experimental Farm, and will, when distributed among the 

 people for whom he labored, be a monument more fitting than granite or 

 marble, and one which shall illumine the annals of Horticulture while 

 the earth shall bring forth the fruits which he so much loved." 



Mr. Charles Gibb was born at Montreal on the 30th of June, 1846. 

 He received his early education at Bishop's College, Lennoxville, and went 

 from there to McGill College, Montreal, where he graduated B.A., at the 

 age of nineteen. The application necessary to complete a college course 

 successfully at so early an age, not only injured his eyesight, but also much 

 impaired his health, and he was told by physicians that he had only a few 

 years, perhaps only a few months to live, and they advised him to seek 

 recuperation in foreign travel. This he did, going abroad in company with 

 his uncle, Mr. J.J. Gibb, of Como. This first trip was of two or three years' 

 duration, and embraced visits to Egypt, the Holy Land, and afterwards 

 Switzerland and Europe generally. 



On his return he engaged in the cultivation of fruit, in the State of Penn- 

 sylvania, no doubt because he rightly considered it one of the most health- 

 ful, as well as one of the most interesting departments of agriculture. The 

 climate of Pennsylvania not agreeing with him, he returned to Canada, and 

 purchased the farm on the slope of the Yamaska mountain, at Abbottsford, 



