JULV 11, 1J)12. 



The Rorists' Review 



U 



arterial sclerosis, but death came from 

 an attack of pneumonia, which was of 

 only five days' duration. The funeral 

 was held from the residence, Tuesday 

 afternoon, July 9, burial being at Oak- 

 woods. A number in the trade sent 

 flowers. 



WiUiam S. Smith. 



The venerable William R. Smith, who 

 had been reported in recent issues of 

 The Review as slowly losing strength, 



Sassed quietly away at a Washington 

 ospital Sunday morning, July 7. 



Among the oldest as well as the best 

 known of Scotch gardeners in this coun- 

 try was William R. Smith, superintend- 

 ent of the Botanic Gardens, maintained 

 by the government, on land directly op- 

 posite the Capitol grounds, in Washing- 

 ton. This post he had held continu- 

 ously for the unprecedented period of 

 more than fifty years. An additional 

 distinction is that he was the oldest liv- 

 ing ex-president of the S. A. F., for 

 Robert Craig, who preceded him by 

 six terms in the presidency, numbers 

 but 65 years against Mr. Smith's 84. 



Wm. R. Smith was born in Scotland 

 in 1828, and gained his first profes- 

 sional experience in Lord Elcho's gar- 

 dens at Haddington. In 1853 he en- 

 tered Kew Gardens, London, thence 

 coming to America. He was first em- 

 ployed as a private gardener in Phila- 

 delphia, but soon went to Washington 

 and there began his life work. The 

 Botanic Gardens emerged from a 

 swamp, into the beautiful aspect they 

 now present, under his management. 

 Mr. Smith, iiyaddition to his long years 

 of service at the Botanic Gardens, gave 

 liberally of his time as chairman of the 

 Parking Commission of the District of 

 Columbia and did much towards making 

 the streets, squares and parks of the 

 national capital among the most beau- 

 tiful in the world. 



Mr. Smith was the friend of many 

 of the presidents, statesmen and other 

 distinguished men of the day, and it 

 was principally his wide acquaintance 

 that made it possible for the S. A. F. to 

 secure its national charter, granted by 

 Congress and signed by Wm. McKinley 

 March 3, 1901. Mr. Smith was an ar- 

 dent admirer of Robert Burns and had 

 what is said to be the largest private 

 collection of Burnsiana iir the world. 

 He possessed his full share of those 

 characteristic Scotch traits, sturdy inde- 

 pendence and grim humor, and had many 

 amusing experiences during his long 

 career. The two following are typical 

 of the stories told of him: 



A pompous senator, meeting Mr. 

 Smith at one time in the Botanic Gar- 

 dens, stated emphatically that he could 

 see no utility in the gardens, nor any 

 reasonable excuse why Congress should 

 continue to maintain the place. Giv- 

 ing him a withering glance, Mr. Smith 

 is said to have replied: "My dear sir, 

 if the Great Creator of all the universe 

 had had utility in mind when he made 

 you, He would have put you on four 

 legs and sent you to eating grass." 



Another senator, from one of the 

 southern states, heard, early in his term 

 of office, that Superintendent Smith, of 

 the Botanic Gardens, made presents of 

 palms and other plants to statesmen he 

 liked. This senator wanted some palms, 

 80 he tried to find a way of getting on 

 the right side of the superintendent. 

 Learning of the latter 's admiration for 

 the poet Burns, he let that serve as his 

 cue. 



^illkm R. Smith. 



Walking over from the Capitol to the 

 Botanic Gardens, he found Mr. Smith, 

 and after talking some time on general 

 topics, led the conversation around to 

 the subject of Burns. 



"There was the poet! " he exclaimed. 

 "For fine sentiment he has them all 

 beaten a mile. I read my Burns every* 

 day. ' ' 



"Ken ye Burns?" asked Smith, thor- 

 oughly interested. 



"I should say I did," replied the sen- 

 ator. "Why, 1 know most of his poems 

 by heart. They can talk about their 

 other great poets, but as for me, give 

 me .Timmie Burns." 



".Jimmie Burns!" fairly snorted the 

 enraged Smith. "Jimmie Burns! Augh! 

 Billie Washington! Frankie Napoleon! 

 Georgie Lincoln! Get out of my sight, 

 ye ignoramus! " 



And that crestfallen senator never 

 did get his palms. 



The funeral of Mr. Smith was held 

 at 2:.S0 Tuesday, July 9, and was at- 

 tended by the Washington florists in a 

 body, as well as by a number in the 

 trade from outside points. There were 



many flowers, for 

 in the trade' who 

 esteem. 



there was no man 

 was held in higher 



Oeorge Farrant. 



George Farrant, who was manager of 

 T. L. Metcalfe's Pleasant View Green- 

 houses, at Madisonville, Ky., dropped 

 dead in the street July 3. He had quit 

 work for the day and started to walk 

 to town, but had gone not more than 

 fifty yards from the greenhouses when 

 he received the fatal stroke. 



Mr. Farrant was 52 years of age, a 

 native of Devonshire, England. He 

 came to the United States twenty years 

 ago an<l had worked in a number of 

 greenhouse establishments in various 

 parts of the country. He went to 

 Madisonville from Kokomo, Ind. A 

 widow and three children survive, also 

 a brother in Washington. Mr. Metcalfe 

 speaks highly of the deceased, saying 

 that he was one of the most capable 

 and conscientious men he ever has had 

 in his employ. 



Utica, N. Y.— Samuel Whitton is build- 

 ing a greenhouse at 232 Churchill ave- 

 nue. 



Batavia, N. Y. — Gustav Noack is 

 smiling because of the arrival of a 

 son at his home, June 29. 



