174 0BIT[TARY NOTICE O^ DU CIlAtlLES STtJART 



He began his experiments by crossing the Pansy with the 

 old Viola cornuta of gardens, and produced many beautiful 

 hybrids, which had the merit of being true perennials and 

 continuous bloomers, six of them having obtained a First- 

 class Certificate from Chiswick, in 1876. 



He raised many beautiful Violas — especially, in 1894, a 

 light yellow, rayless one — which were greatly admired. In 

 May 1880, by crossing Aquilegia Witmanni with A. glandulosa, 

 he obtained the beautiful Columbine which perpetuates his 

 name — Aquilegia Stuartii. 



He was also successful in Primulas and Polyanthuses, 

 particularly in gold-laced varieties of the latter ; in raising 

 an excellent self-stage red Auricula ; and — to the envy, 

 perhaps, of many amateurs and professionals — of cultivating 

 with conspicuous success numerous rare (and diflScult to rear) 

 Alpine Ferns and other Alpines. 



Latterly he turned his attention to the improvement of 

 Trollius (globe-flower), and crossed the American with the 

 European species with good effect ; and he raised some 

 beautiful varieties of the Daffodil, and was the fortunate 

 discoverer of a unique strain of that favourite flower, growing 

 wild, or naturalised from ancient times, which is known as 

 The Whitehall Daffodil. 



It was a real treat to a kindred spirit to ramble round 

 Dr Stuart's well-stocked garden with its owner, where, in 

 expatiating upon his favourites, he would "talk down hours 

 to minutes." It was ever a marvel to me how, in so small 

 an area, such a vast collection of plants and flowers were 

 always flourishing, and still there was a space for experimental 

 stations ! 



The lamented doctor was a man of much literary taste, 

 and, in addition to his numerous contributions to the Berwick- 

 shire Club, and to certain Journals, wrote a pamphlet on 

 the Yetholm gipsies. 



Our Club is distinctly the poorer by the decease of Dr 

 Charles Stuart, for, if not exactly a nobleman (though he 

 was not far from being one), he was emphatically a noble 

 Man, whose name was an adornment, not only to our roll, 

 but to the longer, more ancient, and more comprehensive 

 one of the Sons of Caledonia. 



