Wolcott Gills. 259 



His most engrossing pursuit, next to chemistry, was garden- 

 ing, a taste inherited from his father, and he threw himself 

 into this with the enthusiasm, skill, thoroughness, and success, 

 which characterized his work in chemistry. It served as an 

 excellent relief from his arduous labors, and, when old age 

 brought these to an end, as a delightful occupation, until a 

 short time before his death, which took place at Newport, 

 December 9, 1908. 



I wish I could bring before the reader the pictures which I 

 like best to remember, when I think of him. The tall, hand- 

 some man brimming over with warm, cordial welcome as he 

 hastened to meet you on your arrival at his house, and later, on 

 the piazza overlooking the garden and the sea, the long inspir- 

 ing talks, which kept you in a high clear country far above 

 anything mean or questionable, and sent you back to your 

 work with renewed energy and enthusiasm ; his vivid enjoy- 

 ment in the pursuit of his experiments in the laboratory ; or 

 best of all, to see him wandering from bed to bed in his sunny 

 garden, rejoicing in each rare and beautiful plant in his rich 

 collection. 



C. L. Jackson. 



