54 
Thomas Meehan. From his youth he had been a contributor 
to scientific publications. Up until his death his pen never 
appeared to have been idle, and his output was enormous. 
In America he was a contributor to the Horticulturist, 
Germantown Telegraph, the proceedings of the "Academy 
of Natural Sciences," and other similar publications. For 
many years he was horticultural editor of the Philadelphia 
Press. For over thirty years he was scientific editor of the 
New York Independent. In 1859 with David Rodney King, 
he founded the "Gardeners' Monthly," a periodical for all 
interested in floriculture, and the best of its kind in America. 
Throughout its life of thirty-one years, he continued its 
editor, and its publication was reluctantly abandoned upon 
the death of its business manager, Charles H. Marot in the 
year 1890. Thomas Meehan wrote "The American Hand- 
book of Ornamental Trees," "Wayside Flowers," and "The 
Flowers and Ferns of the United States," — a great work in 
four volumes. 
In the year 1891, he founded and published "Median's 
Monthly," and to this he gave his best attention until his 
last illness. Thomas Meehan was a corresponding member 
of many learned societies, and was vice-president of the 
Academy of the Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, for more 
than 20 years. Upon the death of Joseph Leidy he was 
tendered the presidency of this great institution, but this on 
account of deafness, he did not feel free to accept. He 
traveled throughout Western America and Canada, and upon 
returning from his last long trip, published "Notes on 
Alaska." But his best works are yet to be presented. 
Technique at its best is but artificial, — flowers though beauti- 
ful are silent, and the greatest thing in the active universe we 
see is man, and to Thomas Meehan the good in, and the use- 
fulness of man, most appealed. It was this love of man 
which made him the force he was, and charged him with a 
magnetism which charmed and won his most humble associ- 
ate. I know not one, great or small, associated with him, 
who did not love him. He loved children, and the best 
