177 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
Surely with such inspiration the crusade now assuming 
such proportions in the direction of civic beauty might 
take on an added power in its aggressive educational 
functions, and taking advantage of the influence of 
children with their parents and friends, encourage the 
love of nature as a foundation upon which to build a 
practical enthusiasm for beauty in the town. A cor- 
roboration of this is found in the reitiarkable success 
which has attended the work of the Home Gardening 
Association of Cleveland in its efforts to promote 
gardening among children. Assuming that a righteous 
pride would induce the young to better effort and at 
the same time give an opportunity for introducing busi- 
ness methods into the work, seed was bought in bulk, 
put up by the committee in penny packages and offered 
to the school children. The result was astonishing — 
nearly 50,000 packages were sold, all expenses paid and 
a genuine fervor in gardening operations awakened in 
the neighborhood under consideration. And the good 
work is going on with increasing interest. 
THOMAS MEEHAN. 
In spite of the knowledge of the fact that human life 
has an allotted span, and that on approaching the limit 
we are confronted with the certainty that however use- 
ful a life may be and may have been, we must be pre- 
pared for the inevitable, a keen and enduring regret 
waits upon the passing of a great and good man. In 
tlie recent death of Thomas Meehan, the eminent bot- 
anist and horticulturist of Philadelphia, we have lost 
a bright example of the scientist and citizen, and one 
whose career can be studied as an inspiration to our 
youth ; and both in his social and public relations, the 
term great and good may be applied in a very full 
sense, while sorrow at his loss to mankind will be very 
genuine and of world-wide experience. 
A summary of the leading facts of Mr. Meehan’s 
life will be of interest to our readers, and will testify 
to his great public services and attainments. Mr. Mee- 
han was tom at Potter's Bar, near London, England, 
on March 21, 1826, and died at his home in German- 
town, Philadelphia, on November 19, last. His career 
as a botanist began very early in life, for at the age 
of 12 or 13 he wrote a short paper on flowering stocks 
and at 15 he published a scientific paper on the “por- 
tulaca." So proficient had he become in his chosen 
field, that while still in his minority the Royal Wer- 
nerian Society of Edinburgh, a most conservative and 
prominent scientific association, elected him a mem- 
ber. His attainments attracted many influential friends, 
who led him to take a full course of study at Kew 
Gardens. At the age of 22 and after some corre- 
spondence with Robert Buist, a leading horticulturist 
of Philadelphia, he decided to sail for that city, where 
he entered the employ of Mr. Buist. ' Philadelphia has 
been his home ever since. After a term of service 
with Mr. East wick, of Bartram’s Gardens, and as head 
gardener to Caleb Cope, at Holmesburg, where he 
flowered the Victoria Regia for the first time in this 
country, in 1853, he started in the nursery business 
for himself, at a place now known as Ambler Station, 
shortly afterwards taking into partnership the late 
William Saunders. The partnership did not last long, 
however, Mr. Meehan soon assuming the whole care. 
In 1859 Mr. Meehan became editor of the “Garden- 
er’s Monthly Magazine,” and retained this connection 
until it was merged into another publication — a long 
term of service. He was always from youth up a pro- 
lific writer on horticultural and agricultural subjects, 
which found expression in quite a number of papers 
and magazines, to which he was a regular contributor, 
and with which his name was associated for a num- 
ber of years. Some of his serious botanical work 
has been devoted to Meehan’s Monthly, which with his 
younger sons he established some years ago. 
His attachment to the scientific side of his chosen 
field is shown in his society relations. In i860 he be- 
came a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, 
botanical section, and his fame as a botanist has be- 
come widely known. He has been generally recog- 
nized as one of the most eminent vegetable biologists. 
For many years before his death he had practical 
charge of the botanical section of the Academy, and 
was chairman of the Publication Committee. For 23 
years he was annually elected vice-president, and had 
once declined the presidency. 
He was one of the oldest living members of the 
American Association for the Advancement of Science, 
and was also a member of many scientific bodies in 
this country and in Europe. In recognition of his 
eminence he held the position of one of the Board of 
Visitors of Harvard University, for many years. 
Mr. Meehan was scarcely less eminent as a public 
citizen than in his role of scientist. Through many 
administrations he has been appointed State Botanist 
of Pennsylvania. In 1882 he was elected a member of 
the Common Council of Philadelphia, and through 
these many years he has been closely and actively as- 
sociated in movements for the welfare of the people 
and the public schools. It is to his untiring energy 
that Philadelphia owes her small parks, and he re- 
ceived public recognition for his services in securing 
these breathing places for the people. He was a mem- 
ber of the Highway Committee, the Committee on 
Schools, and was chosen a member of the local School 
Board. All his services were without compensation, 
and he took pride in the fact that he never accepted 
a salaried office. 
Full of years and honor, Mr. Meehan has gone to 
his reward, with energy to the last for the good of his 
fellow man, and leaving a record of service and help, 
the fruit of which will be a continual blessing. 
