^I)E i^ftobobenbron ^ocietp i^otcg. 
PORTRAITS OF SIR J. D. HOOKER, ETC. 
Contributed by Charles Eley. 
I was indebted to Mr. J. C. Williams for a copy of “ The Garden Magazine,” 
for June, 1916, published by Doubleday, Page & Co., Garden City, New York 
(price, 15 cents). 
It contains an excellent article on Hardy Rhododendrons, by Ernest H. 
Wilson, of the Arnold Arboretum. 
There are six illustrations, and a considerable mass of information descriptive 
of new varieties, and the best method of their cultivation. It is intended mainly 
for gardeners in New England. 
In 1915 I acquired a mezzotint portrait in the “ mixed method,” inscribed 
” Dr. J. D. Hooker, F.R.S., in the Rhododendron region of the Himalayan 
Mountains.” This print is quite a good example of its style, and the standing 
figure on the right, of a native, nude to the waist, is a fine piece of scraping in 
pure mezzotint, and alone is enough to make one wish that the engraver, William 
Walker, had maintained the purity of the methods of his masters, T. Woolnoth 
and Thomas Lupton. This plate, published in 1854, is from a picture by Frank 
Stone, A.R.A., which is described as being in the possession of Lovell Reeve, Esq. 
It depicts Hooker seated, receiving from a kneeling native trusses of various 
rhododendrons (including apparently Rh. Falconer!), and surrounded by other 
natives, some of whom may be seen collecting in the distance. The size of the 
plate is 22 x 18|, excluding the margin and inscription. William Walker was 
a Scottish engraver, b. 1793, d. 1867, who published a large number of con¬ 
temporary portraits. It would be interesting to know if Lovell Reeve was a 
patron of rhododendrons. 
Wishing to know if there was a state of this plate ” before letters,” I made 
enquiries at the British Museum and elsewhere, but without success. I ascer¬ 
tained that this print is not in the British Museum, but is in the Kew Herbarium. 
The search resulted in the unearthing of the following five portraits of 
Dr. J. D. Hooker :— 
1. T.Q.L. ; seated, looking to r. From a picture belonging to the Linnean 
Society. Photogravure, Ilf x 10. Painted by H. Herkomer. 
2. T.Q.L. ; seated, looking to 1., vignette, with facsimile of autograph. 
One of the set of Ipswich Museum portraits ; lithograph, published 
by G. Ransome in 1851. Painted and engraved by T. H. Maguire. 
3. H.L. ; seated at a table, working with a microscope. From a pen 
drawing. Photograph. Painted by T. B. Wirgman, in 1886. 
4. A head, looking to r., vignette. Stipple. Proof before inscription. 
C. H. Jeens, engraver. 
6. T.Q.L. ; seated, looking to 1. Photogravure. Published by Walker 
and Cockerell, in 1897. 
Can anyone add to this list ? 
I understand that at the Natural History Museum, Kensington, there are a 
number of prints and plates illustrating rhododendrons. 
CHARLES ELEY. 
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