A Great Botanist The loss of Sir Arthur Hill, the
Director of Kew Gardens, will cause the widest regrets, not least in South Africa. He had many rare gifts of character and intelligence.- Perhaps I may give one small example of a special gift. I was staying in the same house with him in the West of England when he went a long ride over country previously unknown to him, under the guidance of a local farmer. During the ride his acute eye dis- covered a fastigiate larch ; and he was particularly interested in this form of growth ; indeed, one of his best-known contributions to botanic science was his discovery and proof that the Lombardy poplar was merely a sport from the common poplar. After Hill's return to Kew, the day after his ride, our host received from him a map drawn so accurately that there was no difficulty whatever in finding the odd tree, which was forthwith sent off to Kew, where it joined the fastigiate collection. It was a rare treat to walk with him in the country. He never failed to point out or illustrate some quaint fact in the local botany. The last letter I had from him concerned a sulphurea wild violet sent to me by a reader of The Spectator. He wanted a plant for his own private garden at Kew.
Previous page
