MEEHAN, mean, Thomas, American botanist : b. Potter's Bar, near London, England, 21 March 1826; d. Philadelphia, 19 Nov. 1901. From his father, a gardener, he learned facts of natural history when a child; at eight made and recorded an original discovery in herpetol ogy; taught himself from books read at night after daily tasks; at 12 began to publish scien tific papers; soon after produced the first hy brid fuchsia; and was nominated to membership in the Royal Wcrnefian Society. For two years he held a position at Kew Gardens. In 1848 he came to America and took charge of Bar tram's Gardens in Philadelphia. In 1854 he es tablished the Germantown Nurseries, which he conducted until the end of his life. For 30 Years (1859-89) he edited the Gardeners' Monthly, and contributed papers to many other periodicals and to scientific societies. For 23 years he was senior vice-president of the Phila delphia Academy of Natural Sciences, in whose proceedings were published his important `Contributions to the Life History of Plants.' In 1875 he was elected a fellow of the Ameri can Academy for the Advancement of Science, before which, among other noteworthy papers, he read 'A Contribution to the Doctrine of Evolution and the Theory of Natural Selec tion,' which showed him as a coworker with Darwin and other evolutionary scientists, in whose field he also was a discoverer. From the
creation of the office until his death he served as State botanist of Pennsylvania, at one time was a member of the board of visitors of Har vard, and was one of the American editors of the Britannica.' His travels and researches extended throughout the coun try, including Alaska. In 1878 he began the publication of 'Native Flowers and Ferns of the United States,' an illustrated serial cover ing a wide field of floral distribution, the main features of which he continued in Meehan's Monthly, founded in 1891. Many learned societies abroad enrolled him, and he held inti mate relations with nearly all the leading scientists of his time. Among his closest friends was the Comte de Paris, a devotee of plant-study. Meehan was the third American to receive the Veitch medal, awarded to him for ((distinguished services in botany and horti Apart from scientific work he de voted himself to public labors; was a member of the Philadelphia common councils from 1882 until his death; during the same period served on the local school board; in both capacities in troduced many reforms; and chiefly through his efforts nearly 30 small parks were added to the city. A. work of permanent value is his 'American Hand-book of Ornamental Trees' (1853).