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A chromolithograph from Thomas Meehan's The Native
Flowers and Ferns of
the United States. These beautiful books reflect the combined talents
of Thomas Meehan and
Louis Prang. Meehan was born in England and spent his boyhood on the
Isle
of Wight, where he learned gardening from his father. He moved to
Philadelphia in 1848 and, after several years working for other
horticulturists, established his own very successful nurseries in Upper
Germantown, Pennsylvania. He edited gardening magazines, contributed
scientific papers, and published The American Handbook of Ornamental
Trees
(a copy of which is in our library).
The Native Flowers and Ferns of the United States (Boston:
L. Prang and Company, 1878, 1880, in four volumes) is considered his
masterwork and is still an important resource for the study of ferns in
America. The color plates reflect the artistry of Louis Prang of
Boston,
the leading chromolithographer of the period.
Gift of AAS member and library volunteer Jane K. Dewey, February, 2003
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