Evening star., 1923-05-31
MEDAL SURPRISE
TOPLANT EXPERT
Prof. Sargent Honored at An.
nuaI Inspection of Arnold
Arb0retum.

Prof. Charles Sprague Sargent. di-
rector of the Arnold arhoretum, was
presented today with the Meyer medal
of foreign plant introduction, award
ed him by the American Genetic AS
sociation of Washington for his most
distinguished services in the field of
plant introduction.
The presentation, which came S a
complete surprise to the recipient
was made at the luncheon given by
Prof. Sargent on the occasion of the
annual visit of inspection to the ar
boretum by the special committee ap-
pointed for the purpose by the fac
ulty of Harvard University. under
whose jurisdiction the collection is
maintained.
The Arnold arboretum is the great
est existing collection of trees and
shrubs in the world, and is mag
nificent monument to the continuous
activity of its director. Prof. Sargent
has, with most remarkable devotion
and intelligence. directed its actlVl-
ties for half d century.
When one thinks back to the con-
ditions of 1873 it is hard to believe
that there existed anywhere mind
with sufficient vision to see fifty years
ahead to time when our forest trees
would be threatened with extinction
but there did. Not only was there the
vision, but the tremendous will power
behind it, which inaugurated and
built up a collection of all those spe-
cies OF beautiful trees and shrubs
which made the American landscape
of our childhood.
Species Kept Intact.
The landscapes have changed-the
forests have been burned. and were
1T not for the vision of this one man
there would todav be no place where
any one could go and see the vanish
Ing tree species of the world.
Not only is the arboretum keeping
from extinction the threatened tree
species, but it represents a collection
of the living tree stuff, out of which
will come from now on more and
of our new forests and the beautify-
ing of our dooryards.
1t took Langley to predict, as he
did in 1897. that the great aerial
highway overhead would soon be
opened" and n Sargent to foreca st
as he has done. that new races OF
trees may be produced artiticially
which will contribute materially tc
the value of the forest products OF
the world and increase the beauty OF
II is considered by his friends and
admirers peculiarly fitting that an
organization of research men an6
women, such as the American Genetic
studying the laws of heredity. should
present to such pioneer as Prof
Sargent medal named in honor OF
the plant explorer, Frank n. Meyer
who lost his life while hunting for
new plants in China. The veteran
tree lover has not only been the lead
er in the introduction of trees and
shrubs into this country. but has
preached. like John the Baptist in the
wilderness. the doctrine OF hybrid
trees for our forests.
Ceremony at Arboretum.
The ceremonies took place at the
arboretum at Jamaica Plain, near
Boston, and the medal which was ac-
companied with an embossed letter OF
appreciation, was presented by Presi-
dent Lowell of Harvard.
The Illuminated presentation paper
reads al follows:
I'm presenting this medal to you
Prof Charles Sprague Sargent, who
are so easily the outstanding leader
In the world of plant Introduction
the council of the American Genetic
Association does itself the honor of
paying to you the tribute that youth
ITO plant a single tree and watch
1t grow to full height and girth has
been the splendid task and reward
of comparatively few men; to gather
from the hilltops and mountain
slopes of the whole world thousands
of superb trees and shrubs and watch
them grow from small seedlings to
full maturity is a unique accomplish
ment. For one who has devoted a
whole half century of his life to the
study of the trees and shrubs of the
world and has grown thousands of
them for the first time on this con-
tinent. any praise seems inadequate,
and medal is, after all. but an in
sufficient reward for services so dis
tinguished and for life 50 unspar-
fngly devoted to the cause of plant
introduction. Yet in this Meyer
medal the American Genetic Associa-
ton feels that there lies truly deep
tribute-the tribute of one who laid