XVI International Botanical Congess

Among the complex identities of Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954), the roles of botanist, horticulturist, taxonomist, and writer stand out. The breadth and excellence of his accomplishments and their enduring influence are an eloquent testimony of his genius. Bailey learned to love plants and gardens in his youth on a Michigan farm. He attended Michigan Agricultural College, then worked at Harvard and his alma mater before settling at Cornell University in 1888. At Cornell he organized the College of Agriculture, its horticultural departments, the nature study program, arboretum, and experiment station. In 1935 he donated his Hortorium to Cornell, including a huge herbarium, library, and seed catalog collection. Bailey authored numerous books and monographs, often assisted by his daughter Ethel Zoe Bailey. His supreme achievement was synthesizing the disciplines of botany and horticulture.